Is Living Luxuriously Easy?
J.L. Rocha Collections
Is Living Luxuriously Easy?
J.L. Rocha Values
We recently asked this question on social media, and of the followers that responded, 67% believe that living luxuriously is not easy. While we agree with this belief, this is not to say that we disagree with the remaining 33% who believe it is easy. We make no mistake: to live a luxury lifestyle is a privilege afforded to only roughly 20% of people the United States according to Bob Shullman of the Shullman Research Center in the article Luxury marketing: Demographics of luxury consumption (2016). However, recognizing the privilege, comforts, opportunities, and amenities of a luxury lifestyle does not make living luxuriously easy: it is the achieving, maintaining, and discerning while living a luxury lifestyle that is the true challenge. This article will compile our research and values, to focus on the principle challenges faced when living a luxury lifestyle.
Understanding Luxury: and why your choices matter.
Photo by Adrian Tapia; the Elegante Lace Up in Midnight
Defining Luxury:
Meriam-Webster proposes three different definitions:
a condition of abundance or great ease and comfort.
something adding to pleasure or comfort but not absolutely necessary.
an indulgence in something that provides pleasure, satisfaction, or ease.
However this leaves the definition widely open to interpretation. Indeed even in the research by the Shullman Institute we can read:
“Luxury' means different things to different people, from one bottle of champagne, to high-end cosmetics, to ownership of a private jet. Even within categories, mass-market brands are increasingly producing more prestigious items at the top end of their product lines. As far as consumers in the different generations are concerned, we will show in this article that 'luxury' is in the eye of the beholder and is defined by consumers.”
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But if luxury is in the eye of the beholder, what can consumers define but the goods/services that they acquire and the price that they deem worthy of the end result? When considering a luxury lifestyle, while many will consider fragrances, restaurants, and spirits the pinnacle - other brands and goods may be out of reach. Here we look to the work of HSBC managing director Erwan Rambourg and his book, "The Bling Dynasty: Why the Reign of Chinese Luxury Shoppers Has Only Just Begun." Wherein he creates a “Hierarchy of Luxury Brands” the Hierarchy defines these strata:
$0-$100 for Everyday Luxury
$100-$300 for Affordable Luxury
$300-$1,500 for the Accessible Core
$1,500-$5,000 for the Premium Core
$5,000-$50,000 for the Superpremium
and for $50,000+ exist the Bespoke and Ultra-High End categories.
This lens affords us a unique purview into our own positioning within Rambourgs Hierarchy, relating that if the definition of luxury is subjective: the definition is predetermined by the subjects income and ability to access each threshold on the hierarchy. Clearly we can determine that for those with no pre-existing access: reaching the Bespoke and Ultra-High End Categories is not easy. Here we propose a new definition for luxury:
Luxury (in relation to lifestyle) is the action and ability to access comforts, opportunities, products and experiences beyond average means.
Through this definition we can appreciate the efforts necessary to execute these actions, as well as the distinct separation from common comforts. Yet in understanding Luxury, a new challenge arises from the privilege of access: the need to discern quality products from those lacking.
Discerning Luxury:
Luxury should be a good thing, yet scholarly articles and philosophers will argue against that premise. In the paper Sign values in processes of distinction: The Concept of Luxury By Dimitri Mortelmans we read in regards to Aristotle’s hypothesis:
“Luxury was considered to weaken a society. Aristotle extended the reasoning of Plato, stating that the struggle for luxury leads to an increased pressure on the polis to wage war to fulfill all these extended wants”
The publication goes on to cite a myriad of historical context by which luxury has been opposed, yet also substantiates three necessary elements of Luxury. Those three elements are loosely translated as the following:
“Luxury products are scarce, i.e., they are limited in production and distributed highly selectively.”
The second characteristic of a Luxury Product must be an added value. (Aesthetically, functionally, or in design.)
“A high standard of quality is the last luxury essential. If luxury su¤ers from mediocrity, it is nothing else but a bad imitation, a cheap trick, a false luxury.”
Some scholars will note that a fourth prerequisite of price is required to make a true luxury product. Yet often this is a misconception relating to the signifying value of status that luxury products communicate, in determining Scarcity, Value, and Quality: a true luxury purist should not need to signify status. However we propose a fourth signifier that becomes more relevant in contemporary times: ethics. We believe a luxury product should maintain the utmost quality, be crafted in numbers to maintain that quality, and add value to both the user, supplier, and society at large. The true challenge of a luxury lifestyle, is consistently discerning these traits and supporting brands appropriately. A true luxury brand will display these factors proudly and maintain these standards: leading to the third challenge of a luxury lifestyle.
Maintaining Luxury
Acquiring and discerning are relevant factors when considering luxury products, brands, and lifestyle: yet maintaining a luxury lifestyle is likely the hardest challenge. According to A Wealth of Common Sense:
“Over 70% of those who made the Forbes 400 Richest People list (or their heirs) lost their status in this rarified group between 1982 and 2014.”
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This challenge is equivalent from both brands and consumers alike. While luxury products may create a rush of positive experience, investing in luxury products should also create an longitudinal appreciation in value. The requirements of longevity in luxury lifestyle place heavy responsibility on both the consumer and creator: an artists whose work is not impactful or desired will not gain value (skill, in many instances, is irrelevant).
Similarly, in the realm of all luxury investments: watches, garments, accessories etc, it is necessary to develop these sectors to continually add value. Here are some tips to maintain a luxury lifestyle from a product standpoint:
Mitigate risks: in all things luxury, be weary of celebrity trends and keep watch for timeless experiences or products.
Always add value: never re-sell for less than you purchased, purchase assets that add value, and in all actions ensure you make ethical choices.
Pay attention to the details: for maintenance of all things. Care for your garments consistently and consciously, and care about your investments: especially how they are made and where they come from.
While determining the best course of action is hard, remember it’s okay to make mistakes, and that the future is never written in stone. One of the largest privileges of a luxury lifestyle is the capacity to prioritize joy, and we wish for you to experience it constantly.
Closing Notes:
Life is never easy, it is a process of growth, change, and effort that yields vast possibilities. When considering the execution and privilege of a luxury lifestyle, we hope to never take for granted the opportunities afforded to us while working ceaselessly your ensure them for tomorrow and others. While living a luxury lifestyle may be hard in many ways it is our hope that through perspective, action, and ethics we can make a better tomorrow achievable for many more.
Thank You / Gracias