The Necessary kind of Luxury

“Luxury is all that must be considered superfluous to the happiness of mankind” Vincezo Gioberti – Italian philosopher and politician (Turin 1801 – Paris, 1852)

The reflection from this Italian philosopher and priest, known as one of the most ardent fighters for the independence of his country, hints at the road towards a contemporary idea of luxury – somewhat surprisingly so for the mid- 19th Century. Unlike the usual tradition of blaming those who enjoy living sensually or the accumulation of wealth, he doesn’t oppose its survival, but rather acknowledges the way in which it brings something rather unexpected to happiness.

Vincenzo’s reflection evokes a line of thought entirely related to the concept of the need to nourish not only the body, but also the soul and the senses; searching within them for the pleasure of beauty and intellectual practice. Without realizing it, Vicenzo had defined luxury in precisely the way that it has come to be understood today, in the 21st Century: Far from being ostentatious, it is the search for a sustainable balance within a given context. When understood in this way, luxury is a treasure reserved only for those who know how to enjoy it.

A glimpse of hidden magic in the ancient grandeur of times gone by… Of places forgotten, where the history of nobility, or even an entire nation, was conceived… A walk through the gardens that invoke, just as they always have, a touch of light that serves to remind us of just how quickly life passes us by… Or the flavour of Earth’s most humble fruits, joined together by the creator of a more sophisticated menu, with no dressing other than pure delight… Sometimes it isn’t necessary to go to the remotest island. There is always a palace, a rose garden, an orchard, a library or an open fire, close by and waiting for you. You only have to know where exactly to find them or sometimes allow an expert hand to guide you in your quest to find these exquisite delights.

This is the latest way to express exclusivity and luxury, as we know it in our day and age, and challenges idea that it is only for the privileged to access. It is a privilege that, on many occasions, consists solely of knowing where and how to discover it – and, of course, in knowing how to enjoy it.

We’ll end on another quote, this time one from the English novelist, Charles Kinsley (Holne, 1819 – Eversley, 1875), following the same thread as our reflection:

“We act as though luxury and comfort were the most important things in life, when the only thing we really need to make us truly happy is something that inspires us.”