Crafting Luxury: Craftsmanship, Manufacture, Technology and the Retail Environment

An exploration of the many issues and debates that surround the idea of luxury.

The idea of luxury has secured a place in contemporary Western culture and the term has now joined common parlance in both established and emerging economies. Crafting Luxury explores contentious issues surrounding perceptions of luxury, its relationship to contemporary branding as created by marketers, and the effect this has on consumers and their purchasing habits. It examines the industry structures, analyzing production practices as well as the effects of hierarchies on both internal and external perceptions of luxury, from the makers to the sellers and consumers. Offering different perspectives and interpretations of luxury, the authors dissect the work of companies across the industry, from established companies to emerging models and from conglomerates to small independents. They further explore the impact of technology on consumption, manufacture, the retail environment, and sales, providing a true insider’s view of this complex world.