Luxury and environmental responsibility

Keinan, A, Crener, S and Goor, D (2020) Luxury and environmental responsibility. In: Research Handbook on Luxury Branding. Edward Elgar Publishing, Northampton, pp. 300-322. ISBN 9781786436351

Abstract

Luxury and environmental responsibility is a fascinating domain to study for several reasons: first, luxury and sustainability are often perceived as incompatible and contradictory. Second, the luxury sector represents an influential and growing industry with increasing economic, social, and cultural significance. Third, the luxury sector spans across a large variety of industries, some of which, such as fashion and apparel, are highly polluting and thus small improvements in production processes can have a vast impact and great contribution to environmental protection efforts. In addition, new consumption trends affecting the luxury industry, such as alternative signals of status, the consumption of experiences, and collaborative consumption, offer interesting research opportunities, investigating how these trends can further promote sustainable and environmentally responsible consumption. Finally, the concept of luxury and our understanding of conspicuous consumption are evolving and need to be revisited – from conspicuous to conscious consumption – these trends are opening new research avenues.