Introduction

Sustainable luxury is the concept of returning to the essence of luxury with its traditional focus on thoughtful purchasing and artisanal manufacturing, to the beauty of quality materials and to respect for social and environmental issues. This deeper approach requires, and will require, a relentless search for knowledge, discovery and understanding. True elements of (authentic) luxury rely on the search for beauty, refinement, innovation, purity, the well-made, what remains, the essence of things, the ultimate best. It is important to note that the legitimacy of luxury becomes more complicated in situations of extreme inequality and poverty. If sustainability integrates a principle of justice and social equity, and some consider luxury to be an excess, then it may not be moral while there is poverty. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.