the luxury list

luxury is hard to define because more often than not, money is not an indication, only a repercussion. the issues of quality, taste, and rarity all feed into its formalization. and of course, that is a large part of its allure. and a collection of items that exemplify luxury speaks to a certain aspect of cultural literacy, a litmus of aesthetic sense, a pulse on the proverbial. and at a time when attention and care to the individual object is rapidly decreasing, the importance of things in general seem to be on the exponential rise. so this list comes at an opportune time to reassess where the archetype of things mass-produced originate. but as this essentially must be a personal interpretation, this is by no means a conclusive list. nor is it ranking the finest of each category. it is basically a smattering of items that have embodied certain ideals of modern culture, without stating the over-obvious or over-saturated. the items listed are from the 19th to 20th century, as anything before become the realm of historical nostalgia and anything after has not withstood the test of time to formulate enough worth. (and although strongly suggested by Don to keep items under $100, this was nearly an impossible feat...)

1. entrée at Davé, Paris
2. one night at the Mercer Hotel, NYC/Chateau Marmont, LA/Hôtel Costes, Paris
3. Diana Vreeland era Harper's Bazaar & Vogue collection
4. Rashômon (1950), Akira Kurosawa
5. The Apple Macintosh (1984)
6. Juicy Salif (1990), Phillipe Starck
7. Moleskine Notebook (1998)
8. Elsa Schiaparelli anything
9. an "It" bag with a designer's name or initial that cannot be visible from a distance of 10 feet or further, nor one with high-knockoff potential/presence
10. vintage jewelry (no costume)
11. ticket stub from Goa, India
12. Veuve Clicquot champagne
13. One ounce jar of La Mer Face cream
14. the classic martini
15. C. Gilson silk bra, panties, chemise and robe set
16. a vintage straight razor
17. the right scent
18. a Helmut Newton print
19. Timor Desk Calendar (1967), Enzo Mari
20. Coco Chanel's cardigan suit
21. makeup by Pat McGrath
22. Christian Louboutin heels
23. Moka pot (1933) from Bialetti
24. The Polaroid Land Camera (1947)
25. Wassily Chair (1925), Marcel Breuer

(special thanks to Mike Lin & John Lee for their insights; also influenced by Nancy MacDonell's "In the Know")