Julia Howe, Define Luxury (ADVERTISING & FASHION 2026)

How do we define luxury? How have we, as a society, decided that one item is worth more than the next, despite nearly identical manufacturing? In a culture shaped and driven by imagery, these distinctions are increasingly difficult to untangle. Define Luxury investigates the ways in which marketing, visual language and storytelling shape and visually manufacture our discernment of worth. By examining ‘luxury’ as a subjective and culturally dependent concept, Define Luxury questions whether thrifted objects can be recontextualised as high-end goods, challenging our perception of value and sparking contemplation on the power of imagery.

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