The Third Realm of Luxury - by Joanne Roberts & John Armitage (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

In a world that is obsessed with luxury, critical luxury studies is a rapidly emerging field. This is the first book to explore the interplay between the real and imaginary realms of luxury, considering the most significant developments in the theories and practices of luxurious places and spaces over the last fifty years.

Providing a critical approach to contemporary interpretations of luxury, the book interrogates the distinction between real places and imaginary spaces. Bringing together an interdisciplinary group of leading scholars, it features a range of case studies which take the reader from the Rolls-Royce Ghost Black Badge to expressions of sensuality in the 1970s domestic interior, and global conceptions of fine wine and art.

The Third Realm of Luxury considers the interplay between luxury and space in both the past and the present, examining the abstract conception of excess and exoticism, as well as the real locations of the home, hotel, apartment, and palace. Full of original research, it is a key contribution to the study of consumption, design, fashion, and architecture.

Review Quotes

"The Third Realm of Luxury is a smart book ... [It] sheds light on current aspects of design that have been central to luxury studies, such as boutiquization, where surface strikingly becomes more important than function, and democratization, where luxury putatively becomes more available to the masses." --Journal of Design History

"With originality and insight, this book reveals luxury spaces in a far-reaching discussion of consumer imagination. A must-read for scholars and practitioners!"" --Annamma Joy, University of British Columbia, Canada

"This tightly edited collection approaches new as well as established forms of luxury. Full of excellent conceptual insights, this brilliant book is indispensable." --Véronique Pouillard, University of Oslo, Norway

"Nowadays, luxury plays a relevant role in shaping urban identities, linking international trends and local contexts. The book explores the influence of luxury on the perception of a set of spaces, on the behaviors of their inhabitants and on the transformation of several cities." --Mario Paris, Politecnico di Milano, Italy

About the Author

Joanne Roberts is Professor in Arts and Cultural Management and co-director of the Winchester Luxury Research Group at Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton, UK.

John Armitage is Professor of Media Arts and co-director of the Winchester Luxury Research Group at Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton, UK.