Today’s luxuries may be products, services, and pleasures that most people can’t afford, but they may equally be ordinary things individuals normally simply don’t find the time, energy, or opportunity to enjoy. Luxury in the 21st century isn’t about what you can afford to spend, it’s about what you can afford to enjoy. The pace, complexity, and clutter of life today make it difficult for people to savor their pleasures fully; having the best of everything is not luxury if the person doesn’t take real pleasure in it.

Taking time to savor sights, sounds, textures, smells, and tastes to their full measure without rushing on to the next thing is increasingly becoming a luxury for many people. Self-indulgence isn’t just about feeling good; it’s also about doing good—particularly among the wealthy. And, ease is the ultimate luxury: Feeling carefree becomes a luxury when work is more pressured than ever, job security is a thing of the past, and everyone is being pushed to take responsibility for his or her own health, wealth and well-being. People rarely have the luxury of feeling light and easy, of being able to luxuriate in the sense that the only thing that matters is what they’re enjoying right now.
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MORE Current themes:

Trends for the Near Future

Today’s Age Shuffle

The Yin and Yang of Modern Life: Material Chores in a Digitized World

The New Luxury Market

Convergence is Coming Together

Gender Shift

Marian on Trends