The other day a friend said to me, “I only wear your silk face masks for super special occasions.” She was smiling warmly when she said this; holding a hand to her heart in a sweet pledge of appreciation. I love her deeply and so valued the sentiment - she thinks our masks are too precious to be worn every day! - but something inside me cringed and squealed “No!” because in reality, this goes hard against our company ethos and my own personal philosophy.
I don’t design for special occasions. I design for everyday life.
My friend doesn’t need to wait for a wedding or a garden party to wear one of our masks. I want our customer - my friend! - to have a little piece of luxury to keep her company every day. While walking the dog or packing a lunch or trying to wear all the hats we find ourselves wearing every day. I want her to feel beautiful and cared for while caring for other people.
To me, that’s what luxury’s all about. It makes the mundane bits of life pop. It makes everything just a tad bit brighter.
But that’s me. As I realized that there might be more than one definition of luxury, and that other people, like my friend, might define luxury differently, I became really curious about what luxury means today. Would it be possible that we might be holding on to some idea of it that is no longer relevant?
#Reposting from @verybreezy: https://www.instagram.com/verybreezy/
Remember the nineties? I clearly recall luxury to be unattainable and aspirational. Supermodels and champagne and big baubles. Don’t get me wrong, the 90’s were fun, but luxury back then often was that special item that sat safely in the closet and waited for its big moment. And who doesn’t remember those tragic times when a long cherished piece was finally going to be worn, except it did not fit anymore or had become outdated and looked just wrong.
I’m much more in favor of Coco Chanel’s version of luxury:
“Luxury must be comfortable. Otherwise it is not luxury.”
-- Coco Chanel
I love comfort. I love feeling like what I’m wearing is breathable and silky and cut to move with me. I like knowing I look beautiful without having to check the mirror.
Personally, I’d like to add that I consider versatility a luxury. If I can wear a dress during the day with flip-flops and a denim jacket, and switch those for strappy heels and a blazer to meet a friend for cocktails, then this very dress makes my life easier because it lets me focus on what’s most important to me -- my life.
Fashion rocks, but a dress that is easy to style for day, for errands, for lunch, for cocktails, for travel, and for date night helps keep my closet uncluttered and it saves me valuable time trying to answer the question “What am I going to wear today??”
That’s time that could be spent with my children, having a phone call with my family, or moving my business forward. Call it peace-of-mind or no-brainer dressing, but in its essence and combined with comfort and beautiful design it adds up to true, practical luxury.
Perhaps we need to do a reality check of which camp we’re in versus where we would like to be; and maybe take a deep breath and allow ourselves a little extravagance every day? We all deserve to feel relaxed and beautiful, don’t we? We don’t need a special occasion or an excuse to dress like a queen on a weekday.
That’s what I want for my friend, and that’s what I want for you: to enjoy the lavishness of comfort and beauty. Knowing you deserve it. Each and every day.
P.S.: I’d love to hear from you! Which camp are you in? Has this inspired you to re-think your notion of luxury? Hit the comment button right now and send me your message ❤️
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