Tra distinzione sociale e inclusiveness: luoghi, esperienze e immaginari del consumo urbano

The relationship between cities and consumption today is more heterogeneous than ever. If shopping malls and department stores represent the quintessence of genericity and inclusiveness, in other cases the location of a brand's outlets in areas of the city that are still not massified becomes a determining factor in reinforcing the connotations of exclusivity – or even nonconformity – of the brand itself. This contribution will focus on different topologies of urban commerce from the early 19th century to the present days and, more specifically, on the role that the choice of urban location has often played in the semiosis of different forms and experiences of consumption, between mainstream and trend-setters.