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'Luxury is a necessity that begins where necessity ends' These words spoken by Gabrielle Coco Chanel in the early twentieth century remain as true as ever today. Luxury fashion has seeped into every sphere of our consumer society; it has become the norm to aspire towards owning products from exclusive brands like Vuitton, Gucci and Dior. This desire is further heightened by affordable, available fashion from brands like H&M and Zara who continuously offer luxury-style goods at lower prices. Also, globalization and technological and communications advancement have made fashion even more accessible. Consumers can now shop at will on the Internet, access a wide variety of goods and exchange instant brand experiences. Consequently the average fashion consumer has become savvy, demanding and restless. To put it mildly, 'The luxury consumer and the luxury landscape have changed!'

What do these imply for luxury fashion brands? A changing sector currently undergoing an important market evolution, internal management shifts and rapid expansion, in dire need of strategic business direction.

Luxury Fashion Branding is the groundbreaking first book of its kind that addresses the business of luxury fashion from a strategic viewpoint. It critically analyses the essential aspects of the luxury fashion sector through tracing the origins of luxury fashion; assessing its consumers, and retailing tactics as well as branding and marketing strategy, business modelling and e-retailing.

Presented in a clear language, Luxury Fashion Branding will make an engaging reading for anyone who wishes to learn about the captivating business of turning functional products into symbolic objects of desire.

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Uche Okonkwo is one of the pioneer Business Strategy Consultants in the luxury fashion industry. Based in Paris, she is the Executive Director & Co-Founder of Luxe E.t.c., the world's only Business Management Consultancy firm dedicated to the Luxury Goods industry and its affiliated sectors. She has extensive cross-sector experience in consultancy, management and academics. Uche also has an MBA from Brunel University, London and is a Doctorate candidate at Ecole Superieur de Commerce, Rennes, France.