Making Luxurious Images as new Urban Practices in North Tehran
As Bauer et al. (2011) claim in the contemporary discourse luxury entails a fluid meaning that gives an authority to the consumers to assign their personal meanings to create what should be viewed as luxury. Nature of luxury is possessive and emotional; it does not just relate to the social reflection of status, wealth and exclusiveness, which is controlled by the market and brands (Wiedmann et al., 2007). Therefore luxury is not necessarily an artifact of the financial status anymore. In many cases, luxury is able to stimulate feelings of exclusivity and being special (Phau and Prendergast, 2000) and capable of giving access to a new world of deep emotionand desire .
Considering new concepts of luxury in the contemporary world, the range of desirable activities that citizens seek are included within experiences that mainly occur in shopping malls or spaces of consumption per se. In North of Tehran, as Roper et al. (2013) claim luxury consumers emphasize on doing or being as the experiential nature of their luxury consumption, rather than having or owning that indicate material ownership (having/owning). Significance of shopping malls comes from the prioritization of citizens while choosing spaces within which they spend time and do activities; and subsequently own the image and dream of luxury lifestyle.
Promotion of wealthy lifestyle in North Tehran has been a sign of the significant class difference in the society throughout the contemporary history of this city. Also, the significance of this class difference is visible among the lifestyles of the citizens in this area; luxury is becoming an essential term in the lifestyle of Northern inhabitants, while it has also become a key factor for the other citizens from different classes for them to experience the dream of living the luxury life. Such circumstances make luxury a more sophisticated term while discussing contemporary everyday life in Tehran. There, spectacle is formed based on the relations of citizens with themes that define luxury by using images and spatial productions that create real environments for such social practice either physically or mentally. Increasing desire towards luxury lifestyle in this case is representative of important issues about contemporary Tehran whereas shopping malls, or spaces of consumption, have created a network of consumption for the majority of the citizens; operating with images and dreams. According to the categorization of shopping malls by Shopping Center Definitions (ICSC), published by International Council of Shopping Centers, “Fashion/Specialty Center is a type of shopping mall that is defined as a center that mainly includes expensive apparel shops, boutiques and craft shops with selected fashion or unique merchandise of high quality and price”. These centers are sophisticatedly designed and emphasize a rich décor including high quality landscaping. These settings are usually established in trade zones of high income groups of the society (ICSC, 2016). The increasing number of this type of shopping mall in the North Tehran is an indicator of the promotion of luxury life style. Luxury has become one of the mostly used terms by citizens, private administrations and local businesses in Tehran. Hence luxury shopping malls are turning into one of the most visited spaces. Recently, these malls are attempting to create unique offers for their customers with lifestyle tips and ideas. These suggestions are either made subtly or by means of advertisement and publicity. For instance below statement is made on the official website of one of the mentioned shopping malls ‘Queen Center’:
“What is the elite life style? Or Luxury?
Have you ever thought about it? You lead a luxury life, if you use the devices, entertainment, leisure, etc. that are not essential but make you enjoy your life more. These elements are highly priced or out of reach for the public; and of course we all know the popular concept of luxury, wealthy people spend a great deal of money for purchasing special goods and services such as clothing and jewelry, food and cars and even private jets and others…If you are willing to have a luxury lifestyle, then you, at least, need to become one of these wealthy people. We, here, introduce this lifestyle; so that if you want to become one of them you will know what you can do…”