In the 18th century Paris, luxury goods were reserved for the royals and the aristocrats, but today, just as Thomas O’Malley from Disney’s Aristocats puts it: everybody wants to be a cat!
The world is inundated with luxury goods, and we are getting exposed to, and tempted by the advertisement through magazines and TV. There are also more billionaires in the world today than ever before. The luxury goods market is worth billions and seems to only be growing, year by year. Take a trip down to Cannes and you will see Noveau riche tech billionaires and entrepreneurs flashing their Ferraris in their red sole loafers and girls dripping in diamonds. Is the socialite scene at the Riviera any different to the 18th century courtiers, or just outright obnoxious? And what exactly is luxury? Have luxury items and a luxury lifestyle become more accessible for everyone, or is there still an elite whom it is exclusively dedicated to?
Socialites of today are quite different to those in the circle of Madame De Pompadour, and even the later ones including Jackie Kennedy and Lee Radziwill to name a few. When Paris Hilton stepped to the scene, the socialites became readily available for everyone, or at least it seemed so.
When something becomes publicly available, it loses some of its exclusiveness and therefore its mystery. When media became the powerful institution that it is today, and when we had to choke on our breakfast cereals seeing scandalous celebrity behaviour in the morning paper or with tabloids flaunting the flaws of the modern-day socialites, we lost part of the glitz and glamour that was reserved to the old elite, the Hollywood stars and the debutants of their time. The playground once reserved for the affluent changed.
The discussion here easily transitions to one about old and new. Old money, hereditary and generational, is not to be flaunted. New money often is. Then, there is what I call “wannabe money” which almost certainly always is. While popping champers in cashmere jumpers may have seemed more sublime than superfluous in the sixties, flashing your Cristal in a club has quite the opposite effect.
Can we blame media for creating a craze around wanting fame and chasing Chopard and Chanel, and is consumption of luxury goods increasing our credit card debts just so that we can appear wealthy? There seems to be a strong association between luxury items and to have made it in the world. The way we are made to believe that achievement is synonymous with luxurious items is a marketing strategy of the brands. While we may debate whether climbing the ladder is considered distasteful or not, showing off with big brands does not particularly display modesty. Do we need luxury items such as bags and belts with intertwined c’s to feel our worth, or could we show more care in preserving the leather tote that we already own?
The question whether we need luxuries to elevate our lives is a bit of a double-edged sword. Desiring a better life, more stability and relief, and striving to make this happen is always a positive. The rainmakers of the world, and the go-getters of society, would go nowhere without motivation, and if motivation is achieved by the luxury of being able to twinkle in a twinset of finest cashmere, then be it.
Being influenced by the rich and famous is nothing new, as Kate Middleton causes trends with her wardrobe choice today just as the Duchess of Bedford did in her days with her afternoon tea.
What we associate with luxury is almost always related to something of high monetary value, and the value is almost always linked to supply and demand. Out of thousands of oysters, only one produces a pearl, and it takes one goat an entire year to produce enough cashmere for a shawl, let alone a jumper, and this is what make them rare with a price tag to follow. Champagne is a complex procedure, so there is value in the making. Just as a Rolex is made to last, so are many other luxury items which justifies the cost. Fast fashion is impacting our planet and environment negatively, so to salvage and care for your classic piece of fashion could pay off in more ways than one.
Carrying a bag made with care, crafted by artisans skilled in their field feels different than a copy from Chinatown. Perhaps it is the feeling of authenticity or being part of the select few to carry a designer bag that makes us feel special.
How wonderful it is to add some everyday luxury to elevate the ordinary. During the pandemic, when people where isolating, a cheeky lady I happened to know, used to pop a bottle of bubbles and share with the neighbours in her apartment block to lift the mood and make the tough days a bit merrier. Doing something out of the ordinary does not have to equate dining above your budget, and waltzing under a chandelier maybe doesn’t compare to dancing barefoot, feeling the rain on your skin, but there is value to everything in life. Placing a number or putting a value next to quality and time can prove difficult.
There is no introduction needed for Diamonds, Daimlers, and Dom Perignon, household names for the fortunate few, but behind each diamond, there is a lesser-known story combined with someone’s hard work. A car can take us from where we are to where we want to be, and while one might argue that it is about the journey, not the destination, most of us would, if given the opportunity take the journey in a Daimler rather than an Uber. Necessary or not, diamonds are forever and judging by what is presented to us, most of us would rather cry in a palace than a shed.
For more advice on etiquette, manners, interior design and how to live your life with grace, elegance and poise, read the book “Tea with the Dutchess: How to do anything with style” by Kate Gawi.
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