The Socio-Cultural Practices of Luxury Brands and Flagship Stores in Auckland

Abstract

Cities are an important site of consumption with profound impacts on the urban landscape. The arrival and manifestation of international luxury retailers have further transformed the retail-built environment and have facilitated in the development of socio-cultural identities. This thesis explores the socio-cultural practices of luxury brands and flagship stores in Auckland. Research and literature within this area of inquiry have tended to focus on the fashion capitals of the world, which has led to second-tier global cities such as Auckland being ignored. The Auckland case study incorporates a cultural economy approach concerned with the material form of the city. This research focuses on Auckland CBD’s luxury retail precinct, which has been home to some of the world’s most popular and recognized luxury brands. These brands have manifested and embedded their distinct material culture and identity onto Auckland’s retail landscape, transforming its streetscapes into dynamic and emblematic spaces of consumption and production. As the first research of its kind within a New Zealand context, it evaluates the spatial characteristics of luxury brands and flagship stores and considers their position within the city. It also explores the embedded enactment of luxury and flagship store experience through examining exterior architecture, store window design, and interior store features and layout. Using observational analysis and visual methodologies, the findings reveal that the luxury brands and flagship stores in Auckland are highly compelling and pervasive, evoking a sense of prestige, exclusivity, and history.