Piia Rytilahti | Researcher | M.Sc, BA | tel. +358 40 5778943 | piia.rytilahti(at)ulapland.fi
Is Finnish luxury glamour and glittering with gold?
Not necessarily, though luxury has traditionally been defined through so-called luxury products and their luxurious qualities as sky-high prices, superior brands and elusive materials. A more definite criterion of the new luxury encompasses also social and cultural factors much more multi-faceted than just ‘luxury brands’ glittering with gold.
My dissertation research will approach the phenomenon of luxury by conceptualising the essence of the socially shared encounters between end-users, products and designers. The aim of the research is to analyse and look at a diverse range of users and communities where luxury and designer products and services coincide with the user’s whole lifestyle and set of values, for example wellbeing and ethically sound consumption as a luxury of tomorrow.
Publications
Rytilahti, Piia; Uotila, Minna & Narbrough, Maxim, “Understanding the essence of environmentally sound products: some insights into ecoluxury design”, Nordic Design Research, 2007. [Nordes][PDF 89KB]