ABSTRACT
The general aim of this chapter is to analyze the actions, products, and consumer behavior related to the social groups often referred to as ‘bohemian bourgeoisie’ or ‘creative class’ in the context of research on material culture. Thus particular attention will be paid to specific products and items associated with the lifestyle of the creative class, which can be seen as attributes of their status and social position as well as the broader socioeconomic consequences of their consumer behavior. The first part of the chapter will focus on forging a proper definition for the social groups in question along with tracing their historical roots. The second part will explore the consumer behavior of the creative class and interpret it through Bourdieu’s (1984) and Veblen’s (2007) theories of distinction and conspicuous consumption. Even though the lifestyle and consumer patterns of the creative class are often regarded as desirable and beneficial to society as a whole (most notably by Richard Florida, who coined the term), they do, in fact, reinforce and deform the existing relations of production and consumption, aggrandizing social conflicts and inequalities and reproducing relations of hierarchy, division of property, and inefficient, expensive methods of productions.
