Luxury, a term once reserved for opulent possessions and exclusive experiences, has become a mere commodity. Demna Gvasalia, the enfant terrible of Balenciaga, is leading the charge with his latest "luxury" collection, featuring items that are more laughable than luxurious.
A £1,590 hoodie emblazoned with the word itself? A £425 baseball cap with scuffed edges? It's hard not to chuckle at Gvasalia's audacity. Is this a joke, or is it just plain obscene? Perhaps it's a bit of both. The line between irony and absurdity has blurred, leaving us questioning what luxury truly means.
In the past, luxury was synonymous with exclusivity and craftsmanship. Brands like Gucci and Hermès took pride in their attention to detail and rare materials. Now, anyone can slap a "luxury" label on anything and sell it for top dollar. It's a watered-down version of the original concept, where the meaning has been diluted by commercialism.
Demna himself acknowledges that luxury is a shape-shifter, with no clear definition. It's like trying to pin down a slippery fish – the more you try to grasp it, the more it slips away. Perhaps this is what Demna is getting at. Quiet luxury, once a thing, has given way to conspicuous consumption. We're embracing the flashy and the gaudy, rather than the understated and elegant.
It's enough to say that people understand luxury differently now. The meaning has shifted, and it's no longer about substance over style. It's about making a statement, about showing off one's wealth and status. Luxury has become a badge of honor, a way to signal to others that you've arrived.
As Dr John Armitage puts it, "The thing about luxury is that its meaning is constantly changing." Perhaps this is the problem. We're too focused on redefining luxury rather than preserving its essence. The core meaning of luxury has been lost in translation, and it's up to us to rediscover what makes something truly luxurious.
For now, Demna's "luxury" collection will continue to spark debate and amusement. Whether you find it funny or obscene is beside the point. The question remains: what does luxury truly mean in this era of fast fashion and Instagram influencers?
A £1,590 hoodie emblazoned with the word itself? A £425 baseball cap with scuffed edges? It's hard not to chuckle at Gvasalia's audacity. Is this a joke, or is it just plain obscene? Perhaps it's a bit of both. The line between irony and absurdity has blurred, leaving us questioning what luxury truly means.
In the past, luxury was synonymous with exclusivity and craftsmanship. Brands like Gucci and Hermès took pride in their attention to detail and rare materials. Now, anyone can slap a "luxury" label on anything and sell it for top dollar. It's a watered-down version of the original concept, where the meaning has been diluted by commercialism.
Demna himself acknowledges that luxury is a shape-shifter, with no clear definition. It's like trying to pin down a slippery fish – the more you try to grasp it, the more it slips away. Perhaps this is what Demna is getting at. Quiet luxury, once a thing, has given way to conspicuous consumption. We're embracing the flashy and the gaudy, rather than the understated and elegant.
It's enough to say that people understand luxury differently now. The meaning has shifted, and it's no longer about substance over style. It's about making a statement, about showing off one's wealth and status. Luxury has become a badge of honor, a way to signal to others that you've arrived.
As Dr John Armitage puts it, "The thing about luxury is that its meaning is constantly changing." Perhaps this is the problem. We're too focused on redefining luxury rather than preserving its essence. The core meaning of luxury has been lost in translation, and it's up to us to rediscover what makes something truly luxurious.
For now, Demna's "luxury" collection will continue to spark debate and amusement. Whether you find it funny or obscene is beside the point. The question remains: what does luxury truly mean in this era of fast fashion and Instagram influencers?
, from enfant terrible to just plain crazy 
. Who thought a £1,590 hoodie with "luxury" written on it was a good idea? That's not luxury, that's just lazy 
. Luxury is supposed to be about exclusivity and craftsmanship, not some dude slapping a label on whatever mediocre stuff he can find 
.
. It's just a buzzword now, slapped on anything that's trendy and Instagrammable 
. I mean, what's next? A £500 avocado toast with "artisanal" written on it? Give me a break 
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. Luxury used to be about feeling special, not about making a showy display of your wealth 
. Now it's all about keeping up with the Joneses and showing off your designer gear 
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. That's what luxury is supposed to be about 
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. We need to find that balance again 
. Anyway, Demna's trying to say that luxury is whatever the consumer wants it to be, but what about when we all want the same basic designer thing 
. Can't we just have some real luxury back? 
that just says "luxury" on it?? its like he took a look at the definition of luxury and said "nah idc" lol. and dont even get me started on the baseball cap 
. Now it's all about slap-on labels and making a quick buck 
.
. and yeah the term has been watered down so much now anyone can slap a label on anything & make a profit 
. like what happened to quiet, understated elegance? 
, its like when u wear something and ur friends are all like "nice" but then they dont know u 
. But at what cost? Have we sacrificed depth for breadth? 