Luxury without borders...
Luxury is said to be universal and eternal. Indeed. But, does that say it all? What is considered luxury in the Muslim civilisation? In the Amerindian civilisation? What about in emerging countries? Jean Castarède takes us on a journey in the planet of luxury, exploring luxury from its origin up until today, through captivating pictures. Sublime and instructive.
The complete story of luxury
After Jean Castarède’s indispensable book in the "Que sais-je" series about Luxury and his History of Luxury in France from its origin to today, thiseconomist and graduate of ENA, (the prestigious national school of administration), stretched the boundaries of luxury even further, offering us a world history, period by period, country by country. And that is all. Because, even if from Mediterranean and Oriental Antiquity to the contemporary extension of modern, its manifestations and their apprehensions have definitely evolved, its basis does not remain less universal. And there’s a reason for that, as Gilles Lipvetsky recalls: "Luxury is no longer the cursed part of a dream, but the dream itself, the excellence and the exceptional that a man needs".
Going beyond the strict notion of efficiency, luxury is embodied in an anthropological and universal character, inviting man to take part in a waltz of infinite desires that it would be too easy to reduce to a frivolous and vain aspiration. Shakespeare, himself conceded: "Withdraw the superfluous from man and you take away his humanity.".
Luxury and civilisation, without a doubt, 304 pages to convince us!
