Key Concepts for the Fashion Industry by Reilly Andrew; Goodrum Alison; Johnson Kim K. P

Author:Reilly, Andrew; Goodrum, Alison; Johnson, Kim K. P.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 2014-05-27T16:00:00+00:00

Figure 3.5 The Halston brand lost value when Halston III for J. C. Penney was offered to consumers. Although this seemed like a good business plan to extend the brand into a new market, many consumers felt it devalued the Halston reputation. Tony Palmieri/WWD © Condé Nast 1984.

Conspicuous consumption

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The theory of conspicuous consumption finds its origins in sociologist Thorstein Veblen’s A Theory of the Leisure Class (1899). He articulated that at the top of society were the leisure class, people whose inherited (or made) wealth afforded the luxury of a life of leisure. He articulated that this class of people visually conveys their status through purchases (or consumption) that were obvious (or conspicuous). With matters of dress, people adorned themselves with expensive apparel, accessories, and fragrances.

In order for this theory to “work” the products people purchase must be recognized as having some type of value, be it the cost, rarity, or the status associated with owning the product. We see this often in the purchasing of rare goods such as precious gems and metals or in the purchase of luxury branded products from Chanel, Prada, Dior, Christian Louboutin, Tom Ford, Armani, Hermès, Escada, Etro, Louis Vuitton, etc. (see Figure 3.6). Such purchases are often not necessary or functional (a white shirt is a white shirt) but by virtue of being branded by a luxury company increase their prestige (a white shirt from Gap sends a different message than a white shirt from Dolce & Gabbana). The meaning or symbolism of the product takes precedence over its actual function, though function is still relevant (Solomon & Rabolt, 2004).

A fetish is an object believed to have supernatural or mystical power. Examples of fetishes are often found in religion, such as Christianity’s holy water, the Voodoo’s doll, or Native American’s totems. Ethnologist John Ferguson McLennan (1896/1870) argued that this results in a relationship between people and material goods rather than people and their god. Psychologist Sigmund Freud (1995) extended the concept to sexual behavior and described a fetish as a substitution. Economist and philosopher Karl Marx used this concept to conceive a theory he called commodity fetishism. Very simply put, in a society where commodities are given perceived value, social relationships are based on the perceived value or cost of their commodities.

McCracken (1988) wrote that current consumer culture as we know it today owes much to the transformation in consumption to Elizabethan England (1558–1603), where the aristocracy engaged in conspicuous spending and consumption. He writes, “Elizabethan nobleman entertained one another, their subordinates, and, occasionally, their monarch at ruinous expense. A favorite device was the ante-supper. Guests sat down to this vast banquet only to have it removed, dispensed with, and replaced by a still more extravagant meal. Clothing was equally magnificent in character and expense” (p. 11). McCracken identified two reasons for this unprecedented and historic consumption of luxurious goods. First, it was a way for Elizabeth I to consolidate power by forcing her nobility to come to her to ask for resources.

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