luxe loves and lusts

In a consumer marketplace driven by marketing and the creation of strong demand, it can be easily confused what is "luxury" and not so much.  There's nothing "couture" about Juicy Couture.  There's nothing "super" or "premium" about Abercrombie & Fitch.

"Luxury" is defined by a multitude of characteristics.  Quality of materials.  Durability, integrity in construction.  Time and resources required for construction, creation.  Exclusivity and distribution.  Function and convenience. All of the aforementioned characteristics need not be present for something to be considered "luxe". 

Some luxe items I'm loving and lusting, in no particular order:

-- Never run out of juice again, let alone pay for that juice. HYmini is a handheld, universal charger/adapter device that harnesses renewable wind power / solar power and conventional wall plug power to recharge almost all your 5V digital gadgets.  HYmini is a hybrid mini green power station that fits in the palm of your hand. Perfect for the iPhone, iPad, Blackberry, or anything else you could charge in the car. 

How it works:

As with a hybrid automobile, more than one power source is used to collect energy.
HYmini stores energy collected from a wall plug, renewable DC input, wind and sun.

The energy stored in its internal battery can be used to recharge your cell phone, MP3 player, iPod®, PDA, digital camera or other 5V devices

• • Choose your power source including Built-in supplemental wind powered generator
    
  • Universal adaptability for mobile devices
  • Wireless charging with wind and sun
  • No need to carry extra power source 1200mAh lithium-ion polymer rechargeable battery
  • No additional software required.
  • Lightweight / handheld / compact green portable power bank
  
  
  
  
  -- Secret Supper at Southport Grocery, Chicago.  Lisa Santos, owner/chef of Southport Grocery, loves food.  And she doesn't just love food, she knows food.  Part grocery emporium, part cafe, SoPo Grocery hosts a monthly secret supper, an underground dinner, if you will.  Each month, seasonal selections are dreamed up, served alongside an eclectic mix of food lovers and fun folks, right in the middle of the place.  If you're heading to Chicago, or live in the Windy City, you must share the secret.
  
  -- skin care.  You don't have to spend a fortune to get great skin.  Focus on ingredients that are right for your skin, and you can't go wrong.  Here are some thing I especially love:
  
  
  
  • Origin's A Perfect World
    US$28.50 - 1.4 oz / 40 mL
    UV Face Protector with White Tea
    This lightweight, hydrating protective serum with White Tea plus Maritime Pine and powerful UVA/UVB sunscreens helps perfect and protect skin from environmental damage to delay visible signs of aging.
    •   features powerful silver tipped white tea, Shea butter, Mimosa
    • vitamin and antioxidant packed
    • protects the skin from stress, pollution, and fatigue
    • gives a youthful, healthy, and radiant glow
       
  • Murad's Essential-C Face Cleanser
    US$36 / 6.75 fl oz.
    This featherlight cleanser neutralized environmental aggressors, restores moisture, and prepares skin for repair.  Removes impurities and potential irritants. Binds moisture to skin.
  • Antioxidant Vitamins A, C and E neutralize free radicals and other environmental aggressors while Phospholipids bind moisture to the skin. Essential-C Cleanser establishes a well-hydrated foundation for application of a treatment product.
  • As part of the Murad Environmental Shield® line of anti aging skin care products to combat Environmental Aging, Murad Essential-C Cleanser is rich in antioxidants like Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin E to neutralize free radicals. Don’t just cleanse your skin. Restore radiance by actually giving your skin the nutrients that it needs to combat Environmental Aging.
    
  • bliss fabulous skin-reviving rubberizing mask
    US$38 / 6 pack
    Boost your skincare regimen with this straight-from-our-spa facial treatment, a weekly must for all skin types. The unique rubberizing mask is designed to envelop skin’s surface, allowing its key ingredients to be optimally absorbed by the skin. The brightening, skin-renewing formula is packed with powerful antioxidants and nourishing, detoxifying seaweed. So if you’re looking for a bright and healthy complexion—‘mask’, and you shall receive! Includes 6 individually wrapped mix-it-yourself masks, 6 spatulas and measuring scoop. 
  • features Bilberry + vitamin C to calm skin and fend off free radicals
  • leaves skin looking refreshed and vibrant
  • evens skin's tone and texture 
    

Rush into Luxury Fashion

I know we've been experiencing a less-than-stellar economic reality the past few years. Markets are unstable, currencies are unpredictable, and what used to be sound investment ideas are no longer secure. But there are definitely some key indicators of better times ahead:

(in no particular order)

-- Chicago's Rush Street is doing more than it's part. With a bold and beautiful new location, Barneys New York is taking Chicago by storm. The six level department store features many of the world's best brands and must-haves. And Hermes has just relocated their fabulous flagship boutique to the intersection of Rush and Oak Streets, bringing one of the most exclusive, sought after French brands to the Windy City in all of it's grandeur and glory. There's even an extremely limited edition silk scarf called "Paddock" available solely in this location (for a mere US$375). Chicago also boasts boutiques by Marc Jacobs, Burberry, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Ferragamo, Jimmy Choo, Tiffany & Co., Ralph Lauren, Giorgio Armani, Chanel, and La Perla to name a few.

-- Luxury powerhouse Moet Hennessey Louis Vuitton is hiring again. The luxe conglomerate has posted a handful of opportunities on their corporate site for positions in media relations, project management, training, and public relations. Is the brand looking to further expand its reach in North America? Regardless, investing in internal improvement and productivity is definitely a positive sign of growth and success.

-- The Waldorf=Astoria, one of the world's most luxurious hotel brands, is expanded to new locations. Joining the historic New York location, Waldorf=Astoria Orlando brings the world class service you expect with the perfect Floridian atmosphere. Also set to open within the next several months are Waldorf=Astoria Shanghai, Waldorf=Astoria Berlin, and Waldorf=Astoria Jerusalem. Long term buzz also includes locations in Beverly Hills and Philadelphia, among others.

-- Cosmetics and Fragrance mecca Sephora has struck a deal with the storied American department store JC Penney. While the chain isn't typically considered a luxury player, the new partnership with Sephora will bring luxe brands to the retailer from favourites like Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Bliss, and Armani. The move definitely signals an increased desire for luxury brands across all demographics, especially in the health and beauty segment.

-- Tiffany & Co., one of the most recognized and sought after jewelers around the world, is set to expand their product ranges with a collection of high end leather goods. The iconic retailers will begin selling handbags, wallets, coin purses, and other small leather goods by the famous duo Richard Lambertson and John Truex. “Richard Lambertson and John Truex are the latest in our tradition of inviting the world’s best designers to work exclusively with Tiffany,” says Jon King, executive vice president of Tiffany & Co. “Their vision and mastery of the craft combined with the skill of the finest Italian artisans have produced a leather collection of timeless simplicity, with all the quality and luxury of the Tiffany experience.” Highlighting the collection is a glazed crocodile Manhattan satchel for US$17,500. Other bags and brief cases will be available in various animal prints, full grain calf skin, lambskin, and python. The collection is set to launch September 2010 in 12 exclusive locations and online.

-- Electronics giant Apple sold more than 1,7 million 4th generation iPhones - setting a company record product release. Additionally, the big mobilephone companies in the US are investing millions of dollars to upgrade their networks to 4G. Currently American customers only receive cellular data transmissions at 3G speeds.

We're not in the clear yet. Unemployment rates are still at record highs, people are still starving, and homes are still being lost. But there is definitely light at the end of this long, dark tunnel. The more you shop, the more you eat out, and the more you spend in your local community, the more jobs you support and the more growth you provide - which are always en vogue.