A MARKET IN VOGUE Fashion photography in Sweden

Abstract

The aim of this study is to understand and explain what I shall call aesthetic markets. A particular market of this kind is analysed, namely the market for fashion photography in Sweden. To understand and analyze a market from a sociological perspective, I argue, one primarily needs to perceive the construction of meaning within the market. The actors in this specific market construct what may be called 'aesthetic values'. The market also distributes status of identities as a result of the interactions between producers and consumers. Photographers develop personal styles, and when a style intersects with status an identity is constructed in the market. The status distribution also structures the prices in the market. The conclusion of the article is that aesthetic markets can be conceptualized as status distributors of identities. The conclusion also suggests that this approach to aesthetic markets may be useful for studies of other markets as well.