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The idea of luxury has secured a place in contemporary western culture, and the term is now part of common parlance in both established and emerging economies. This book explores the many issues and debates surrounding the idea of luxury.  This new research addresses contentious issues surrounding perceptions of luxury, its relationship to contemporary branding as created by the marketers, and the impact this has on the consumer and their purchasing habits. Crafting Luxury considers work within the field of luxury and luxury brands, encompassing established companies with a long heritage: from conglomerates and small independents to 'new' luxury and emerging models with innovative practices. It examines the industry structures with respect to production, as well as the hierarchies that exist, and the impact these have on both internal and external perceptions of luxury, from the makers to the sellers and consumers alike. Attention is also given to the working structures of the ateliers, production facilities, origin of materials, manufacture and the impact of technology on consumption, the retail environment and sales, all providing a true insider's view of this complex world. The authors – a designer of product and jewellery, a brand strategist and a fashion designer, an architect, and a sociologist and specialist in business management – are practitioners and academics. Their approach to dissecting the complex world of luxury brings distinct viewpoints to the debate, offering different perspectives, thoughts and interpretations of luxury. Crafting Luxury will appeal to academics and educators, industry specialists and anyone interested in luxury as a concept. It will appeal to those in a variety of academic and industry disciplines: art history, history, social sciences and humanities with an interest in luxury, fashion studies, design, business, cultural studies and textiles. It will also be valuable to students and researchers in social sciences, humanities, business, design, branding, consumption, retail, architecture, cultural studies, fashion studies and textiles. May also appeal to industry practitioners in retail, design, technology, marketing, the supply chain and manufacture, as well as design professions including architecture, fashion and interior design.

Identifying predictors that contribute to geographic disparities in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is necessary in order to reduce disparities. This study assesses the spatial relationship condom availability and accessibility in order to better identify determinants of geographic disparities in STIs. We conducted a telephone-based audit among potential-condom selling establishments. Descriptive analyses were conducted to detect differences in condom-selling characteristics by stores and by store type. Geocoding, mapping, and spatial analysis were conducted to measure the availability of condoms. A total of 850 potential condom-selling establishments participated in the condom availability and accessibility audit in St. Louis city; 29 % sold condoms. There were several significant geographic clusters of stores identified across the study area. The first consisted of fewer convenience stores and gas stations that sold condoms in the northern section of the city, whereas condoms were less likely to be sold in non-convenience store settings in the southwestern and central parts of the city. Additionally, locations that distributed free condoms clustered significantly in city center. However, there was a dearth of businesses that were neither convenience stores nor gas stations in the northern region of the city, which also had the highest concentration of condoms sold. This initial study was conducted to provide evidence that condom availability and accessibility differ by geographic region, and likely are a determinant of social norms surrounding condom use and ultimately impact STI rates.

BackgroundIdentifying predictors that contribute to geographical disparities in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is necessary. This study assesses the spatial relationship between condom availability to locations of STIs in order to better understand these geographical disparities.ObjectivesWe conducted a condom availability audit among potential condom-selling establishments. New gonorrhoea and chlamydia cases in 2011 (n=6034) and HIV infection cases from 2006 to 2011 (n=565) were collected by census tract in St Louis, Missouri. 829 potential condom-selling establishments participated in the condom availability audit in St Louis City; 242 of which sold condoms.ResultsA negative linear relationship exists between condom vendors and cases of gonorrhoea and chlamydia, after adjusting for concentrated disadvantage and free condom locations. Higher concentrated disadvantage, higher proportions of convenience vendors and free locations were associated with higher rates of HIV.ConclusionsThis study was conducted to provide evidence that lack of condom availability is associated with STI rates, and likely is an integral component to influencing the subjective norms surrounding condom use and STI rates. Condom distribution interventions may be addressing availability needs and social norms, yet are more likely to be effective when placed in locations with the highest STI rates.

A fresh approach to contemporary views of luxury focusing on extensive academic research and industry insights, pushing the boundaries by using luxury as a catalyst for innovative research in a variety of domains spanning design, art, craftsmanship, technology, retail, architecture and cultural and social studies. 12 col. illus.

Currently, there are few computationally efficient optimization tools that provide detailed structural analysis for multi-part laminated composite structures. A two-level optimization approach is detailed and used to determine the stacking sequences of composite plates of minimum mass. At the first level, lamination parameters and plate thickness are used to minimize the structural mass subject to buckling, strength (allowable laminate strain) and lamination parameter (feasible region) constraints. A general method is presented to determine the set of constraints on the feasible region of lamination parameters for any finite set of ply orientations. The output of the first level is the minimum thickness. At the second level, ply orientations and a discrete optimizer are used to determine a laminate stacking sequence of that thickness which satisfies the set of design constraints. Formally, this is a constraint satisfaction problem. To solve the second level problem, a number of metaheuristic techniques are considered including an ant colony and particle swarm approach. Motivated by the analysis, three new solutions to the second level are presented. Additionally, using an expanded set of ply orientations (and a multi-level approach) it is demonstrated that mass savings can be achieved. Furthermore, the presented algorithms lead to efficiency savings in comparison with methods detailed in the literature. Consequently, this thesis presents an efficient and reliable approach to laminated composite optimization.

Experts said there was no way tax reform in 1985 would pass and were surprised to see the Tax Reform Act of 1986 signed into law. Tax reform is a perennial interest in Washington. It rises from the ashes whenever the time is right, and no real expert should ever declare it dead. The 1986 tax-reform effort is an interesting story with many lessons for today. The fundamental idea of lowering rates by eliminating unjustified deductions and exemptions is politically powerful. But tax reform was not an overnight phenomenon. Discontent was widespread in the public conversation, the business community, and the policy world. This time, true tax reform should be sought in a new tax that rewards savings and investment, and taxes all forms of consumption.