Author Description
We live in a world obsessed by luxury. Long-distance airlines compete to offer first-class sleeping experiences and hotels recommend exclusive suites where you are never disturbed. Luxury is a rapidly changing global industry that makes the headlines daily in our newspapers and on the internet. More than ever, luxury is a pervasive presence in the cultural and economic life of the West - and increasingly too in the emerging super-economies of Asia and Latin America. Yet luxury is hardly a new phenomenon. Today's obsession with luxury brands and services is just one of the many manifestations that luxury has assumed. In the middle ages and the Renaissance, for example, luxury was linked to notions of magnificence and courtly splendour. In the eighteenth century luxury was at the centre of philosophical debates over its role in shaping people's desires and oiling the wheels of commerce. And it continues to morph today, with the growth of the global super-rich and increasing wealth polarization. From palaces to penthouses, from couture fashion to lavish jewellery, from handbags to red wine, from fast cars to easy money, Peter McNeil and Giorgio Riello present the first ever global history of luxury, from the Romans to the twenty-first century: a sparkling and ever-changing story of extravagance, excess, novelty, and indulgence.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This work investigates the evolution of luxury as a concept and a global industry, questioning how human perceptions of excess and status have shifted from the Roman era to the modern day. Authors Giorgio Riello and Peter McNeil, both established scholars in design history and material culture, utilize a vast array of historical evidence to argue that luxury is not a static state of wealth, but a fluid social construct that adapts to economic and political climates. They examine how luxury has functioned as both a driver of commerce and a target of philosophical critique throughout Western and global history.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- A chronological analysis of luxury from the Roman Empire through the Renaissance to the twenty-first century.
- Examination of luxury in relation to courtly splendor, philosophical debate, and modern wealth polarization.
- Case studies covering diverse sectors including fashion, architecture, automotive design, and consumer goods.
Scope Limits
- The text focuses primarily on the Western trajectory of luxury, with secondary attention to emerging markets in Asia and Latin America.
- It does not provide a technical manual for luxury brand management or investment strategies.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars and critics frequently cite this work as a comprehensive, foundational text for understanding the historical underpinnings of modern consumer culture. Readers often note the academic rigor of the prose, which balances detailed historical research with accessible analysis of contemporary economic trends.
Page Count:
367
Publication Date:
2016-01-01
ISBN-10:
019164028X
ISBN-13:
9780191640285
History
Economics
Fashion history
Quality of Life
Consumerism
Sociology
World Civilization