Nicole Dixon 08/25/09 Consumer Behavior Mon 1-5pm Book Report Deluxe: How Luxury Lost its Luster Deluxe: How luxury lost its luster, by Dana Thomas, brings a hard hitting, raw look at the world of luxury and the mass demand of luxury that has occurred. The book was published by the Penguin Group in 2007. Luxury is defined by Thomas as truly special, and was only available to the aristocratic world of wealth and old money in western culture. Luxury signified an experience and lifestyle that denotes royalty, fame, and fortune. However, with large companies owning the former family-owned luxury producing businesses, profits are the main goal not the production of luxury. Thomas reveals the unfortunate demise and rise of
alone in 2005, serving just that purpose. Thomas describes the luxury market as even further from “the experience,” as online shopping has become the next avenue for luxury executives to reach their wide target markets. The once traditional experience to walk in to your luxury store of choice, possibly meet the designer, have a glass of your finest champagne and personalized attention is truly out the window. However, “e-tailing” as it is called, is the luxury executive’s dream. The ability to reach even more consumers so conveniently and globally equals more sales, resulting in larger profits. There it is again, PROFITS. As Thomas emphasizes throughout her book, it seems as though we have reached a time where profits are the one and only goal of luxury executives. Sure, profits have always been a goal for every business but there once was a sense of dignity and personal interaction and communication between the luxury brand and the consumer. They were genuinely concerned for their consumer. “ When luxury brands themselves go mass market, however – selling a full range of goods in ubiquitous boutiques, outlets and duty-free stores and on web sites – they undermine their well crafted message. They become an everyday occurrence, a common presence. They aren’t luxury anymore,” (Thomas, Pg. 267) However, of course, expanding and reaching out to your average consumer, “hawking the dream,” is great for business and profits. Wait…there it is