Pessimistic Luxury: An Alternative Discourse to Conceptualise Luxury

Feng, Shuo; Larsen, Gretchen; Ellis, Nick

Abstract

Presently, the notion of luxury can be interpreted and conceptualised by two different but parallel discourses. First, luxury is maintained by the discourse of consumerism as a facilitator of consumer hedonism; second, luxury is perceived by unconventional luxury research as the terminus of consumer emancipation and escapism. Alternatively, this paper puts forward ‘pessimistic luxury’ as a third discourse for conceptualising luxury. By critically analysing the discursive construction of luxury by alternative media, we conceptualise pessimistic luxury and outline three theoretical implications: (1) the resumption of moral critiques in luxury studies, (2) a movement towards luxurising normality, and (3) shaping solidity in liquefied luxury. This paper contributes to the ongoing exploration of luxury beyond consumerism by providing an alternative perspective that critically examines the notion of luxury through the lens of consumer precarity and vulnerabilities.

Citation

Feng, S., Larsen, G., & Ellis, N. (in press). Pessimistic Luxury: An Alternative Discourse to Conceptualise Luxury. Luxury Studies,

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 27, 2025
• Deposit Date: Jun 30, 2025
• Journal: Luxury Studies
• Print ISSN: 2635-1609
• Electronic ISSN: 2635-1617
• Publisher: Intellect
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Keywords: pessimistic luxury, unconventional luxury, alternative media, COVID-19, luxury discourses, critical luxury studies
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/4127504