Why do we keep buying things we don’t need? Why do wardrobes keep getting bigger while satisfaction gets smaller? And who benefits from keeping consumers trapped in an endless cycle of wanting more? In this episode of the In Pursuit of Luxury podcast, Shaun Borstrock sits down with Dr Brett Staniland – fashion writer, academic, sustainability advocate and former international model – to explore how modern fashion has become one of the world’s most sophisticated marketing machines.

From luxury brands and fast fashion to social media algorithms, overconsumption and personal identity, Brett explains why today’s fashion industry isn’t simply selling clothes – it’s selling aspiration, status and the desire for constant newness. The conversation explores why buying less may be the most radical thing consumers can do, how creative direction and branding shape our purchasing decisions, and whether luxury can rediscover its original meaning. This episode isn’t really about fashion. It’s about consumer psychology.

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