Maybe because everyone suddenly seems to be watching Succession, or maybe because Gwyneth Paltrow’s trial happened at about the same time the trend started to get really ubiquitous: but, whatever it is, ‘quiet luxury’ or ‘stealth wealth’ currently has the fashion world in a chokehold. All of a sudden, branded items are tacky, down to your almost $53,000 Patek Philippe or your lesser-priced $2,700+ LV Air Force 1s.

If quiet luxury has always been your thing, it may be unsettling to see everyone and their pet claim to be connoisseurs of the ‘latest fashion trend.’ On the other hand, if it has never been your thing, you may be in a state of FOMO right now, wondering if perhaps it is not time to rethink your fashion choices. Fear not: whatever extreme you’re on, come with us to explore the core of quiet luxury – or, if you prefer, stealth wealth – and see why the hype around this lifestyle is simply that: hype.

A scant history of stealth wealth

With the noise about quiet luxury and everyone offering advice on go-to brands for anyone wanting to jump on the trend, it appears that the concept of understated luxury just started yesterday. But, dig a little further, and you would see that stealth wealth has been around for as long as luxury as a lifestyle exists.

Speaking to the Associated Press, Patricia Mears, deputy director of the Fashion Institute of Technology’s Museum at FIT, explains that uber-rich people choosing not to flash their wealth through what they wear has been in existence since at least the 18^th century.

“You really have to go back to the end of the 18th century. You have the fall of the French monarchy, and then you have this sort of dual rise of industrialization and the rise of urbanization. And so men step into what is called the Great Renunciation,” she said.

“All of this court life goes away, and now you have the real power base being the industrialists. They come in, they build wealth and power, and they’re doing it in a uniform, the dark suit,” Mears stated further. “A lot of scholars have said that this really becomes the respectable uniform if you want to be both powerful and understated.”

Usually, stealth wealth or quiet luxury is a phase that is associated with economic changes. There was the minimalist aesthetic of the 1990s when Donna Karan and Miuccia Prada made practical dressing fashionable, and a show of stealth wealth amid the recession of 2008-09. But unlike most fashion trends, it is one that never really goes away because it has always been more of a lifestyle than it is a fad.

A thousand and one examples abound, but perhaps a really obvious one can be found in yet another popular TV series, Netflix’s Inventing Anna. The protagonist, Anna Delvey (Anna Sorokin), learnt a quick lesson in stealth wealth after she and her metallic ruffled mini dress were dismissed from Alan Reed’s office during her first meeting in his firm. Returning unannounced in a black suit from The Row, grey Chanel tote and thick-framed Celine glasses,  she got his attention and convinced him to vouch for her before possible lenders. Hate or like her, you have to hand it to her: Anna understood the lifestyle of the super-rich, and realised quickly that for this group, fashion is less about trends than it is about how people consciously (or unconsciously) express their views and understanding of wealth.

For other real-life examples, look no further than the fashion choices and lifestyle of multi-billionaires like Jack Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg and even Bill Gates.

Quiet luxury – to be or not to be?

For a great number of people who are already stealth wealth practitioners, this is not even the question.

But, for the rest of us, this is one that we have to absolutely consider, especially if we are keen on fashion and the way we express ourselves through it. Is this fashion fad one to follow? Or is it at least one to explore?

Whatever your decision is at the end of the day, just remember that quiet, timeless luxury is a lifestyle that transcends time and seasons. It would never go out of fashion because if there’s anything the Roys in Succession or Anna Sorokin in Inventing Anna have taught us, it is that there would always be a time, place and season where it is imperative to display your wealth without necessarily putting it on display.

The post Quiet Luxury: What Most People get Wrong about the Latest Fashion Trend first appeared on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

The post Quiet Luxury: What Most People get Wrong about the Latest Fashion Trend appeared first on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

Until it’s time to leave the hospital and you realise those kind nurses are not going to follow you home. Even if your hospital stay was not the best of experiences, suddenly having to deal with a newborn can be an overwhelming experience for mothers. Granted, in some cultures like what obtains here in Africa, it is expected that a member of the family, usually the grandmother, comes over to stay for at least a month to help the new mum adapt. But, times are changing, and even with the support of family members, adjusting to life post-birth can quickly become stressful for new parents.

Luxury retreats for new mums want to help solve this challenge, and they are on the rise.

The idea for luxury retreats for new mums has its origins in postpartum confinement practices in Asia, which can be traced as far back as 960 AD. It is based on the fact that childbirth, though beautiful, can be difficult, and coming home to guests who would have to be entertained, as well as chores and sometimes older children, while adjusting to the demands of a newborn can be too much for mummy. So, a ‘middle home’, which eases parents gently into their new role – whether or not they’ve had children before – is the best solution for everyone.

In South Korea, this post-natal retreat concept is called Sanhujori and is typically offered at choriwons (postpartum care clinics).

Singapore, nearly 5000km away, offers the same kind of services, but in a completely different way. Instead of postpartum clinics, they have luxury postpartum retreats. These five-star-like hotels for new mums come with all the bells and whistles, including spacious, fully-fitted rooms with perks such as 600-thread-count sheets for deep, comfortable sleep; aesthetic clinics for rejuvenating facials; in-house physiotherapy centres to help soothe aching muscles and help new mums get their bodies back to shape; spas that offer weekly postnatal massages and yoga classes. There are also salons that help fix mum’s hair, chauffeur services to take her and baby to the hospital for checkups, herbal baths to promote healing and dining services that offer foods tailored to deeply nourish mom and baby, and help to heal the latter.

In-house nannies and general nurseries are on hand to help take care of the baby when she wants to rest solo. Dads are welcome, and so are family members/other visitors, although the latter are usually not allowed to stay overnight.

The concept is beginning to catch on outside Asia.

The Boram Postnatal Retreat at the Langham Hotel in Manhattan, New York offers the same services as the Singaporean luxury retreats for new mums. There is a nursery run by employees with backgrounds in infant care, a mother’s lounge where moms can attend seminars organised by paediatricians, physical therapists and mental health specialists on everything from pelvic floor therapy to curing insomnia. Messages and sitz baths are offered to mums to help with swelling and soreness, while a robust menu, “prepared by an award-winning chef” ensures the new mothers have all the nutrients they need at this stage.

At $900 per night (the Singaporean Luxury retreats on average cost less at roughly $770 per night) the facility does not come cheap. But those who have used them swear that they are the best thing that happened to them after childbirth. And while it has not become commonplace outside Asia, the fact that non-Asian postnatal facilities like the Boram require bookings well in advance is a good indication that it is simply a matter of time.

The post Luxury Retreats for New Mums is a Thing. And it is probably coming to a Location Close to You first appeared on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

The post Luxury Retreats for New Mums is a Thing. And it is probably coming to a Location Close to You appeared first on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

For help, we turned to Sotheby’s, a clear authority in this field. The auction house recently concluded the sale of a handbag-themed collection dubbed The Art of Collecting Handbags: The Visionary Collection of Joseph Lau. The sale, which is the first of a two-part auction, featured a total of 77 handbags ranging from a limited-edition bronze chèvre metallic Kelly 25 Sellier priced at 400,000 – 600,000 HKD, to a Birkin 25 in shiny porosus crocodile with 18k white gold and diamond hardware priced at 1-2 million HKD. There are also other Hermès handbags like a geranium matte-coloured Jypsiere 28 with palladium hardware and a mini Constance 18 in porosus crocodile with gold hardware.

How does one build such an impressive line-up of highly sought-after, collectable and desirable handbags? Well, here are some ideas based on this first sale

Determine exactly what type of bags you want to collect

Are you looking to collect handbags? Travel bags? Bags made with a certain type of material? Bags from a particular brand only or leather bags across different luxury brands?

As with everything, finding a niche helps you to make better-informed decisions on what exactly you want to collect, and what to ignore. The more specific your collection is, the easier it is to become an expert in it.

Once you have settled on the type of bag you want, it is time to

Clearly define your ‘why’

Why exactly do want to start collecting bags? Do you wish to pass them down to the next generation? Or it is a passion you’re hoping to turn into a business someday? Are you collecting as an investment, or you’re collecting just simply because?

Having a clearly-defined ‘why’ guides you in every decision you make at every step of your collecting journey.

Now you’ve gotten that out of the way, you may want to

Build a theme

A theme is, in simple terms, the recurrent idea.

In the case of Joseph Lau’s collection, the apparent recurring theme is rare Hermès handbags. Whether it was bags designed by Jean-Paul Gaultier when he was creative director from 2004 to 2010, or rare vintage pieces like the 1997 rose bonbon mini Kelly 20, a majority of the handbags are from the House of Hermès.

Your theme at some point could be ‘ultra rare Chanel bags.’ At another, ‘handbags designed by xxx designer.’ You can however decide to skip this and just choose a niche you’re comfortable with.

Have a budget

Building a theme or finding a niche, all these are important. But without a budget, your collection might die before it even takes off.

Determine exactly how much you’re willing to spend per purchase, then

Research each bag thoroughly

Even if this is simply a passion, you want to be sure that whatever bag you are adding to your collection can retain its value while remaining a fashionable vintage item for years to come.

You really do not want to be stuck with a once-trending, pricey relic that would look out of place in the future.

Know everything that there is to know on storage and preservation

Your collection would only be useful for years to come if it is stored properly. Learn all the important ways to take care of, and properly store all the bags in your collection so that they remain truly immortal.

The post A Sotheby’s-Inspired Guide to Collecting Luxury Bags first appeared on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

The post A Sotheby’s-Inspired Guide to Collecting Luxury Bags appeared first on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

May 2022 grant us all the best of life and its blessings!

You might be right to say that it’s too late in the year for new year greetings, but then again…just one more from a brand you love should not be too much, right?

2021 was definitely an interesting year! We all went into it with boundless expectations and tonnes of enthusiasm. Maybe it was because we were all grateful to be alive having escaped mortality from Covid 19, or was it because we all had a renewed awareness of what was truly important in life and therefore had more zeal for life and living?

Whatever it was for you, it was especially interesting for us at ASPIRE. We worked with great brands who were all committed to delivering the best customer experiences while the luxury industry in Africa and across the world began to pick up with amazing campaigns, and as always we featured some pretty cool people from all walks of life.

Opening up our top stories for 2021 was one of the brands that made our list of beautiful, thoughtful gifts for Valentine’s – The Orishiriri Cookbook by Tola Akerele, a rich compilation of Nigerian dishes and recipes that is a sure lifesaver on days when you are not sure of what to prepare.

We followed this special feature with the ASPIRE Ones to Watch for the year. We don’t believe you missed it, but in case you did, just click on the link to find out who made the cut.

PS: We are planning something extra special for Valentine’s this year, so make sure you’re subscribed to our newsletter and are following our social media handles to be in the loop!

March

Next up was our compilation of 12 Dubai attractions that were slated to launch last year. Still undecided on where to vacation with the family this year? The article may provide useful recommendations.

April

Counterfeiting of luxury goods has always been a problem, which is why the news that LVMH, Cartier and Prada had joined forces on Blockchain to fight this practice was another top story for 2021.

And days later, we published our first book review of the year. The book in question? Bringing up Race by Uju Asika.

June

Our top story for June was Bentley’s announcement that it had teamed up with Lifescore to introduce an adaptive music feature in its electric vehicles. The first Bentley EV is scheduled to come out in 2025, and if you’ve ever wanted to own one, now is a good time to start working towards it.

July

Nigerian-born Bunmi Agusto had her first solo exhibition in July, and we had a sit-down with her to discuss her journey into the world of art as well as the exhibition.

September

September’s top stories started with an expose on Winston leather, a Nigerian leather and fashion accessories brand that has its eyes on global domination.

It was followed by the findings of a luxury investment report from Knight Frank on the most valuable alternative luxury assets for the year (Hint: it isn’t what you think!) and ended with Veuve Cliquot’s Bold Conversations that held for the first time in Lagos. Although the discussions centred around the female gender, the lessons gleaned are useful for anyone navigating the corporate world today.

October

Another of our art exhibition spotlights, Framing Her exhibition by GAIA Africa in partnership with Aworanka made its debut.  We also reported on a new type of luxury vacation, one that combines education with adventure.

October was also the month that saw our Editor in Chief, Bella Ikeme, make the Most Influential People of Africa MIPAD Global Top 100 Under 40 class of 2021 list. The honour was in recognition of all her work with ASPIRE to promote African and African inspired brands within continent and around the world. We invite you to go back to the article to read all about it.

November

November’s first top story was our review on the Beauty West Africa exhibition, an event that unites beauty brands from all over the African continent and the world in one space.

Sadly, we lost legendary fashion designer and polymath, Virgil Abloh, this month. One of his last known collaborations, Project MAYBACH with Mercedes Benz, was our second top story for November.

December

Closing our top stories for 2021 rather nicely was the Patek Phillipe Nautilus Ref 5711 for Tiffany&Co. Wonder what is so special about this unique, ultra-limited-edition timepiece? For the last time, we invite you to click on the link in case you missed the story.

So you see, we had some really good times and brought you some really great content.

On behalf of ASPIRE, I would like to say a big THANK YOU! to our team, content creators and contributors, partners and collaborators, clients and YOU!

We appreciate your continued interest in all that we have to offer, and for finding our content valuable and relevant. We have so much more planned for you all in 2022…we are going to make some magic!

ASPIRE is fired up to feature even more amazing content, organise thought-provoking industry events, and bring you insights and stories from all the people and luxury brands that you know and those that you should!

Have a great 2022!

xoxo

Bella Ikeme

Editor in Chief

ASPIRE Luxury Magazine 

The post From the Editor: The Best of ASPIRE in 2021 first appeared on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

The post From the Editor: The Best of ASPIRE in 2021 appeared first on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

History

La Samaritaine was founded in 1870 by Ernest Cognacq and Marie-Louise Jay as a revolutionary concept of making consumer goods, including fineries, more accessible to the larger population.

In 2001, LVMH acquired a 55% stake in the store and raised it to 100% in 2010, 5 years after the store was forced to close for safety reasons.

16 years and €750 million in renovation later, LVMH is betting that even with a pandemic that has accelerated e-commerce and raised it above in-store shopping, La Samaritaine will be the beloved department store of not just tourists, but Parisians as well.

“It’s important for us that Parisians come back to this place that is so special to them, that they first come out of curiosity and return because they find the experience amazing. This is also what will make the tourists come [to] an iconic and authentic place where Parisians go,” explains Eléonore de Boysson, president of DFS, Europe and the Middle East.

DFS is also LVMH-owned and is the travel retailer entrusted with operating the 20,000-square-metre retail space.

What to expect at the newly-opened La Samaritaine

The department store features 650 luxury brands in fashion, accessories, beauty, jewellery and watches, 12 restaurant concepts and an adjacent luxury hotel Cheval Blanc Paris, which opens on 7 September. A Parisian outpost of LVMH-owned Caffè Cova is opening across the street on 15 July. The site also includes social housing, offices and a daycare centre.

“It was important to make a store that would be differentiating, given the competitive environment in Paris, so we conceived it as a place for living and strolling,” says de Boysson.

Van Cleef & Arpels is one of the brands at La Samaritaine, and so also is Loulou, a gift boutique store. Then there is an eclectic mix of fashion and food scattered across, including Street Caviar, which combines street food and caviar, conceived by Maison Prunier, and Dînette, conceived by Dalloyau, which offers snacks in dollhouse format on the women’s fashion floor. L’Exclusive, yet another restaurant concept, offers pastries on the beauty floor.

Of course, you can expect to see epicurean brands under the LVMH umbrella at La Samaritaine, although it would not be business as usual at their shops. For example, you can get a personalised Arrow Box from Veuve Clicquot or include your initials on Hennessy’s leather decanter. This is intended to encourage tourists to buy in-store rather than at the airport duty-free.

Visitors can also expect to enjoy special experiences at La Samaritaine. They might include a guided visit of the building with an art historian, a meeting with the artisan who restored the gilding under the Art Nouveau glass roof or signing up for champagne tasting in the cellars of the LVMH champagne houses. “We’ll be experience agents,” says De Boysson.

Cheval Blanc, Paris

With all of these experiences and activities expected to take place at the department store, it is evident that a one-day trip will be grossly inadequate to fully appreciate the La Samaritaine experience.

Which is why the store will include the luxury hotel Cheval Blanc Paris just adjacent. Consisting of 72 rooms and suites with a 1,000-square-metre suite on the top floor; a 30-metre pool; a spa in collaboration with Dior and four restaurants – Le Tour Paris, Langosteria and Plénitude plus a coffee shop, Cheval Blanc is just the right place to relax and unwind after a long day of hard shopping and sight-seeing.

The hotel also has a secret elevator that connects hotel guests directly with the department store. For the ultimate luxury experience, Cheval Blanc guests can book personal shoppers to transform their suites into fitting rooms – an extra-special perk that should appeal to the wealthiest of visitors to Paris.

The post After a 16-Year Renovation, LVMH Opens La Samaritaine, a Parisienne Attraction first appeared on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

The post After a 16-Year Renovation, LVMH Opens La Samaritaine, a Parisienne Attraction appeared first on Aspire Luxury Magazine.