Crafting Luxury

‘This multi-authored innovative study brings together the differing perspectives of academics and practitioners in an analysis that is not only readable, informative and up-to-date but which also packs a powerful punch. It will excite anyone with an interest in luxury whether as a producer, consumer or critic.’

– Christopher J. Berry, University of Glasgow

‘The strength of the book is the insightful examination of the history of luxury from the perspective of technology beginning with the discovery of tools and the survival of humans to advanced technologies used today in the production and distribution of luxury merchandise… Crafting Luxury is recommended as a supplemental text in the study of luxury.’

– Deidra W. Arrington, Fashion, Style & Popular Culture

‘An important contribution to the study of material culture, Crafting Luxury brings to us a range of perspectives that collectively deconstruct the premises - and promises - of what luxury means today. With candour, insight and deep criticality, the book collectively helps us interrogate our assumptions about worth and meaning, acquisition and innovation, and sustainable practices for a better tomorrow.’

– Jessica Helfand, designer, author and educator

‘In Crafting Luxury, Shaun, Mark, Silvio and Veronica do a wonderful job of getting to the heart of what makes for the experience on luxury and what makes something unusual enough to earn that title. This really well put-together book is the one to read if you want to understand the phenomenon of ‘luxury’.’

– Theo Fennell, jeweller

‘Taking this journey through the history of luxury becomes easy to understand due to the manner in which this book is written. The words are simple and explicit so the reader can follow with ease and understand the great achievements of the masters and founders of the luxury brands, from the smaller firm to the most well-known establishments which are part of conglomerates.In reading though the book one can travel the road of luxury and feel a part of it, a travelogue of invention in a space formally owned by the rich and “haves”, not the “have nots”. Now it’s in the purview of all of us, how wonderful. […] This book is well-written and I recommend it for all sorts of business, management and social science classes as well as to anyone who is just looking for a serious and yet fun reading of an important business and cultural topic.’

– Norman Schwartz, Goodreads

Mark Bloomfield is a digital craftsman and artist based at London’s iconic Oxo Tower. He is visiting professor of design, innovation and technology in the School of Creative Arts at the University of Hertfordshire. Mark has designed for some of the most influential and prominent designers, including Asprey, and Vivienne Westwood. Additionally, he has worked in film and TV making jewellery for Titanic, Judge Dredd, Braveheart and Gentleman Jack. Mark creatively combines traditional craft techniques with advanced digital processes.

Shaun Borstrock is Associate Dean; Business, Innovation and Projects and is Head of the Digital Hack Lab, In Pursuit of Luxury and Creative Ideas in the School of Creative Arts at the University of Hertfordshire. He is interested in design-led innovation where design comes first – not as a service to fulfil a business strategy, but as a visionary path where design is considered to be an intrinsic part of decision making. Shaun’s research evaluates notions of luxury that seem far removed from today’s world of excessive consumption.

Silvio Carta is an ARB and RIBA architect, fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and Head of Art and Design at the University of Hertfordshire, where he is also Director of the Professional Doctorates in Fine Arts (DFA) and Design (DDES). His research focuses on computational design and spatial aspects of design. Silvio is head of the editorial board of Seoul-based C3 Magazine, editor of AMPS Architecture Media Politics and Society (UCL Press) and the author of Big Data, Code and the Discrete City (Routledge 2019) and Machine Learning and the City Reader (Wiley 2022).

Veronica Manlow is an associate professor at Brooklyn College’s Murray Koppelman School of Business in the Business Management Department and the Academic Director of the Blackstone LaunchPad at Brooklyn College, a programme focused on entrepreneurship. She is one of the directors of the In Pursuit of Luxury (IPOL) professional association and co-editor of the IPOL journal Luxury Studies.