Editor’s Letter
WHERE HAS THE year – or for that matter, the past two decades – gone? And how many times have you read that sentence in the last two months, in the guise of editor’s notes, op-eds, status updates…?
Bear with me, as reminiscences are in order as we come to the tail-end of 2019 – especially when it comes to the evolutionary (and sometimes revolutionary) world of luxury. Tradition has long been a buzzword, but in recent years, brands and consumers have explored different facets of this multi-headed beast.
For one, the issue of sustainability has become a key focus for luxury brands across different verticals. For the longest time, it seemed like Stella McCartney was the sole flag-bearer for green fashion, but she’s being joined by a growing army of concerned warriors such as Gucci, Armani and Burberry. In the world of automotives, 2020 is a key year as luxury marques including Maserati, Audi and BMW will be launching electric vehicles.
This is no doubt the result of a woke population that’s playing the role of jury that puts to task any brand that’s perceived to be doing harm, whether through their supply chain, or even racial blindness and / or insensitive cultural appropriation.
Social media has been instrumental in this revolution. The age of legacy brands has given way to a democratic playing field, with smaller brands and designers cutting through the noise and gaining international traction.
But while luxury has morphed in myriad, hitherto unimaginable ways, it still remains a rarefied world where exclusivity, craftsmanship and quality remain its core tenets – and at its very heart is the aspect of personalisation and individualisation.
For this year’s Ultimate Gift Guide, we went directly to our friends in the world of luxury, and asked them to curate highly individual experiential packages, especially for you, the discerning, erudite Robb Report reader. Find your inspiration for your year-end shopping on p.38.
From the team at Robb Report, we wish you and your loved ones a fabulous year-end, and an even greater 2020 filled with love, happiness and health!