Canadian Critical Luxury Studies: Decentring Luxury

Canadian Critical Luxury Studies: Decentering Luxury offers a fresh perspective on luxury by examining Indigenous and Canadian experiences, challenging Euro- and US-centric perceptions and highlighting the importance of community and connection. The book redefines luxury for Canada, offering case studies from various industries and exploring why luxury has succeeded or failed in the Canadian context. It sheds light on the exclusion of Indigenous peoples, immigrants, and the working classes from traditional expressions of luxury and provides guidance for fashiontech innovations that prioritize the individual without imposing dehumanizing values. The book appeals to an international audience and offers an alternative reading of conventional luxury histories, sites, and practices, modeling a national approach to luxury that can be applied to other national markets.

Format: Hardback
Length: 252 pages
Publication date: 03 June 2022
Publisher: Intellect Books

Canadian Critical Luxury Studies: Decentering Luxury is a groundbreaking new addition to the field of luxury studies, offering a fresh perspective that challenges Euro- and US-centric notions that link luxury to either a colonial past or a consumerist present. This comprehensive collection of essays presents a collective of thinkers who focus on Indigenous and Canadian instances of luxurious production, experiences, and sites, aiming to propose a new definition of luxury that encompasses a diverse range of regional practices.

The essays in this volume delve into various aspects of luxury in Canada, exploring its historical roots, contemporary trends, and the factors that contribute to its success or failure. From the history of the fur trade to the latest Indigenous fashion movement, from the T. Eaton Co.s 1920s Made-in-Canada campaign to the on-again-off-again Toronto Fashion Week, from Vancouver public art commissions to Montréals future-forward fashiontech sector, the essays provide a comprehensive analysis of what makes and breaks Canadian luxury.

By examining luxury from different interdisciplinary perspectives, the contributors to this collection redefine luxury for Canada, a former colonial possession and a contemporary second-tier cultural market. They shed light on the unique characteristics that define Canadian luxury, such as its emphasis on community and connection. The essays also lay the foundation for the critical study of luxury in other historically secondary geographies that produce, consume, and circulate material and symbolic luxuries.

One of the key themes of the collection is the challenge to old myths and the mystique surrounding European luxury. The essays aim to unveil the historical exclusion of Indigenous peoples, immigrants, and the working classes from the privilege of luxury and provide a platform for their voices to be heard. By highlighting the experiences and perspectives of these historically marginalized groups, the collection seeks to challenge the notion that luxury is solely accessible to a privileged elite and offer a more inclusive understanding of luxury.

Furthermore, the collection offers valuable insights into the reasons why conventional expressions of luxury may fail in secondary markets. It explores the challenges faced by luxury brands and retailers in adapting to the unique cultural and economic contexts of different regions. The essays provide guidance for fashiontech innovations that invest in the individual wit, creativity, and craftsmanship, rather than solely relying on mass production and consumerism.

In conclusion, Canadian Critical Luxury Studies: Decentering Luxury is a transformative contribution to the field of luxury studies. It offers a fresh perspective that challenges Euro- and US-centric notions of luxury, promotes inclusivity, and encourages the critical study of luxury in other historically secondary geographies. By redefining luxury for Canada and shedding light on the experiences of historically marginalized groups, the collection contributes to a more equitable and sustainable future for the luxury industry.

Weight: 664g
Dimension: 250 x 176 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781789385151
Edition number: New ed