Thesis
Taste for luxury, preference for counterfeits
- Creator
- Rights statement
- Awarding institution
- University of Strathclyde
- Date of award
- 2023
- Thesis identifier
- T16486
- Person Identifier (Local)
- 201854124
- Qualification Level
- Qualification Name
- Department, School or Faculty
- Abstract
- This thesis explores what is the role of taste in consumption of counterfeit luxury goods and whether engagement in this practice shows the emergence of a new taste regime. The study is based within Consumer Culture Theory (CCT) with a particular focus on studies that consider consumer identity projects, marketplace cultures and marketplace ideologies, with special attention to theories of taste, cultural capital, and counterfeit luxury consumption. While the subject of taste has appeared to capture a high level of attention in consumer research, little has been said about how it is exercised in contexts where social acceptability is not given. This qualitative study therefore intends to close this gap by linking taste to consumption of counterfeit luxury goods and exploring the interplays of this type of consumer behaviour. This thesis therefore addresses three research questions that facilitate the discussion on the role taste plays for consumers of counterfeit luxury goods. Specifically, the inquiry is structured around establishing how consumers showcase their taste with counterfeit luxury goods; what taste-related practices are performed by these consumers; and what social and cultural conditions allow the formulation of emergent taste regime of counterfeit luxury goods consumption. To achieve this, the study draws on netnography, phenomenological interviews, wardrobe interviews and visual methods, which work as an eco-system for gaining rich insight into counterfeit taste. The findings of this study contribute to CCT by establishing how taste is practiced in the less institutionalised contexts. This research contributes to an understanding of “taste as practice” through emergence of three forms of tastes expressed by consumers of both genuine and nongenuine branded goods. Similarly, it deepens the understanding of taste-related practices by proposing that individuals engage in taste curation to reinforce their taste. This study also deepens understanding of how taste is developed outside the context of sensory learning. The final contribution addresses Arsel and Bean (2013) call for the “democratization of tastemaking through collaborative marketplace communities” by introducing and discussing the concept of “taste communities”. This study concludes by emphasising the importance of further taste investigation in less institutionalised contexts as well as more profound inquiry into legitimization of taste for counterfeit luxury goods.
- Advisor / supervisor
- Hamilton, Kathy
- Bryce, Derek
- Resource Type
- Note
- Previously held under moratorium from 08/02/2023 until 08/02/2025
- DOI
- Date Created
- 2022
Relations
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PDF of thesis T16486 | 2023-02-28 | Public | Download |