In the past, an upgrade in status would have remained a dream or just become the reality of a few. But today, upgrading socioeconomic status is commonplace, mostly in emerging markets. In the nineteenth century, self-appointed tastemaker of New York society Ward McAllister claimed that four generations were necessary to breed a gentleman. Today, due to rapid wealth creation and accumulation, the digital revolution, and the relative ease and affordability of travel, the process of developing a level of taste that is deemed acceptable by high society has been sped up dramatically. Luxury is relative at every level of society. While Michael Kors might be one woman's Gap, the brand might be the ultimate splurge for another woman. What marketers, retailers, and the media tend to ignore is that very possibly describes the same woman, just in different phases of her life, geography, and socioeconomic status. The Lure of Luxe explores the metaphorical climb up the Luxury Consumption Pyramid, which determines how and why a client will spend. The book provides a new way to think about marketing to this elite segment, and offers best practices across a variety of marketing tactics.

If you are buying something so cheap that it seems too good to be true, it is! Fast fashion chains take advantage of workers in third-world countries in order to offer inexpensive and disposable clothing. This cycle is damaging to garment workers, consumers, and the environment. This book describes three ways to avoid directly supporting undesirable consequences from fashion production: 1. Buy new clothing but choose the labels and retailers you support wisely. 2. Buy vintage, consignment, and secondhand clothing. 3. Shop your own closet and take care of what you already have. Once you begin demanding high quality and high ethical standards from what you buy, you will inevitably find that you do not need to buy nearly so many things. Fast fashion and trendiness requires "more is more"; high-quality fashion allows you to transition to "less is more." This is not just about valuing the lives of others who are less fortunate; this is also about valuing yourself. You deserve to own a small selection of quality items that you can be truly proud of for decades to come. You are worth it!

A human and global take on a beloved vacation spot. The crash of surf, smell of salted air, wet whorls of sand underfoot. These are the sensations of the beach, that environment that has drawn humans to its life-sustaining shores for millennia. And while the gull's cry and the cove's splendor have remained constant throughout time, our relationship with the beach has been as fluid as the runnels left behind by the tide's turning. The Lure of the Beach is a chronicle of humanity's history with the coast, taking us from the seaside pleasure palaces of Roman elites and the aquatic rituals of medieval pilgrims, to the venues of modern resort towns and beyond. Robert C. Ritchie traces the contours of the material and social economies of the beach throughout time, covering changes in the social status of beach goers, the technology of transport, and the development of fashion (from nudity to Victorianism and back again), as well as the geographic spread of modern beach-going from England to France, across the Mediterranean, and from nineteenth-century America to the world. And as climate change and rising sea levels erode the familiar faces of our coasts, we are poised for a contemporary reckoning with our relationship--and responsibilities--to our beaches and their ecosystems. The Lure of the Beach demonstrates that whether as a commodified pastoral destination, a site of ecological resplendency, or a flashpoint between private ownership and public access, the history of the beach is a human one that deserves to be told now more than ever before.

Bharat, A Luxe Story is an authoritative, research-based anthology of essays exploring various facets of luxury from the perspectives of Sociology, Philosophy, Anthropology, History, Politics, and Economics, revolving around India, that is Bharat, to find a deeper meaning of luxe beyond the myopic ‘price tag’ and towards democratisation of luxury. It is the 10th book of Professor Mahul Brahma launched in the UK, commemorating two decades of his journey as a luxury commentator and columnist. It captures the centuries-old love affair between Bharat and global luxury brands. From Cartier’s Patiala Necklace with 234.5 carat De Beers diamond to custom-made Louis Vuittons and Rolls Royces, Bharat has been the epicentre of branded luxury. The book traces the evolution of luxury in Bharat with the passage of time and change of perspective of Indians, redefining the mythic value of luxury. It traces the passage of Bharat, all set to become USD 10-trillion economy, from the dazzling loud luxury to new-age revolution of quiet luxury.

Luxe Inferno is a philosophical quest for the true meaning of luxe. It traces the journey of a luxe-o-holic through the nine circles of Inferno described by Dante Alighieri in Divine Comedy. It is a heady mix of facts and fiction comprising in-depth analysis of the various facets of luxury, based on research spanning over a decade. Through contemporary essays the book also explores luxury from marketing and branding perspectives. This is the third book of The Luxe Trilogy, the first two books comprise Decoding Luxe, exploring the dazzle, and Dark Luxe, exploring the darkness that secretly hides behind this luxe.

The art, fashion and wine industries are currently at various stages in their efforts to embrace and transition towards sustainability. While sustainability commitments are a necessary condition for progress, they are not sufficient. Instead, there is a need for sweeping transformative change that includes giving serious consideration to indigenous worldviews without recolonizing them. Sustainability in Art, Fashion and Wine includes findings from recent research and contributes to a new understanding of familiar concepts such as sustainability, (de)colonization and corporate responsibility in the art, fashion and wine industries by adopting critical lenses and incorporating them with innovative perspectives on circular business models and digitalization. It endeavors to present remedies for effectively combating climate change and promoting social good. While discussing specific issues such as sub-contracted labor, safe working conditions, living wages, environmental degradation, mismanaged waste, and more, the book argues that recognizing the significant role western colonization has played – and continues to play – in the developing world in our current conception of capitalism is itself unsustainable. To understand the true meaning of sustainability – to fully recognize the looming deadlines we face in combating the climate crisis and instituting sustainability as a new normal – the acceptance of a new conception of capitalism, one antithetical to colonization and exploitation, is required. Contributors to this book address these issues by applying a critical studies approach to their respective chapters, allowing the book to set out what real sustainability could and should look like in the art, fashion and wine industries.

Part travel narrative and part lifestyle guide, Inspired by Paris: Why Borrowing from the French Is Better Than Being French is a must-read for anyone who's ever dreamed about traveling to or living in France. Author Jordan Phillips is a bona fide Francophile. Just show her a wedge of oozy French cheese or a slightly dilapidated Mansard roof, and she'll swoon every time. Before moving to New York, Phillips lived in Paris, and she still travels to her apartment there frequently. But through these experiences, she learned that-as in so many things in life-fantasy is often better than reality. Filled with historical tidbits, motivational nuggets, and honest insight, chapters such as "La Vie Est Belle," "The Paris Syndrome," and "Jacques-in-the-Box" reveal the truth of what it's really like to live in the most beautiful city in the world. Whether you're headed to Paris next week or never make it there at all, this chatty and information-packed book will introduce you to the real City of Light-beyond the fantasy of the Instagram version.