Dark times for all of us in the luxury brand world.
Let’s look at what Christian Dior said when he debuted his “New Look” in the aftermath of WWII.
He was criticised as being unpatriotic for opening a luxury label in Paris during such bad times.
But he defended a personal sense of luxury as follows:
“In a time as dark as our own, where luxury consists of guns and airplanes, our sense of luxury must be defended at all costs,” he wrote.
“I believe that in it there’s something essential. Everything that goes beyond the simple fact of food, clothing and shelter is luxury; the civilisation we defend is luxury.”
(Christian Dior. Still fashionable after all these years)
In other words: Luxury - with all the aspiration, ambivalence, and envy we feel for it - isn’t just a bug of society. It’s a feature, fundamental to what makes us human.
Which is what the great philosophers said about luxury in Part 1 of this mini series: "What's the Point of Luxury". You can read our further reflections in this mini series in part 3 here: What Makes a Luxury Brand?
Socrates, Plato and Dior.
Keepers of the faith, all.
About Anew
Anew are brand development and marketing specialists for ambitious businesses of excellence. We help companies increase brand profitability through sharper insights, distinctive propositions, creative ideas and faultless execution. We are particularly adept at working directly with luxury brands, business owners, start-ups and entrepreneurs who are committed to sustainability, outstanding quality and craft.
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