Touch and Feel: Signals That Make a Difference

Abstract

International audienceWe use a multi-source, longitudinal case study of one of the world's first and best eco-fashion brands, Osklen, founded by Oskar Metsavaht in Brazil in 1989, to advance a multi-sensorial signalling theory account of sustainable luxury. Our inductive theory-building extends traditional signalling theory, especially its recent applications to sustainability, by adding an appreciation of multiple senses and leveraging multi-sensorial methodologies increasingly popular in the marketing and design disciplines. In contrast to the traditional literature on signalling from economics which suggests that signals are most influential when they are visible, clear and easy to interpret (thus carrying unambiguous messages from sender to receiver), we show that balancing luxury and sustainability requires and relies on multi-sensorial, complex, even contested signals. We catalogue, classify and compare the signals sent by Osklen within and across the 15 different collections Oskar Metsavaht designed between 2005 and 2013 to explain how signals are deliberately de- and re-composed to combine luxury and sustainability. Our findings encourage sustainability researchers to take senses seriously and offer practical how-to recommendations to luxury designers committed to making a difference

Sustainable Luxury Marketing: A Synthesis and Research Agenda

“…If sustainability is successfully incorporated into luxury products, it could be powerful in normalizing the consumption of sustainable luxury, as consumers seek to identify themselves with social groups of status or differentiate themselves from others who are not highly esteemed (Ivanova et al . ; Solomon ).…”

“…Both Carcano () and Ivanova et al . () have attempted to present the successful implementation of strategies that focus on sustainability. However, both works are based on readily available information and lack insider information, which would have significantly increased the rigour of the research.…”

“…Bandwagon and trickle-down effects (in addition to trickle-up and trickle-across diffusions; Atik and Firat 2013), where elite consumers integrate a particular element into their luxury purchase that filters down to less affluent users (Cervellon and Wernerfelt 2012), are also important. If sustainability is successfully incorporated into luxury products, it could be powerful in normalizing the consumption of sustainable luxury, as consumers seek to identify themselves with social groups of status or differentiate themselves from others who are not highly esteemed (Ivanova et al 2013;Solomon 2004).…”

“…In highlighting the positives that can come from understanding the impacts of the supply chain, several studies suggest that links between local agriculture (producing food) and luxury hotels can provide significant benefits for stakeholders, may have positive social impacts, and can be a basis for 'pro-poor' local economic development (economic development aimed at poverty reduction) (Rogerson 2012;Thomas-Francois et al 2017). Both Carcano (2013) and Ivanova et al (2013) have attempted to present the successful implementation of strategies that focus on sustainability. However, both works are based on readily available information and lack insider information, which would have significantly increased the rigour of the research.…”