2
A. Cappellieri et al.
consideration, respecting tradition and the genius loci, the environment and people.
Subsequently, the opportunities and risks of progress and technological and digital
innovation for the competitiveness of companies in both production processes and
lastly communication tools are explored.
Keywords Luxury · Contemporaneity · Fashion Pact · Fashion-sustainability ·
Jewellery Ethically Minded · CRED · Jewellery
1 Luxury: From Preciousness to Awareness
Là, tout n’est qu’ordre et beauté,/ Luxe, calme et volupté
There, all is order and beauty,/ Luxury, peace and pleasure
Baudelaire, L’invitation au voyage
The concept of luxury has changed over time. For centuries, luxury was intended
as a state of great comfort or elegance, especially when involving great expense
or an inessential, desirable item which is expensive or difficult to obtain (Oxford
Dictionary).
However, this definition of luxury is obsolete or, to be more precise, it is only a
mirror of a part of modern society devoted to the convenience and the functionality
able to see beauty only in the ephemeral and able to see luxury in what is expensive
and opulent. Another part of society, cultured and educated in the knowledge of
beauty, recognizes luxury as a life experience, as a result of identity.
The controversy in the definition of what is luxury today already lies in the etymology of the word itself. On the one hand, it refers to the Latin word lux that means
light. Therefore, something that illuminates, makes visible and understandable, both
in terms of logic but also in terms of ethics and aesthetics. So a fully positive meaning,
in which luxury is a glorious goal of elevation of status. On the other hand, luxury,
from the Latin word luxus ‘superabundance, excess in the way of life’. Therefore
synonymous of superfluous, useless, excess.
These are the two sides of luxury: on the one hand, intuition of beauty and
intelligence, and on the other hand, vulgarity and degeneration.
The modern meaning of luxury according to Karaosman [9] dates back to the end
of the nineteenth century, when, satisfied with the primary physiological needs—
those that Maslow [11] inserted at the base of the pyramid of the hierarchy of needs,
luxury was associated with some factors linked to limited stocks, human intervention
and value identification. At the beginning of the last century, in addition to functionality, quality, durability and performance, luxury guaranteed a symbolic and experiential value, transcended mere physicality and was characterized by some essential
features such as high quality, craftsmanship, exclusivity, uniqueness, provenance,
technical performance and the creation of a lifestyle. Some examples are the Mont
Blanc pen from 1906 or the Rolex watch from 1908.
A. Cappellieri et al.
consideration, respecting tradition and the genius loci, the environment and people.
Subsequently, the opportunities and risks of progress and technological and digital
innovation for the competitiveness of companies in both production processes and
lastly communication tools are explored.
Keywords Luxury · Contemporaneity · Fashion Pact · Fashion-sustainability ·
Jewellery Ethically Minded · CRED · Jewellery
1 Luxury: From Preciousness to Awareness
Là, tout n’est qu’ordre et beauté,/ Luxe, calme et volupté
There, all is order and beauty,/ Luxury, peace and pleasure
Baudelaire, L’invitation au voyage
The concept of luxury has changed over time. For centuries, luxury was intended
as a state of great comfort or elegance, especially when involving great expense
or an inessential, desirable item which is expensive or difficult to obtain (Oxford
Dictionary).
However, this definition of luxury is obsolete or, to be more precise, it is only a
mirror of a part of modern society devoted to the convenience and the functionality
able to see beauty only in the ephemeral and able to see luxury in what is expensive
and opulent. Another part of society, cultured and educated in the knowledge of
beauty, recognizes luxury as a life experience, as a result of identity.
The controversy in the definition of what is luxury today already lies in the etymology of the word itself. On the one hand, it refers to the Latin word lux that means
light. Therefore, something that illuminates, makes visible and understandable, both
in terms of logic but also in terms of ethics and aesthetics. So a fully positive meaning,
in which luxury is a glorious goal of elevation of status. On the other hand, luxury,
from the Latin word luxus ‘superabundance, excess in the way of life’. Therefore
synonymous of superfluous, useless, excess.
These are the two sides of luxury: on the one hand, intuition of beauty and
intelligence, and on the other hand, vulgarity and degeneration.
The modern meaning of luxury according to Karaosman [9] dates back to the end
of the nineteenth century, when, satisfied with the primary physiological needs—
those that Maslow [11] inserted at the base of the pyramid of the hierarchy of needs,
luxury was associated with some factors linked to limited stocks, human intervention
and value identification. At the beginning of the last century, in addition to functionality, quality, durability and performance, luxury guaranteed a symbolic and experiential value, transcended mere physicality and was characterized by some essential
features such as high quality, craftsmanship, exclusivity, uniqueness, provenance,
technical performance and the creation of a lifestyle. Some examples are the Mont
Blanc pen from 1906 or the Rolex watch from 1908.