In this issue of Luxury Studies we continue to explore luxury as a concept and practice in a variety of contexts. The authors offer different views, conceiving of luxury as a symbolic structure, a cultural practice and a site of contention. The contributors in this issue all see luxury as an active presence in this world whether as a force that excludes and is unsettling or one that can be trans- formative and positive.
We begin with Gjoko Muratovski’s article which comprises three inter- connected analyses. He looks at the concept of luxury and its evolution from classical associations that one might associate with Thorstein Veblen (his best- known book, The Theory of the Leisure Class, 1899) to a more contemporary view which calls for luxury brands to be transparent and socially responsible. He then moves into a more applied domain, with a focus on the auto- motive sector. Muratovski draws from his consulting experience with luxury automotive brands to illustrate how these companies have dealt with shifts in consumer values, digital transformation and a demand for sustainability. His work also considers and outlines strategies for how luxury brands can adopt practices which will enable them to lead in an ethical manner in line with the European Commission policy Industry 5.0, which calls for an integration of human-centric practices which are sustainable and socially responsible into brand strategy.
Daniel Kinne’s article introduces the reader to the use and improvement of nature through bioengineering and synthetic biology where new systems can be built. He looks at innovations in the latter realm with brands such as Stella McCartney (mycelium leather) and then looks at scenarios in which luxury brands can create biosynthetic luxury. He presents speculative scenarios where, for example, human flesh is integrated with branded content in the form of scent and visual patterns so that one literally becomes one with a brand. The idea of the Balenciaga flowering involves what appears to be a ‘conventional garment’ but is ‘a complex ecosystem of engineered organisms’ which will take on different configurations as time passes. He sees a future where biosynthetic luxury will be a part of a circular economy in ways which are adaptive, responsive and transformative.
Shuo Feng, Gretchen Larsen and Nick Ellis’s research shows through discourse analysis how conceptions of luxury change. Luxury consumers in China and the United Kingdom have very different approaches to luxury consumption and these actions they undertake are shaped by cultural narratives and affective orientations. Drawing on analysis of alternative, politically left-leaning media and focus group interviews, the authors explore how indi- viduals express scepticism, and even moral exhaustion in relation to luxury. Pessimism becomes a key theme and a way in which participants express guilt, anxiety and distance from luxury brands. These responses differ across cultural contexts. British participants often emphasize hypocrisy or performative ethics. For instance, one noted the contradiction of wearing expensive labels while espousing environmentally conscious values. Luxury was described as something that must be ‘disguised’. Chinese participants by contrast were more likely to frame luxury within nationalist, class-based or familial narratives. One woman explained that purchasing luxury was part of ‘being a good daughter’, a reflection of success that honoured one’s family. We see too how this affirms China’s growing global stature. The central argument is that luxury consumption is not merely about status display or personal identity but about negotiating symbolic legitimacy. The authors challenge traditional assumptions about what luxury means and why it matters.
Shaun Borstrock interviewed Nadia Tuma-Weldon, global head of Thought Leadership and executive vice president at McCann Worldgroup, on his In Pursuit of Luxury podcast. As a leader in the sector of luxury branding, Tuma-Weldon brings her knowledge and experience to the question of how luxury is defined, communicated and experienced today. The conversation explores important themes that shape the contemporary luxury landscape and the rise of cultural intelligence, shifting values and the tension between exclusivity and accessibility. Tuma-Weldon identifies a core challenge for luxury brands which may be seen by some as a contradiction as she argues that they need to grow and meet the demands of shareholders without diluting their core values. Borstrock and Tuma-Weldon explore how brands can maintain a clear sense of identity and authenticity. She emphasizes that relevance depends on a brand’s ability to truly understand and connect emotionally with consumers, to reflect evolving cultural values and to communicate why they exist on a fundamental level. A goal is to reach a place where ‘harmony of love and skill’ and ‘passion and technical excellence’
intersect and flourish. The interview offers a compelling vision of luxury’s future, rooted in craftsmanship but attuned to the demands of a world that can change in unexpected ways.
Runzhou Sun’s review of Fashion: A Theory by Frederic Monneyron offers us insight into how Monneyron situates fashion. For him it is not merely a cultural expression but it is a symbolic system that reflects and indeed shapes social change. Sun pays specific attention to Monneyron’s focus on imagery in relation to fashion (which ironically is not given prominence by many theorists) and to Monneyron’s use of the imaginary as developed by Gilbert Durand. Durand traces recurring symbolic structures across myth, art and cultural life and his work allows Monneyron to investigate fashion as a site where archetypes are activated and refigured. Fashion becomes a way in which societies imagine their future. Monneyron delves deeply into questions of desire, seduction and fantasy. He argues that male strategies of seduction often draw on feminine codes, destabilizing the presumed boundaries of gender and revealing the performative nature of identity itself. Designers such as Yves Saint Laurent and Jean Paul Gaultier offer examples of how these shifting dynamics are expressed aesthetically. The English translation of this important book provides English speakers with an introduction not only to Monneyron’s work but to Durand’s which many may not be familiar with.
The contributions in this issue from academics and practitioners discuss core challenges and opportunities that luxury brands and consumers face and they expand our horizons on what we define as luxury.
