The Illusions Of The Symbolic Consumption

Burberry is a British luxury fashion brand ushering the style of authenticBritishness. It has been popular for its iconic tartan patterns, innovative fabric andelegant design with the consumers all around the world and has become a symbol ofthe high-quality life. Throughout its history of development, Burberry experienced atransition from a practical brand to a high-fashion one and has now reaped a greatsuccess. Today, this international brand, like an armored knight, has been protectingthe clothing culture of the UK. Based on Baudrillard’s theory of the symbolicconsumption, this thesis is going to make an analysis of Burberry in order to revealthe illusions created by the symbolic consumption.Besides introduction and conclusion, the thesis will be divided into threechapters: Chapter One will focus on the symbolization of Burberry from the aspectsof its construction of sign value and object-signs to disclose the human’s depreciationin value and submission to the material world due to the deprivation of his activenessin the symbolic consumption; Chapter Two part will illustrate Burberry’s symbolicfunction in the social distinction from the aspects of its construction of the socialstatus and participation in the model/series motion to reveal the ostensible equality insocial status and the unappeasable desire created by the symbolic consumption;Chapter Three is going to discuss the techniques and mechanisms involved inBurberry’s advertising through the symbolic analysis of two of its advertisements soas to unveil advertising’s true colors as a propagator of pseudo-democracy thatfalsifies the consumer’s freedom and the position of subject in the consumptionthrough its working on desire and ideological manipulation.