Contrefaçon ou démocratisation du luxe? Les Avatars du Vinaigre Balsamique de Modéne

Typical products are characterized and required by consumers for their intrinsic characteristics (quality, taste, smell, organoleptic properties, etc.), but also for their symbolic properties (name, tradition, history, etc.). This paper presents an economic history reflection on the relationship that exists between the “original” typicals and their clones (defined by the name of Avatar), analyzing the characteristics of this “coexistence”. The analysis runs both on a conceptual level (is the Avatar a counterfeit product or is it a tool to “democratize” luxury ?) and on a historical plan, tracing the history of one of the most “copied” typical products in the world: the balsamic Vinegar of Modena.