Once upon a time luxury goods were only available to the very rich. They offered a history of tradition, superior quality, and an exclusive buying experience. Today, luxury is simply just another product sold by multibillion-dollar global corporations focussed on growth, visibility, brand awareness, advertising, and, above all, profits. In this book fashion journalist Dana Thomas puts luxury in a historical context and explores the dark side of the industry to answer questions such as: What is the new definition of luxury when advertising for this lifestyle is targeted mainly toward the mass market? What are we paying for when quality has given way to quantity? Can integrity survive in a corporate culture driven by growth and profit? And is luxury still the best that money can buy?