Books by Patrizia Calefato

Luxury has been both celebrated and condemned throughout history right up to the present day. This groundbreaking text examines luxury and its relationship with desire, status, consumption and economic value, exploring why luxury remains prominent even in the context of a global recession.

What we wear is a vehicle for the expression of politics, gender and identity, placing clothing at the root of a complex set of messages. This book shows how semiotics can provide a convincing template for understanding dress in a range of contexts and is a useful reading for anyone interested in the meaning of what we wear.