2009 luxury

On to every brand professional’s favorite topic (or so it seems at times): The Future of Luxury. How will luxury brands fare in 2009? What will define luxury over the next few years? The answer to a large degree is, ‘luxury will be whatever you want it to be’. After all, what constitutes luxury is closely related to what constitutes scarcity. And while scarcity in traditional consumer societies was for decades defined by the biggest, the best, and the most expensive 'items', the consumer arena in 2009 shows a bewildering number of 'scarcities', some of them invented purely to overcome the abundance now found in traditional sectors. More than ever, scarcity is in the eye of the beholder, especially those beholders who are desperately trying to be unique.

So in 2009, instead of worrying about missing out on the next big thing in luxury, focus on defining it. Declare that the end is nigh for anything that’s getting a little too affordable, too accessible, or just too well-known. Then introduce something very different (if not the opposite), appealing to the in-crowds ready to jump ship anyway. Two fun and very 'now' examples from the hospitality industry:

* Named after the ‘rough luxury’ trend that was coined by the hotel’s owner, Rabih Age, Rough Luxe is a new London hotel with small, funky rooms, some of which share a bathroom, while also offering fine wines, plush bedlinen, carefully curated art, and top-notch personal service. From their site: “Rough Luxe is a new way of looking at luxury as part of time and not only part of an object of consumption. Luxury is an enriching personal experience and not only an ownership or consumption of an expensive object. Therefore, the Rough Luxe definition of luxury is: time for reflection, personal encounters with people, nature, architecture and environment as well as food and social and cultural experiences linked to geographic locations.”
* Along the same lines, though a little bit more ‘Deluxe Bohemian’ than ‘Rough’, is the soon-to-be-opened Ace Hotel New York. Its ‘resourceful rehab’ approach will include (re-upholstered) furniture from salvage shops and flea markets.

Want something to play with? How about DISCREET-CHIC? RECESSION-CHIC? FRUGALITY-CHIC? UNDERSTATED-CHIC? Or anything that's commissioned? Access? Secrets? Stories? Time with one's loved ones? Time for oneself? All things local? Peace and quiet, if not escape? Eco-friendly? Human-friendly? Caring? Empathy? PERKONOMICS? Craft? Friends? Having a larger-than-life perspective? Households of six or more? Eccentricity? Appointment-only? Opinionated? PREMIUMIZATION? Fuck You Money? Philanthropy? Bespoke? Knowledge? Skills? Health? Etiquette? Or a mix of any of these?

Whatever angle you may go for, luxury in 2009 will comprise much, much more than ostentatiously flaunting wealth (which, by the way, will still enjoy considerable popularity among emerging middle classes around the world). Find the right (status) trigger for the right audience, then coin it and build on it. This one is all yours. Downturn or upturn.

>THE MACHO OFF ROADER CONCEPT

The Oltre Fiat is a massive - its nearly five metres long and over two metres tall with a two tonne payload - go absolutely anywhere, anytime vehicle features what the Italians call "exuberant styling" and what anyone on the West Coast of the USA would call serious Bling - one of the evidence of new macho. a recently new targeting positioning for the men's market. One of the similar example is the Hummer.

This is almost against my proof in the New Macho of our era. To recap, my new macho is almost showing off but not telling, not loud and not too homosexual but same time not afraid to be doubt on their sexuality as a homo or straight - they are comfortable of who they are. there is a hidden luxury in men's style. while in this example is another scene of showing off the typical masculinity of men. A bigger than life masculinity. however, there is something in common of my creation, is the combination of such and a hidden luxury. as in the box of my necklaces, it's a bigger than life design while the diamond necklace which supposed to wear at front side back, is a way of a whisper of ownership.

Testing with the Editors

Hong Kong meeting Editors - not for my brand but understanding what they think.

below are the Magazine Line up:-
Elle magazine
Amy magazine
Cosmopolitan (trying to arrange it still)
Jessica
Men Uno

Planning for Testing

trying to set up different way to test my market. at different location, different presentation, and different atmosphere - to test if people percieve luxurious design different given it's the same design.

planning in actions. am in London now but will head to HK to do the first one.

> Applied for Fast Track

Did some reasearch on what events/elements/function/program can help on my research and discovery/testing of my artifact, I found few of them, one quite interesting one is the Jewelry Award School by Camden ,another one is Fast Track Program by Innovation Centre. I applied to both, but am more incline to the latter one. It's an intensive program run over 2-3 months time from mid Jan2008 which gives personal and professional development for creative business. In my interpretation, it's a incubation program for creative individuals who is thinking, anaylzing, researching or even continuing their own creative ventures. am interested.

> MY THANK YOU

I WOULD LOVE TO EXTEND MY GRATITUDE TO PEOPLE BELOW FOR INSPIRATIONS, CREATIVE INPUT, COLLABORATIONS AND SUPPORT,

PAUL COLBECK, CSM TUTOR
FUNG LI, ART DIRECTOR, LEO BURNETT HK
KWANG SU KIM, GRAPHIC/WEB DESIGNER
GIANDANIELE ASQUINI, INDUSTRIAL DESIGNER
DANNY ROOSTY WOOLSTON, FREELANCE COPYWRITER
MY FAMILY- HM LAM, HELEN CHEUNG, RITA LAM
HANS CHOI, JEWELER
VICTORIA JOHNSTON, ACTRESS
LARENT TEK
EDWIN LIU
NANCY LEUNG
KELVIN LAM
DANIEL YUSUP
FERGAL NOLAN
STELLA CHAN
SANDY WONG
MARCEL FUNG
MIKE WALSH
JOYCE KWOK

> MADS FINAL SYNOPSIS

“Ah. Luxury.”

"When will men stop and think of luxury on the neckline?"

What leads to a change of taste? When will men decided to trade up? And, what is the definition of the always-changing idea of luxury that we all aspire?

Noticing the missing of luxurious jewelry on men’s necklines, the fact that they are mostly shy about showing off – a prosperity denial mentality and dislike to be related to ideas they despise, e.g. heals; makeup, diamonds, etc., I drew a mid-way conclusion as well as an assumption, “Men may like to have luxury on their necklines but are not able to embrace the idea itself”.

Carole Forêt - a luxurious necklace label for men using diamond and gold/platinum - a “high resistance” category- was created intentionally to challenge and explore “what is luxury”, “at what point men will stop and trade up to the luxurious platform”.

By first created 2 different sets of name cards, I challenged a new concept of luxury. Feedbacks from tests confirmed that luxury extended further than the product itself but a higher personal aspiration of being alive. Based on this, prototypes of necklaces, packaging and most importantly a presentation, which goes against today’s store concept and ecommerce - private viewing sessions on an intimate one on one basis were developed as my final artifact.

From the results of my final testing, I believe today, in the homogenization leading to disintegrating identities, in the disconnections through digital space in which we are losing the sense of life, men secretly return to a desire of themselves. Luxury, brings back values, dimensions of ourselves and the simple basic feeling of being alive with senses wild open. It is an intimate, sophisticated, hidden pleasure one has been chasing. It chases other than what is disclosed, get out of the fiction of what most people define it. It is the certainty of the experience’s uniqueness, perhaps it is the voice telling never-heard stories, it is the perfume we never experienced, it is the connections that penetrate the pureness of beings, It’s the engagement of the non repetitive. It is never a surplus, it is the rare thing.

While men don't like to be related to things they don't feel home, re-engaging men to a different environment possibly breaks the stubbornness of their rooted habitual perception of such item and they are happy to take on a new angle in their way.

Carefully control the way in communicating luxury through design which provides the awareness of deserving and self-definition, it allows design to act as a medium to connect men to their aspiration, an opportunity to reconstruct oneself by “acquiring meanings”. It doesn’t have to be confined by visual/store display; it can go further as in experience uniqueness. At this point then, will be a huge step closer to have them stop and desire such medium, despite their habitual behaviors, beliefs and mentalities are still considered quite a resistance to a change of taste.

> TO CHANGE THIER TASTE

While men don't like to be related to things they don't feel home, re-engaging men to a different environment possibly breaks the stubbornness of their rooted habitual perception of the item and they are happy to take on a new angle in their way.

Carefully control the way in communicating luxury through design which provides the awareness of deserving and self-definition, it allows design to act as a medium to connect men to their aspiration, an opportunity to reconstruct oneself by “acquiring meanings”. e.g. I believe strongly, in some designs, by not showing the product to viewer at the first contact but provide a "feeling/meaning" to the brand/product will have a more powerful desire than showing designs at the first place.

Way of such communication NEED NOT BE confined by visual/store display nor limited by Ecommerce; it can go further as in experience with human interaction that such total experience construct a new connection between the product and the audience effortlessly, ephemerally . At this point then, will be a huge step closer to have men stop and desire such medium, despite their habitual behaviors, beliefs and mentalities are still considered quite a resistance to a change of taste.

> DESIRE DESIRES DESIRE

I believe today, in the homogenization leading to disintegrating identities, in the disconnections through digital space in which we are losing the sense of life, men secretly return to a desire of themselves. Luxury, brings back values, dimensions of ourselves and the simple basic feeling of being alive with senses wild open. It is a desire of having the feeling at the right place on a conscious ground. It is an intimate, sophisticated, hidden pleasure one has been chasing. It chases other than what is disclosed, get out of the fiction of what most people define it. It is the certainty of the experience’s uniqueness, perhaps it is the voice telling never-heard stories, it is the perfume we never experienced, it is the connections that penetrate the pureness of beings, It’s the engagement of the non repetitive. It is never a surplus, it is the rare thing. It is the spiritual and inspirational.

> SOMETHING DANGEROUS

decided exhibition will be using this method.

it's risky, as most of us (MADS) are showing everything, the work, the result, video, graphics and the end product, while I am not showing anything. but such idea is to pin point what's luxury is the about and with this, men may stop and think of luxury and lead to change of taste:

exclusivity
chasing the rare
private human 1 on 1 experience
to acquire time, engaged with someone willing to spend time
a connection that we may be loosing
and the extension of the product to aspiration (so by not showing it, tells the key is not the product itself)

and I think this is fun , like a joke, that someone is expecting to see something in an expo but you see nothing.

either viewer in exhibition either get it or don't

I just feel like this is what I'd like to do. as in Oscar Wilde said, "An idea that is not dangerous is unworthy of being called an idea at all. "

> LOGO ON BOXES

> i, I, II PROTOTYPE - IT'S ALL GOOD

revised prototype received from jeweler finally. i, I, II.
things look OK, diamonds are now constructed in a vertical alignment now which gives masculinity
serial number and all engraved well.

> BOXES RECIEVED

black glossy box - very beautifully made, magnet, velvet cushion, black on black printing, exactly what I want. except, the holding of necklace is too wide.

white glossy box - so beautiful. however, may leave to later use. too gay, less assurance and less detached to the preconception of necklace. Need to break the habitual thoughts of necklace-gay relations

leather box - beautiful leather but need fine adjustment. will work on it.

asked around, tested : men picked leather, women, picked glossy black more in glossy white.

> WATCHED A FILM ABOUT ME, ME AND ME

a fascinating inspiriting film. about how some think and want in life these days. about being lost, disconnection and loneliness , about struggling with desire.
ABSOLUTELY FUNNY.

> THE DROWNING PIG

From "Who I Am and What I want" one scene quoted
"Before I die, there are still something I want, I've been so far a stranger of responsibilities, but I like to change that"

-> this attitude shows men's desire to give, to do some good, to help the pig while they didn't, only standing there, laughing at the drowning pig
->"to be responsible" = "what I want" "men's aspiration". This to me, is actually acting out of "selflessness" too, but this selfishness of giving, to help, give pleasure to one's self definition; in a way, that can be interpreted as "selfishly fulfilling ourself by helping others." compassion out of selfishness. well.. but who cares, as long as it helps whom suffer.

-----> Anti Slavery act injected into Carole Foret(or other charity act) can act as mean to such self aspiration while the end result is to help the less fortunate. I LIKE THIS IDEA.

and very importantly, I BELIEVE IN HUMANITY, COMPASSION AND LOVE IN BEINGS, ANY BEINGS, including stairs, sand and water. I like to share such mind

> CARD PRINT OUT - BUT WITH PROBLEMS

color of 2 design are off and need to be reprinted. sending DHL of the 3 good ones to London and reprint the 2. so 2 will be missing.. not good but at least a few for exhibition.

>TESTING, PRIVATE VIEWING III

profile and feedbacks as follow:

profession: a couple. entrepreneur(male) work in bank (female)
age:30 (male), 33 (female)
location: at cocoon
date and time: 11 Nov 07, 7 pm
duration of meeting: 20 mins
habits on necklace usage, budget: never wear necklace
other accessories they own: cuff links and family ring
feedback: very interested. guy especially like the cross.
2 days later: girl bought the cross (II) secretly as Xmas gift for the boyfriend.

> WWW.CAROLEFORET.CO.UK - PRELUDE

Been trying to work with Kwang Su Kim from CSM on site, but haven't been delivered except this, but this is a movie clip did on south ken
idea : awaiting, flying ribbon as in freedom and time.

waiting for further work done.

> TO GIVE - ANTI SLAVERY

have been looking for a few non profit charity organizations that I may like to donate part of the profit from Carole Foret to. company that have been contacting and understanding further is : ActionAid, Anti Slavery international, Whitebread etc.

2 motives:
1. personal reason: I care, and there are people out there not doing very well. to give another channel for people to donate.

2. we all living one small world, compassion is important. at least raising awareness of it is a start. having luxurious possession doesn't contradict in being compassionate and giving hand to the needed. they are not mutually exclusive as some may argue.

finally confirm Anti slavery is the one I'd like to work with as I care alot about Child labor esp in China and Trafficking. confirmed by the Charity that I can use the logo and help promoting.

> THE ESSENTIAL DALAI LAMA

AM READING THIS BOOK ...