That Luxus

FROM LATIN LUXUS, meaning extravagance or excess, do we derive the word luxury. A concept we're all very much familiar with and yet its meaning never fails to evolve and devolve, depending on whose point of view we see it from.

Helena Carratalá Mander couldn't stress to us more when we met how she intended to redefine luxury by pairing it with responsibility. Can luxurious indeed do away with wastefulness? Give it to the artist to practice her preaching, serving us fine worldly feasts prepared only with local ingredients. After all, how much energy is consumed importing stuff from Europe?

Still hungover on yesterday's film post, I quote New York Times legend Bill Cunningham on what is truly priceless in this world: "Money is the cheapest thing. Liberty, freedom is the most expensive." True enough, the photographer beloved by fashion and society's crème de la crème chooses to live as humbly as his two-dollar breakfasts and taped-up ponchos would allow him.

Reverting to luxury as extravagance and excess, wouldn't freedom, liberty and creativity, too, count as luxuries that those who possess them indulge in? To say what you want, to do what you want, just because you can. At what point do non-material luxuries truly become excess?

Pictured above are two luxury items I wish to possess at this point in time. Interesting to know how despite being worlds away in cost, the two would provide me similar, if not the same amount of pleasure. I will buy neither of them though as money isn't my luxury. At the moment, it's time.

What's yours?

Valentino clutch, www.style.com/accessories and Piranesi by Luigi Ficacci, www.taschen.com