1 / 16

Exploring Subtle Luxuries: The Unspoken Appeal of Inconspicuous Wealth

This study examines the concept of "subtle luxuries," possessions valued for their quality and personal significance rather than their visibility. Through interviews with a diverse sample of 14 participants, the research identifies examples of subtle luxuries, such as unique personal items, private collections, and philanthropy carried out discreetly. The motivations behind choosing these inconspicuous luxuries include a desire for personal expression, social filtering, and an aversion to ostentation. Insights from this analysis can inform our understanding of consumer behavior in the luxury market.

judd
Download Presentation

Exploring Subtle Luxuries: The Unspoken Appeal of Inconspicuous Wealth

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. SUBTLE LUXURIES Arthur J. Kover Fordham University HCD Research

  2. Luxuries often = ’Bling’ • Expensive • Impressing • Public • Quality

  3. A Luxury Consumer ? • ALSO • athletes, • rock stars, • the rich, • the not-so-rich needing to be seen • “have-nots” looking for the ‘touch’

  4. BUT SOME PEOPLE ARE DIFFERENT • THEY DON’T WANT TO SHOW OFF. • INCONSPICUOUS. • QUIET LUXURIES/SUBTLE LUXURIES • WHAT ARE THEY? • WHY?

  5. E.G.WRISTWATCHES Guess > $150 Blancpain < $4,200

  6. Consumers of ‘subtle luxuries’ • Who: the sample • What are the luxuries • Why • A thread to tie this together

  7. WHO: Participants A “snowball’ sample: A core of four + recommended + others acquired by inquiry. Total 14, 5 women, 9 men Age range: 31 to 82 (mode ~ 52) Middle class (most of sample) to very wealthy Location: Northeastern United Stated + I in Australia

  8. What Are Those Subtle Luxuries?Named by Participants: Some Examples--Not as Obvious as they Seem • Personal items: pens, jewelry, watches • Clothing • Collections (often private) • Giving/philanthropy (often secret) • Free time/freedom (often in private)

  9. WHAT PURPOSES DO THEY SERVE FOR THEIR USERS? • Filter access to or from others • Passive Exclusion • Protest (usually internalized, not for others to see)

  10. Filter Other People • Quiet invitation for inclusion by social superiors • Openness only to connoisseurs; a “flash community” • Active invitation to connoisseurs / appreciators • The diamond ring and its social setting

  11. Passive Exclusion • Hiding: Fear of thievery • Hiding: Misanthropy • Religious/ traditional reasons • Not caring: Perhaps snobbery (the case of Mr. Richesse) • Not caring: Love for the subtle luxuries themselves

  12. Hidden Hostility and Secret Protest • The young lawyer and the firm’s partners • The giver of philanthropy

  13. THE COMMON THREAD?

  14. TO CONTROL ACCESS TO AND FROM THE PERSON SUBTLE LUXURIES THE PERSON

  15. MORE ISSUES • LUXURIES SELF • APPLICATION to MARKETPLACE? • AUTHENTICITY • AND?

  16. NEXT STEPS?

More Related