Aesthetics for Longevity: How Symmetric Design Enhances Sustainable Luxury Consumption

Aesthetics is a core elements of luxury products. While previous research has highlighted that aesthetics contributes to luxury products’ appeal, the present research investigates the effect of luxury product aesthetics on sustainable consumption. In particular, the core argument advanced is that one key aesthetic characteristic of luxury products, namely its symmetry, leads consumers to use them longer (rather than disposing them). Four experiments demonstrate that the symmetric (vs. asymmetric) design of luxury fashion products lead to higher intended and actual length of product usage, and that this effect is explained by perceived product stylistic continuity. Results also show the moderating role of consumers’ fashion orientation. Overall, the present research sheds light on the to-date untested effect of luxury product aesthetics on sustainable consumption and offers insightful suggestions to luxury marketers as to how to use product aesthetics to nudge a more responsible consumption of luxury products.