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The University of Southampton
Winchester Luxury Research Group

New Book Published: Luxury and Visual Culture

Published: 15 October 2019
John Armitage with his new book
Professor John Armitage with copies of his new book: Luxury and Visual Culture

Professor John Armitage receives copies of his new book - Luxury and Visual Culture

Luxury and Visual Culture published by Bloomsbury.

From couture fashion to opulent perfumes and decadent food, the luxury goods and services industry has grown at an unprecedented rate even in the context of a global recession. But in contemporary digital culture does luxury still reside in material things, or rather the look of things? In this first study of luxury through the lens of visual culture, John Armitage argues that luxury is undergoing a shift from material culture to the immaterial culture of the visual, offering new forms of luxury engagement and unparalleled levels of pleasure never before offered to the senses.


Calling for a new understanding of luxury in the changing visual landscape of contemporary society, Luxury and Visual Culture embraces an extraordinary range of cultural forms, including fashion, photography, social media, television, and art. From the masterpieces of Damien Hirst and Jeff Koons, to Richard Avedon's photography and Louis Vuitton's Flagship stores, the book explores key issues of globalization, digitization, consumer identity, mass luxury, and the role of art. The text is ideal for all students of contemporary luxury studies as well as scholars and practitioners concerned with luxury and visual culture.

Table of contents

List of Illustrations
Acknowledgments
Introduction

1 Visual Culture
2 Luxury and Visual Culture
3 Luxury and Fashion
4 Luxury and Art
5 Luxury and Photography
6 Luxury and Cinema
7 Luxury and Television
8 Luxury and Social Media

Conclusion
References
Index

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