What Drives Sustainable Luxury Consumption in a Status driven society like India ?

Luxury has become synonymous with status in countries like India. Where most of the consumers have been indulging in conspicuous consumption of luxury products. But are there consumers willing to spend on sustainable luxury in India? And what are their motivations to indulge in such a purchase? Consumers perceive sustainability as a complementary model to luxury, especially the wealthy Cervellon.1 However, little research has been done to identify what kind of consumers and motivations lead to sustainable luxury products purchase in India? Previous research shows that some consumers buy sustainable luxury as a means to show-off to others (Griskevicius, Tybur and Van den Bergh 2010). But could it be true for Indian consumers too? This paper includes empirical data from a survey that would reveal the underlying paradigms of sustainable luxury consumption in India. Understanding Indian consumer´s preferences of sustainable luxury products can be useful for companies to plan their strategies accordingly. This research suggests implications for both academicians and managers interested in understanding the sustainable consumption pattern in India.