Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-29-2025
Abstract
The mid-20th century witnessed a zenith of deeply personalized, bespoke service within iconic luxury specialty retailers. This paper critically analyzes the foundational principles of this historical bespoke service model, extending Service-Dominant (S-D) Logic and retail evolution theory, to propose a robust framework for its modern revival. Employing a rigorous qualitative, multiple-case study approach, grounded in extensive historical and media analysis of four archetypal American and British luxury boutiques, and uniquely informed by an insider-ethnographic perspective on the central case exemplar ("Martha's"), the study distills six core principles: Profound Client Knowledge, Visionary Curation & Styling, Anticipatory & Proactive Service, The Exclusive & Trusting Environment, The Owner as Visionary & Brand Embodiment, and Beyond the Transaction: Relationship & Community Building. These principles reveal a retail model predicated on intensive, proactive value co-creation and deep, trust-based relationships, highlighting a significant experiential and relational deficit in much of contemporary, mass-market retail. We propose the "Empathetic Algorithm" model, integrating these historical principles with the contemporary imperatives of sustainability and human-centric artificial intelligence. This framework suggests that the perceived depersonalization of modern retail drives a cyclical re-emergence of high-touch paradigms, offering a novel strategic roadmap for luxury retailers to achieve differentiation, enduring client loyalty, and a more sustainable future.
Publication
Asian Business Research Journal
Publisher
Eastern Centre of Science and Education (ECSE)
Volume
10
Issue
7
Pages
122-130
Department
College of Business and Management
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Peer Reviewed
1
Recommended Citation
Burnstine, A. (2025). Reviving the lost art: Historical foundations and future pathways for bespoke service in luxury retail. Asian Business Research Journal, 10(7), 122–130. https://doi.org/10.55220/2576-6759.512
