Les jugements critiques du luxe : une approche par la légitimité

What are consumers’ negative judgments on luxury about and on which arguments are they grounded ? This article addresses these questions by drawing on a qualitative study conducted with twenty participants who have negative attitudes toward luxury. The findings first show that their criticisms are based on the concept of legitimacy and a process of judgment formation (both cognitive, pragmatic and moral) of companies/brands, their practices, and their customers’ behavior. This research also illustrates the contingent nature of criticisms according to the context and the situation, thus leading to several managerial implications about the various forms of legitimacy in this domain. Key words: critics of luxury, process of judgment, legitimacy, brand strategy.