PROJECT STATEMENT

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 our discernment of worth. Presented across prints and a mock fashion book, Define Luxuryquestions whether thrifted objects can be recontextualised as high-end goods, challenging our perception of value and sparking contemplation on the power of imagery. 

This work would conceptually engage people with an interest in our media landscape, consumerism, and material culture. Commercially the project is aimed at contemporary art, fashion sales and creative industry audiences, particularly those working within fashion and branding spaces, who are after similarly styled imagery. It may interest thrift stores as an idea for reshaping how people view their products and encourage further engagement from the public.

This project’s process included extensive searching for props across Victoria’s op-shops. These products were hand selected and curated into a series of unique, but cohesive, conceptually driven stylings, in a process of experimentation and intentional planning. Each image was captured and refined across 13 studio shoots, where lighting decisions and backgrounds were experimented and developed. Photographs have been retouched to emphasise each product and refine them to provide that ‘luxury’ look, integral to the concept.

The Define Luxury book positions the project as a high-end fashion brand. Initially, it resembles any other fashion volume, but on closer inspection, each ‘page number’ represents each product’s cost. This feature plus the indexed prices, product sources and a concept overview serve to disillusion viewers. This project’s intentional mockery of luxury brands serves to challenge viewers into questioning where their perceptions of worth originate.