How conspicuous is fashion? A quantitative analysis of luxury discourse in Vogue and income inequality, 1910-2000

This dissertation examines how the representation of luxury in Vogue magazine evolved over twentieth-century America and how its editorial discourse intersected with broader patterns of income inequality. Using a dataset of 1418 issues (1910-2000) of U.S. Vogue, it tracks the frequency of luxury-related terms and correlates them with historical U.S. income share data for the top 1%. This study combines this quantitative approach with close readings of selected issues to examine how Vogue rhetorically and visually constructed the idea of luxury across different historical and socio-economic contexts. The findings reveal a strong alignment between elite income shares and visible luxury discourse from 1910-1970, particularly during the 1920s, when Vogue portrayed luxury as aspirational and overt. After 1970, however, this relationship was disrupted: despite rising elite income, the frequency of luxury terms plateaued or declined. This relationship is further analysed through the frequency of ready-to-wear (RTW) terminology, revealing a dramatic increase in the 1960s, signalling a shift toward more accessible and commodified styles. This transition reflects broader structural changes in the fashion industry and consumer culture, including the rise of mass production, the expansion of department stores, increased access to credit and crucially the democratisation of fashion.