New Directions in Art, Fashion, and Wine: Sustainability, Digitalization, and Artification

Sustainability, digitalization, and artification have become the cornerstones of a successful business model in a world rocked by the effects of a pandemic and a climate crisis. Organizational strategies in the art, fashion, and wine industries have to be redesigned to reflect these changes. The circular model discussed in this work provides guidance and a vision for systematically moving towards social and environmental sustainability from both a production and consumption perspective. Digitalization provides a viable alternative to brick and mortar and helps create a hybrid presence for brands in both real and virtual worlds. Artification is the process of elevating an object into a work of art and closely mirrors the aestheticization of society in a postmodern world. While selling online is a given, creating an auratic atmosphere to envelop and provide an unforgettable experience requires greater levels of creativity. Each chapter focuses on aspects of consumer culture theory, with its emphasis on identity, lifestyle, and symbolic meaning, with the introductory chapter paying more attention to the application of practice theory to the study of sustainability, artification, and digitalization. The complementarity between the practice turn and the cultural turn promises new insights.

Annamma Joy is professor of marketing in the Faculty of Management department at the University of British Columbia.