What is Luxury?
You hear words like "luxurious lifestyle," "extravagant conveniences," and "elite living" all the time these days. From high-end brands promoting their products to ads using the term to grab attention, the word "luxury" is everywhere.
But what does luxury really mean? There's no clear definition. Everyone has their own understanding and perception of it, just like how love and happiness can't be precisely defined.
Time is the Ultimate Luxury
We all have 24 hours in a day, whether you're rich or poor, old or young. After all the successes and failures, you'll likely remember the moments and how you spent your time more than how much money you spent. In today's harsh and unstable world, people value time more, converting it into personal experiences. Time itself is the ultimate luxury.
Why Time Trumps Material Things
Here's an example to visualize it better: you spend a fortune on top-of-the-line skincare products, perhaps La Mer for the prestige. Yet, you only have the time to hastily apply the cream before rushing to bed, as you have to wake up early for work the next day. Without the time to properly enjoy the experience, you can't say you're indulging in luxury. Conversely, with just a reasonably priced jar of cream but plenty of time to massage and relax with a mask to soothing music, you are truly experiencing luxury. This imagery is often portrayed in movies, leading viewers to equate such scenes with a luxurious life.
Luxury is when you have the time to enjoy life as you wish.
Time Over Money
People often say time is money, but luxury doesn't necessarily have to be tied to money. Luxury is not about spending millions on a shirt or shoes to show status. Money can't buy style, so true luxury is... time. Major global luxury brands have been around for over 100 years. This longevity reflects the dedication and passion of those behind them, with all that time allowing them to accumulate experience and offer the finest to their customers.
Luxury is when you showcase understanding and life knowledge that comes from within, not from what you purchase.
Paying for Time and Skill
A luxurious suit or pair of shoes might go through hundreds or even thousands of handcrafted steps to achieve perfection in every tiny detail. Essentially, you're paying for the time of the most skilled artisans, and naturally, it comes at a high price. On your part, you also need to invest time to learn and understand why such items are so expensive. Accumulated knowledge will lead you to experiences few others have. For instance, wearing a cashmere sweater, the soft, warm feeling of the fabric against your skin is completely different from wool. For others, a sweater is just a sweater, but for you, there's always a comparison because you have knowledge. And that knowledge is time, isn't it?
People love to attach value to everything. But only when something becomes priceless does it reach the level of luxury.
The definition of luxury is intriguing through the diverse perspectives of individuals. A friend of mine went to great lengths to acquire a bottle of Dior's Fahrenheit Absolute, a fragrance discontinued since 2014. He was determined to find it because he adored its distinctive oud scent. As a connoisseur, there must be something uniquely compelling about that fragrance that attracts him. For me, I see luxury in how he uses it daily.
People love to attach value to everything. But only when something becomes priceless does it reach the level of luxury. And time is priceless.
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