A Continental Philosophy of Luxury - by John Armitage Hardcover

About the Book

Offers a historically informed analysis of modern and contemporary responses to luxury.

Book Synopsis

John Armitage shows how the ideas and theories of continental philosophers Nietzsche, Heidegger, Levinas, Bataille, Gadamer and Adorno, play an important role in the understanding of luxury practices, revealing the actual and potential extent of modern and contemporary critical luxury studies.

Discussing contemporary case studies representing luxury including the longing for luxury perfume, the transgression of superyachts and the consumer experience of videogames, Armitage raises challenging questions about the contemporary world of luxury and delineates the continental philosophy of luxury.

Review Quotes

A compelling and lucid analysis of the performative aspects of being luxurious, and the vicissitudes of different interpretations of the experiential authenticity that is implicit in luxury. The author grapples with luxury as an escape but questions from what we are escaping with immersive experiences and ultimately what it means to be luxurious.--Ian Taplin, Wake Forest University

From longing an exclusive perfume to escape on a superyacht, from a Basquiat painting to transgression, from the singular instant to a high-fashion branded videogame: a compelling book on the thorny topic of luxury. Focusing on six continental philosophers, Armitage helps us understand contemporary luxury through philosophy, and at the same time philosophy through luxury.--Patrizia Calefato, University of Bari