Both the advertising industry and academia have been paying more and more attention to the growth and potential of the luxury market. In East Asian countries, the market’s annual growth rate for 2006 was nearly 18%, nearly doubling the global growth rate for 2005. Despite the increasing popularity of luxury brands in East Asian countries, there is a dearth of empirical knowledge regarding East Asians’ consumption motives. By surveying a sample of 200 consumers from South Korea, an exemplar of East Asian luxury consumers, the current study provides a general understanding of such motives. The findings suggest that Korean consumers have five primary social and psychological motives for the consumption of luxury brands: social ostentation, aesthetic appearance seeking, personal hedonism seeking, practicality seeking, and difference seeking. This study also offers findings related to the relationship between demographic characteristics (for Korean consumers) and luxury consumption behavior. The study achieves two things: First, it is a contribution to the body of literature on luxury consumption; second, it provides managerial implications for global marketers and brand managers who want to construct targeted and customized strategies for East Asian consumers to enhance their purchase intention toward luxury brands. / text

The main assumption of this thesis is existence of traditional and modern values in the Chinese society. The author of this paper believes that this characteristic differentiates that market from other luxury markets and drives the way luxury is consumed. The study tries also proving that the perception of luxury and conspicuous consumption can be changed in time in the process of bigger internationalization of the country. The research focus is put primarily on psychology of luxury consumer in China and what stands behind their motivation of purchasing high-end products. / Program: Master in Fashion Management with specialisation in Fashion Marketing and Retailing

In the past, luxury goods only a few privileged people who can have, such as the nobility. However, due to the economic development made from the upgrading of the consumption patterns change, market liberalization, the Western to the East luxury wave of popular, people are willing to spend money to buy so-called high-priced luxury goods. In other words, the luxury goods consumption is a demand that has nothing to do with the survival of consumer behavior. However, why people are willing to buy luxury goods? What is the motive behind the demand of luxury goods? What are conditions to constitute a luxury market? If the above issues at a different time and space, we might have different answers. Obviously, the formation of a luxury market that behinds a very complicated message, and through observation of the luxury market, perhaps also to reflecting the political, economic or social and cultural meaning. This study attempted to take the rapid economic rise of China as an example, the luxury market with its observation of objects as a source of information, China's luxury market can produce, first, for the luxury goods industry, to see China's consumption why this market have the prospects for development to provide a favorable supply for the industry that can make growth to the industry. Second, as a observer to see, what are the purposes by consumers to buy the luxury goods. In addition, this study is expected to achieve these results. From China's special national characteristics and cultural values of fairness, such a luxury consumer behavior is the consumption of their special meaning. Between producers and consumers posed by the Chinese luxury goods market will show a positive development complement each other.

När ett företag väljer att utvidga sitt varumärke kan det av olika anledningar antingen gynna eller missgynna varumärkets värde. Risken att strategin påverkar varumärket negativt är större hos varumärken och det är svårt att implementera strategin rätt för att det inte ska skada imagen. Flera lyxvarumärken har någon typ av varumärkesutvidgning för att kunna öka sin tillväxt och det finns olika sätt att utföra strategin. Den här studien har fokuserats på vertikal varumärkesutvidgning nedåt hos lyxvarumärken inom modebranschen där utvidgningen erbjuder alternativ med lägre priser. Genom varumärkesutvidgningar kan det uppstå problem när företag sänker priset för att nå nya segment. Det kan då komma till en punkt där varumärket överexpanderas och exklusiviteten i märket påverkas negativt och därmed försvagas. Syftet med den här studien var att undersöka hur konsumenters attityder förändras när företag utvidgar sitt varumärke med ökad tillgänglighet för konsumenter till följd. I den teoretiska referensramen beskrivs begreppet varumärkesutvidgning och vilka faktorer som påverkar när det uppstår negativa effekter. Relevanta artiklar hjälper till att förstå bakgrunden till fenomenet och tidigare forskning visar hur varumärkesutvidgning kan vara ett problem för just lyxvarumärken. Metoden som har använts är av kvalitativ form där tio stycken intervjuer genomfördes. Respondenterna bestod av kvinnor i åldern 20-30 år och frågorna fokuserades på deras attityder mot varumärkesutvidgning som strategi och hur uppfattningen kring ett lyxvarumärke kan förändras när tillgängligheten ökar. Resultatet visar att det fanns både positiva och negativa uppfattningar om lyxvarumärken som blir mer tillgängliga. Respondenterna menade att då det skapas nya produkter till lägre priser får de själva möjlighet att konsumera märket, men samtidigt kan det också skada värdet och exklusiviteten. Ökad tillgänglighet kan ge nya målgrupper vilket också kan riskera att skada företagets image hos den ursprungliga målgruppen. I Resultatdiskussionen analyserades intervjuerna och tidigare teorier om varumärkesutvidgning kopplades till respondenternas svar. Diskussionen blev uppdelad utifrån resultatets fem olika kategorier där varje kategori analyseras enskilt. I avsnittet om studiens trovärdighet visas hur tillförlitlig undersökningen är i förhållande till det slutgiltiga resultatet. Där diskuteras kritiska synpunkter men också hur studien på ett positivt sätt kan bidra till vidare forskning. Slutsatsen från denna undersökning är att vertikal varumärkesutvidgning nedåt fungerar, under förutsättning att det finns en noggrann strategi för prisnivå och nya målgrupper. Förslagsvis kan strategin baseras på en ingående marknadsundersökning och med rätt underlag kan målgrupp och pris fastställas, för att undvika att varumärkets image skadas. / When a company chooses to extend their brand can it either favor or disfavor the brands’ value. The negative risk with this strategy is bigger when it comes to luxury brands and it is hard to implement the right strategy without damaging the image. There are several luxury brands that use some kind of brand extension to be able to increase the profit and there are different ways to perform the strategy. This study was focused on downward brand extensions for luxury brands in the fashion industry where the extension offers alternatives to a lower price. When a company that offers luxury brands lowers the price to reach new segment, problems can easily be developed. It can come to a point where the brand overextends and the exclusivity in the brand can be affected negatively and therefore be diluted. The purpose with this study was to investigate how consumers’ attitudes change when companies extend their brand and make it more accessible for everyone. The concept of brand extension is described in the theoretical framework and what factors affect when negative effects develop. Relevant articles assist to understand the background to this phenomenon and earlier research show how brand extension can be a problem specifically for luxury brands. The method that has been used is qualitative and ten interviews were made with women in the age of 20-30. The questions were focused on the respondents’ attitudes towards brand extension as a strategy and how the perception about a brand can change when it becomes more accessible. The result shows that there were both positive and negative perceptions about luxury brands when accessibility increases. The respondents meant that when new products are created to lower prices they get the opportunity to consume the brand themselves, but at the same time it can still damage the value and the exclusivity. An increase in accessibility can crate new target groups, which can also risk damaging the image of the company among the individuals in the original target group. In the results discussion the interviews were analyzed and earlier theories about brand extension were connected to the answers of the respondents. The discussion was divided into the five categories from the result where every category was analyzed separately. In the part where the methodology discussion is presented, it shows how reliable the research is relative to the final result. The critical standing points were discussed but also how the study in a positive way can contribute to further research. The conclusion from this study is that downward vertical brand extension works, subject to there is an accurate strategy for price level and new target groups. As a suggestion the strategy can be based on a more thorough market research and with the right foundation both target groups and price can be determined, to avoid damage of the brands’ image.

Nous nous focalisons dans cette recherche sur les consommateurs chinois qui vivent à l'étranger (en Europe et aux Etats-Unis), pour analyser dans quelle mesure les valeurs et les comportements des consommateurs chinois vis-à-vis des produits et des services de luxe peuvent être modifiés à la suite de leurs contacts avec les cultures européennes (française et allemande) et la culture américaine ; elle vise également à identifier le rôle que les valeurs traditionnelles chinoises jouent dans ce contexte. Les résultats sont présentés dans trois essais distincts. Dans le premier essai, l'influence de la culture française et de la culture allemande sur la consommation des produits de luxe des Chinois est identifiée en interviewant un groupe de 22 consommateurs chinois qui vit en Europe. Dans le deuxième essai, nous nous efforçons de développer et de valider une échelle de mesure des perceptions des valeurs du luxe en Chine et aux Etats-Unis. La conceptualisation transculturelle de ce construit des valeurs du luxe est également étudiée, en utilisant deux échantillons d'étudiants (Chinois et Américains), et deux échantillons de consommateurs adultes chinois (qui vivent en Chine et aux Etats-Unis). Dans le troisième essai, avec les mêmes échantillons que ceux du deuxième essai, nous visons à clarifier comment les Chinois qui vivent aux Etats-Unis modifient leurs valeurs et leurs comportements pour se conformer aux nouvelles normes de la consommation des produits et des services de luxe. Après des analyses, nous conclussions que les consommateurs immigrés se comportent parfois comme les caméléons pour se fondre dans les normes culturelles du consommateur du pays d'accueil. / In this research we focus on the Chinese consumers living in the West (Europe and U.S.), exploring how European cultures (French and German) and American culture influence their luxury consumption values and behaviors, and meanwhile seek to identify the role of Chinese cultural values within this context. These results are presented in three essays. The first essay focuses on exploring the influence of French and German cultures on European-Chinese consumers' luxury consumption, by analyzing 22 qualitative interviews carried out with the Chinese consumers living in Europe. The second essay seeks to develop and validate a scale measuring luxury value perceptions in China and in the United States, and to assess the cross-cultural conceptualization of this luxury value construct, using two student samples (Chinese n=92 & Americans n=92) and two Chinese adult samples (in China n=255 & in the U.S. n=217). Using the same samples as the second essay, we further investigates in the third essay that, the extent to which immigrant Chinese consumers would change in order to comply with the new cultural consensus in luxury consumption. A series of analyses suggest a conclusion that immigrant consumers tend to acquire the prevailing consensus of the host culture, and behave like chameleons, blending into the surrounding environment.

Syfte: Meningen med studien är att bidra med en större förståelse och förhoppningsvis nya insikter om konsumtionen av lyxprodukter inom matbranschen genom att integrera redan existerande teori med empiriskt material. Syftet är att ur ett företagsperspektiv beskriva hur en förståelse för konsumententbeteende kring exklusiva matprodukter kan användas i marknadsföringen av dessa produkter.Studien riktar sig till människor, forskare samt organisationer som är intresserade av marknadsföring av lyxprodukter, men är även riktad till människor med intresse för nutidens konsumtion. Vidare motiveras studien ur ett etiskt perspektiv genom att belysa fenomenet kring dagens konsumtion och göra konsumenter medvetna om drivkrafterna bakom sitt beteende.Problemformulering: Hur kan företag som säljer exklusiva matprodukter använda förståelsen för konsumenternas beteende i sin marknadsföring? Vad kan vara bakgrunden till att konsumenter väljer att konsumera högkvalitativa och exklusiva matprodukter? Hur kan företag kategorisera in dessa konsumenter i olika konsumentgrupper? Var och vid vilka tillfällen väljer dessa konsumenter att konsumera exklusiva matprodukter?Metod: Studien är en kvalitativ studie där en kombinerad fall- och tvärsnittsstudie är genomförd. De data som samlats in och ligger till grund för studiens resultat och slutsats är genomförd genom litteraturstudier, intervjuer samt en frågeenkätundersökning. Företagsrespondenterna som medverkade i intervjuerna samt enkätundersökningen är verksamma inom branschen samt har en dokumenterad erfarenhet av exklusiva matprodukter.Resultat och slutsatser: Det finns olika anledningar till att konsumenter väljer att konsumera exklusiva matprodukter, det vi har kommit fram till är att alla konsumenter gör det av emotionella och självuttryckande värden som grundar sig i olika externa och interna ambitioner. Utefter våra resultat valde vi att dela in konsumenterna i fem olika grupper baserat på konsumentbeteende: traditionalisterna, matälskarna, prestigesökarna, trendsättarna samt de utåtriktade konsumenterna. Dessa olika konsumentgrupper väljer att konsumera exklusiva matprodukter vid olika tillfällen samt av olika emotionella eller självuttryckande anledningar. Marknadsföringen kan utifrån en förståelse för konsumenterna anpassas och utformas till olika konsumentgrupper, rikta sig till fler målgrupper och på det sättet förhoppningsvis göra marknadsföringen mer effektiv utifrån ett företagsperspektiv. / Purpose: The purpose of this study is to contribute to an understanding and hopefully new insights about the consumption of luxury goods within the food industry by integrating existing theory with empirical material. The purpose is that from a business perspective describe how an understanding of consumer behavior can be linked to the consumption of exclusive food products and how this can be used in a marketing perspective of these goods.The study is aimed to benefit people, researchers and organizations that are interested in marketing of luxury goods, but also to people interested in today’s consumption. From an ethical perspective, the study is motivated by illustrating the phenomenon of today’s consumption and making consumers aware about the forces behind their own behaviour. Research question: How can companies that offer exclusive food products use the understanding of consumer behavior in their marketing?What can be the underlying reasons for consumers choosing to consume high quality and exclusive food products? How can companies categorize these consumers in different customer groups? Where and in what occasions do these consumers consume exclusive food products?Methodology: The study is executed through a qualitative approach where a combined case and cross-sectional study is conducted. The material that has been gathered as the fundament of the papers results and conclusion is made through literature studies, interviews and a questionnaire survey. The respondents of both interviews and the questionnaire survey are people active in the business and have recognized experience from the food industry.Results and conclusions: There are various reasons why people choose to consume exclusive food products, what we have come to is that all consumers do this of emotional and self-expression values that are based on different internal and external ambitions. Based on the results we have gathered in this study we chose to divide the consumers in five different groups based on consumer behaviour: the traditionalists, food lovers, prestige seekers, trend-setters and the outward consumers. These different groups of consumers choose to consume exclusive food products at different times and by different emotional or self-expressing reasons. With an understanding of the consumers the marketing of these products can be adapted and designed for different consumer groups, be targeted to a broader audience and thus hopefully make the marketing more effective from a business perspective.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-04-16T14:49:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 869911 bytes, checksum: a4d69e09c649efbfe1a3e8c74dda7a63 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-07-30 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / Luxury consumption in Brazil has been growing significantly, this country being considered one of the 10 largest luxury markets in the world.Though it is restricted to just 1% of the population, the sector already sets in movement US$2,5 billion per year. This strong commercial presence stimulates theoretical and academic analysis about the theme. Some studies were developed in the sense of shedding light on the behaviour f luxury consumers and the symbolic aspects associated to it. However, the proposal of this dissertation is to review the relations between the consumption of luxury fashion and the space thereby occupied. The main assumption is that there is an exchange between the meanings of this type of consumption, its potential consumers and the marketplace where these elements complete one another and are realized in the social field. The research was made through an ethnographic qualitative investigation with two main sources of data: in-depth interviews and participant observation and the exam of information was made through discourse analysis. The motivations for luxury consumption were identified as the quality of products in themselves, the beauty and distinction attached to it and the hedonism in the differentiated experience of acquisition. As to space, the analysis of the data demonstrate that high prestige shops follow spatial codes and references consciously or unconsciously developed by high acquisition groups. The placing of this type of establishment must be in harmony with the aspects of luxury products, being also a reflex of those. It is important that there exists an identification between the offered product, the shopping point and the identity of the consumers. The symbolic aspects of space turn to the perception of the product, thereby having the power to highlight its qualities, as well as it may bring about a negative view of the products, as a consequence of the lowering of the values connected to it such as authenticity, beauty, status and prestige amongst others. / O consumo de luxo no Brasil vem crescendo rapidamente, sendo inclusive este país considerado um dos 10 maiores mercados de luxo do mundo. Apesar de estar restrito a apenas 1% da população, o setor já movimenta U$ 2,5 bilhões anuais. Esta forte presença comercial estimula a análise acadêmica e teórica sobre o tema. Alguns estudos foram desenvolvidos no sentido de compreender o comportamento do consumidor de luxo e os aspectos simbólicos a ele associados. No entanto, é proposta desta dissertação analisar as relações entre consumo de moda de luxo e o espaço por ele ocupado. Parte-se da idéia de que existe uma troca entre os significados deste tipo de consumo, os consumidores potenciais e os locais de compra onde estes elementos se completam e se caracterizam no campo social. A pesquisa valeu-se de um método qualitativo de investigação, com duas fontes de dados principais: entrevistas em profundidade e observação participante e o exame destas informações foi feito a partir da análise de conteúdo. Foram identificadas como motivações para o consumo de luxo a qualidade intrínseca ao produto, a beleza e a distinção por ele proporcionado e o hedonismo alcançado pela experiência diferenciada da compra. Sobre o espaço, a análise dos dados indica que é esperado que as lojas de alto prestígio sigam os códigos e referências espaciais estabelecidos consciente ou inconscientemente pelos grupos de alto poder aquisitivo. O posicionamento deste tipo de estabelecimento deve estar harmonizado com os aspectos do produto de luxo, sendo também reflexo destes. É importante que exista uma identificação entre o produto ofertado, o ponto de venda e a identidade dos consumidores. Os aspectos simbólicos do espaço recaem sobre a percepção do produto tendo o poder de elevar as suas qualidades, bem como pode acarretar uma visão pejorativa dos produtos fruto da diminuição dos valores relacionados a ele como autenticidade, beleza, status, prestígio, entre outros.

Le marché du luxe chinois se caractérise par un grand désir pour les produits de luxe mondiaux au cours des dernières années, mais les valeurs sous-jacentes à ces intentions d'achat restent inconnues. Cette étude explore la perception de la valeur des consommateurs de produits de luxe dans le contexte chinois. Sur la base des données recueillies par une enquête auprès de 6 villes représentatives de Chine (N1 = 261, N2 = 644), les résultats résument systématiquement un cadre de valeurs de luxe perçu par les consommateurs chinois. Les valeurs dérivées sont constituées par la valeur fonctionnelle, la valeur financière, la valeur individuelle et la valeur sociale. De plus, ces valeurs varient selon les facteurs démographiques tels que le sexe, l'âge, le revenu et la ville de résidence. Les résultats apportent en outre la preuve que les valeurs fonctionnelles et individuelles ainsi que celles des revenus affectent de manière significative la consommation réelle de produits de luxe. Basée sur des résultats, cette étude offre des implications théoriques et pratiques pour les marques de luxe mondiales ciblant le marché du luxe chinois pour le développement des affaires. But: le but de cette étude est de comprendre le cadre des perceptions de valeur des consommateurs chinois et de tester la validité des échelles de valeurs. En concluant un tel cadre de perception de la valeur du consommateur chinois dans le marché du luxe, la thèse vise à identifier les principales valeurs influentes qui affectent la consommation de luxe. Approche méthodologique: Sur la base de critique des documents, cette étude a d'abord recueilli des échelles de valeur de luxe. Afin de déterminer si de telles échelles de valeur conviennent au consommateur chinois, cette étude utilise une méthode qualitative en interrogeant les personnes dans le domaine pour résumer les échelles de valeur en vue d’une analyse plus approfondie. Après avoir identifié les valeurs de luxe possibles perçues par les consommateurs chinois, cette étude fait des recherches quantitatives en utilisant des données de 6 villes chinoises avec un questionnaire conçu. La méthode FCA (Factor Component Analysis), une méthode d'analyse factorielle exploratoire, est utilisée pour analyser les données, et Structural Equation Modeling (logiciel Amos) est utilisé pour identifier la puissance influente des perceptions de luxe sur la consommation de luxe réel. Résultats: En utilisant le test empirique des valeurs de luxe avec la méthode de modélisation des équations structurelles, cette étude trouve que le cadre des valeurs de luxe perçues par les consommateurs chinois inclut la valeur fonctionnelle, la valeur financière, la valeur individuelle et la valeur sociale (ostentatoire/du statut). De plus, la valeur individuelle et la valeur fonctionnelle affecteront considérablement la consommation de luxe. Alors que la valeur sociale affecte négativement les consommations de luxe. Application pratique: Cette étude analyse les valeurs de luxe et fournit les caractéristiques du comportement des consommateurs détenus par les consommateurs chinois. Les consommateurs chinois font attention particulière aux valeurs fonctionnelles et individuelles / hédoniques, en même temps ils sont très sensibles et montrent une attitude contradictoire à la valeur sociale, certains consommateurs chinois de luxe évitent même d'être délibérément associés aux produits de luxe ou aux marques, cela pousse les commerçants dans le domaine du luxe à modifier leur stratégie de marketing dans le marché du luxe chinois. Ainsi, cette étude peut également fournir un aperçu du comportement des consommateurs chinois dans le contexte culturel chinois. / The Chinese luxury market is characterized by a great desire for global luxury products in recent years, but the underlying values driving such purchasing intentions remain unknown. This study explores consumers’ value perceptions of luxury goods in the Chinese context. Based on data gathered via a survey from 6 representative cities throughout China (N1=261, N2=644), the findings systematically summarize a framework of luxury values as perceived by Chinese consumers. The values derived are constituted by functional value, financial value, individual value, and social value. Moreover, these values vary across demographic factors such as gender, age, income and city of residence. The results further provide evidence that functional and individual values together with income significantly affect real consumption of luxury goods. Based on the results, this study offers theoretical and practical implications for global luxury brands targeting the Chinese luxury market for business development. Purpose: the purpose of this study is to figure out the framework of value perceptions of Chinese consumers, and test the validity of the constructs of values. By concluding such framework of Chinese consumer value perceptions in luxury market, the paper aims at identifying major influential values that affect the luxury consumption. Methodological approach: Based on the literature review, this study collected luxury value constructs first. And in order to find out whether such value constructs fit for Chinese consumer, this study use qualitative method to summarize the value constructs for further analysis by interview field people. After identifying the possible luxury values perceived by Chinese consumer, this study does quantitative research by using data from 6 Chinese Cities with designed questionnaire. The FCA (Factor Component Analysis) method, a method of exploratory factor analysis, is used to analyze the data, and Structural Equation Modeling (software Amos) is used to identify the influential power of luxury value perceptions on real luxury consumption. Findings: By empirical test of luxury values with the structural equation modeling method, this study finds that the framework of luxury value perceived by Chinese consumers includes functional value, financial value, individual value, and social (conspicuous/status) value. And individual value and functional value will affect the luxury consumption significantly. While the social value negatively affect the luxury consumptions. Practical Application: This study analyzes the luxury values and provides the characteristics of consumer behavior held by Chinese consumers comparing with consumers elsewhere. Chinese consumers pay special emphasis on functional and individual/hedonic values, and at the same time they are very sensitive and show contradictive attitude to social value, some Chinese luxury consumers even avoid to be associated with luxury products or brands in public deliberately, which will push the marketers in luxury field to modify their marketing strategy in Chinese luxury market. So this study can also provide an insight look of Chinese consumer behavior with Chinese cultural background.

Purpose: the objective of this research is to get a better understanding of luxury consumption in today’s society and the connection to sustainability. Consumers are no longer asking but demanding more sustainable practices from the fashion industry, especially the fast-fashion companies, calling any minor error or threat of “Greenwashing” (Joshi and Rahman 2019). Although, when it comes to luxury brands the level of exigence seems to be different. The aim is to understand the influence of sustainability when consumers are acquiring new pieces, in particular luxury ones. The purpose is to answer in which ways these two concepts are affected by each other and consequently if they will affect the luxury consumers. Method: An inductive approach was used by the researchers. 15 semi structured interviews were conducted to people from 10 different countries with ages between 22 to 60. The duration of these interviews was between 20 to 45 minutes and a questionnaire was designed in order to have a structure but also new questions were made as follow up or elaboration on what interviewees mentioned, where particular themes are defined and the questions are formulated during the interviews to extract the desirable answers in accordance with the themes (Bryman et al. 2021). Findings: Six themes were detected after the analysis of the results. First, the contemporary luxury consumer situation, followed by the feelings that occur after consuming luxury fashion products where there are mixed emotions of pleasure and shame. In the same sector, the current brand perception, arised the conversation about the lack of brand love. From this angle, the mixed consumption patterns that revealed the emerging phenomenon of consuming both luxury and fast-fashion came to support the absence of brand love. Lastly, in the context of sustainability, the view of sustainability among luxury consumers and the transition to more sustainable practices in purchasing fashion products were the other two themes that were discovered. Managerial Implications: the matter of the absence of brand love seems of great significance for executives and managers in luxury brands. Another aspect is the fact that managers could further capitalise on the quality that is provided by their brands since all participants expressed their preference in luxury products attributable to their endurance, managers could make their pivotal point, in the marketing efforts, the exceptional quality. Another contribution to get a better insight to the people involved in the industry, from designers to managers is to obtain a deeper understanding on how much sustainability efforts could affect or benefit their business.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-25T20:20:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Marie-Oceane Gazurek.pdf: 1336605 bytes, checksum: bdcc51dba23476c423e2856b4680f401 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-12-08 / This dissertation has for objective to investigate the meaning of luxury consumption in Shopping Cidade Jardim, a shopping center located in an affluent condominium in the western district of São Paulo. The initial working hypothesis states that those who seek to consume there do so as a means of establishing, and/or reinforcing, relations based upon social distinction. The study begins with a bibliographical debate over the meaning of consumption, led by the following authors opuses: Pierre Bourdieu, Jean Baudrillard, Grant McCracken, Baron Isherwood, Mike Featherstone, Heitor Frúgoli Jr., Valquíria Padilha and Gilles Lipovestky, while such concepts as cultural capital new taste maker , identity construction , hedonism and experience are also reviewed and debated. In a second moment, a discussion over the dynamics of luxury consumption through time is then presented. After contextualizing the construction of Shopping Cidade Jardim within the changes in the city of São Paulo, an ethnographic observation of the shopping, a series of consumer interviews, as well as an analysis of the Cidade magazine are henceforth presented. This analysis affirms that those who consume at Shopping Cidade Jardim go there to claim their belonging to the Paulistana elite and to a lifestyle - that is idealized in Cidademagazine characterizing a world of luxury goods, events and travel. Social distinction is not only sought after between varying groups, but also within their own group, by demonstrating the ownership of incorporated cultural capital / A presente dissertação de mestrado tem como objetivo entender o significado do consumo de luxo praticado no Shopping Cidade Jardim,centro de consumo localizado em um condomínio de alto padrão na zona sudoeste de São Paulo. Neste sentido, as perguntas que permeiam este estudo se referem ao conhecimento das razões pelas quais se busca o consumo no referido lugar. A hipótese inicial é que o público que busca consumir nesse espaço o faz em função do desejo de ali estabelecer e/ou reforçar relações sociais visando à distinção. O estudo inicia com um confronto bibliográfico sobre os significados do ato do consumo a partir, principalmente, de obras dos seguintes autores: Pierre Bourdieu, Jean Baudrillard, Grant McCracken, Baron Isherwood, Mike Featherstone, Heitor Frúgoli Jr., Valquíria Padilha e Gilles Lipovestky, e de conceitos como capital cultural , novo intermediário cultural , construção de identidade , hedonismo e experiência . Na sequência, constrói-se uma discussão sobre a dinâmica do consumo de luxo através os tempos. Após contextualizar o surgimento do Shopping Cidade Jardim nas mudanças de centralidade da cidade de São Paulo, realiza-se uma descrição etnográfica do shopping, uma análise da revista Cidade e das entrevistas realizadas com consumidores. Estas análises permitem afirmar que, ao frequentarem o Shopping Cidade Jardim, seus consumidores reivindicam o pertencimento a um determinado grupo a elite paulistana e a um estilo de vida idealizado nas páginas da revista Cidade, pautado por luxo, eventos e viagens. A distinção é buscada não só entre grupos diferentes, mas também dentro do próprio grupo, através da demonstração da posse de capital cultural incorporado