Search

Handbags are iconic consumer objects that have become one of the most important accessories driving the fashion industry. The layers of meaning that these ubiquitous and symbolic objects carry, realize an array of values to their owners. Prior research suggests the value of an object is subjective, evaluative criteria that are deemed important by the owner (Shukla, 2012) which are dynamic and context-dependent (Karababa and Kjeldgaard, 2014). This research follows this line of thinking and accordingly analyses value realization through the consumption of handbags based on Shukla’s (2012) interpretation of the theory of luxury customer value. Thus, this research will analyze how the consumption of handbags realize value for consumers through the constructs of functional, personal and situational value. Additionally, this research suggests that value realization is context and situation-dependent, thus analyzing value realization through the perspective of situational value. To understand the meaningful value that handbags realize for their owners, I conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 informants who presented their favorite handbags to provide a detailed description of their consumption of these handbags. Findings from the data suggest that handbags realize an array of functional, personal and social values for their owners in different situations, thus highlighting the importance of situational value realization in the consumption of handbags.