rise & fall of the Japanese luxury market
1) How does luxury consumption in Japan differ from in other countries ?
I guess the main difference is the fact that Japanese people consume luxury in mass. Or at least, they did. Indeed, Japan is the first and only mass luxury market. This behavior finds its origins in the need of showing their identity and self-worth, and they do it by wearing luxury products. In fact, as there is not much space and lots of traffic jams there, the Japanese can’t build huge houses and own many cars, as we, Western people, do to show our social status and wealth. The easiest way to do it in Japan is to buy luxury goods such as pieces of clothing, bags or accessories that you will wear to show people your status. As said in the article, the Japanese give, and have always given, a lot of importance to appearance and social status. This is a way of expressing your self-worth in the society. Before, it was the quality of Kimonos and Obis women were wearing that mattered. Now, it is still the way you dress that matters, but in luxury clothes.
Also, another difference with other countries way of consuming luxury is the target of brands. In Japan, the middle-class is obsessed by luxury. They will rather not eat or live in a small apartment, just in order to afford a particular item they are craving for. Indeed, one of the important categories of luxury consumers is the “office ladies” who are secretaries, or junior administrative, and who won’t get better positions, so they forget about their working life by buying luxury goods. Also, there are the “parasite singles”, who still live with their parents and then have more money to buy luxury goods.
Finally, the two last points are the fact that Japanese people travel so much to buy luxury goods to avoid the prices mark up, which is huge in Japan, and as well, the fact that they don’t buy that much of their local designers, since the most important thing is not to wear luxury but to wear Western luxury.
This massive consuming and
I guess the main difference is the fact that Japanese people consume luxury in mass. Or at least, they did. Indeed, Japan is the first and only mass luxury market. This behavior finds its origins in the need of showing their identity and self-worth, and they do it by wearing luxury products. In fact, as there is not much space and lots of traffic jams there, the Japanese can’t build huge houses and own many cars, as we, Western people, do to show our social status and wealth. The easiest way to do it in Japan is to buy luxury goods such as pieces of clothing, bags or accessories that you will wear to show people your status. As said in the article, the Japanese give, and have always given, a lot of importance to appearance and social status. This is a way of expressing your self-worth in the society. Before, it was the quality of Kimonos and Obis women were wearing that mattered. Now, it is still the way you dress that matters, but in luxury clothes.
Also, another difference with other countries way of consuming luxury is the target of brands. In Japan, the middle-class is obsessed by luxury. They will rather not eat or live in a small apartment, just in order to afford a particular item they are craving for. Indeed, one of the important categories of luxury consumers is the “office ladies” who are secretaries, or junior administrative, and who won’t get better positions, so they forget about their working life by buying luxury goods. Also, there are the “parasite singles”, who still live with their parents and then have more money to buy luxury goods.
Finally, the two last points are the fact that Japanese people travel so much to buy luxury goods to avoid the prices mark up, which is huge in Japan, and as well, the fact that they don’t buy that much of their local designers, since the most important thing is not to wear luxury but to wear Western luxury.
This massive consuming and