Fashion and time: The lifespan of things in Soviet and Post-Soviet Russia

Abstract

This article investigates the changes in everyday consumer practices from the point of view of the lifespan of things. Theoretically, it is based on the concept of rhythmanalysis of Henri Lefebvre [Lefebvre 2007] and its application to the “biographies of things” [Kopytoff 1986], everyday practices and macro-characteristics of societies [Baudrillard 2004; Toffer 2006]. In the empirical part, drawing on data from in-depth interviews, I distinguish four concepts describing the rhythms and longevity of humans-things relationships. These are “long-term”, “transitional”, “fast,” and “slow” consumption. These concepts were dominant in a particular period of Russian history, but they can also be observed today in the lifestyles of various social groups.