luxury goods as status signifiers
February 2, 2010 9:56 AM

I am trying to compile a list of modern day ultra-luxury items.

For an art project I’m currently working on I’ve been researching aspirational objects for the moneyed class. This is proving more difficult than I expected, since there’s been the so-called democratization of status items and luxury goods, obviously brought about in large part by the internet.

I’m interested in compiling a specific list of household objects that are coveted by the ultra-super-status conscious. In other words, consumables that serve to signify that the consumer is not only able to afford said items, but also part of a “special class” that knows about them in the first place.

Names of larger items such as furniture, appliances, sporting goods, large decorative objects, etc. would be much appreciated! I’m not looking for clothing suggestions or small accessories like jewelry or watches, or for items that would not fit in a house, like cars, boats, etc.

Links to general retail luxury sites will probably not be particularly helpful unless they are extremely insular and obscure since I’ve been doing internet research myself for the past three weeks.
posted by stagewhisper to Society & Culture (55 answers total) 27 users marked this as a favorite
Look at the Robb Report, Forbes' "cost of livig extremely well" index, society pictures at NYsocialdiary.com, David Patrick Columbia's web site, real estate listings in high income places.

And: Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Bugatti. Porsche and Mercedes are decidedly déclassé.
posted by dfriedman at 9:58 AM on February 2, 2010


This list already exists, doesn't it? Sky Mall.
posted by Lutoslawski at 10:00 AM on February 2, 2010


didn't read the small print, sorry.
posted by Lutoslawski at 10:00 AM on February 2, 2010


Viking stoves, sub-zero fridges. Is that the sort of stuff you are looking for?
posted by shothotbot at 10:00 AM on February 2, 2010


Hmm. I see yore not looking for cars. Well, Ferrari licenses its logo for things like gloves and such, and Porsche Design is affiliated with the car company and makes high concept design items (they at one point made a series of external hard drives co-branded with LaCie, for example...)

also, check out Architectural Digest and Elle Decor...
posted by dfriedman at 10:01 AM on February 2, 2010


LaCanche Ranges, moreso than Viking.
posted by electroboy at 10:02 AM on February 2, 2010


This article from cnn a couple days ago talks about the fact that there are exorbitantly expensive suitcases around, should you require such a thing.
posted by brainmouse at 10:04 AM on February 2, 2010


Like a Jacuzzi-brand towel warmer? specs pdf
I wrote a 7-page marketing paper about this particular piece of ridiculosity. Note that it can't be used to DRY towels, only steam already-dry ones. Otherwise the hacienda burns.
posted by Juicy Avenger at 10:04 AM on February 2, 2010


Large decorative objects: Dale Chihuly's glass sculptures seem popular. (Not sure if the spelling is correct.). Also review Sotheby's auction catalog. There's another auction house whose name I forget.

Jewelry: Van Cleef, Harry Winston
posted by dfriedman at 10:06 AM on February 2, 2010


I think that status consumption and display of luxury items is very place- and culture-dependent. As in, there will be very different status displays by, say, a Russian oligarch in the south of France and a new-agey old money heiress living in Santa Fe. Or compare how different status displays are by rap stars and by landed gentry.

So narrowing down the "who" and the "where" of your concept of luxury will allow you to much more easily answer the "what," in other words.
posted by Forktine at 10:07 AM on February 2, 2010


Oh, and for investment bankers: Ozwald Boateng suits...

And for the managing directors at I-banks: Brioni suits.
posted by dfriedman at 10:07 AM on February 2, 2010


It's too bad Zambrano got banned. This question is made for him. Try searching his comments.
posted by electroboy at 10:08 AM on February 2, 2010


The definitive source for such items has long been the Neiman Marcus Christmas Catalog. Their ultra luxury item for 2009 was a customizable cupcake car.

Hmmm... maybe they're losing their touch. Previous years were more plausible.
posted by alms at 10:08 AM on February 2, 2010


Crème de la Mer
posted by jgirl at 10:09 AM on February 2, 2010


Also, there's a lot of clothing that doesn't necessarily fall into the Gucci, Prada category of stuff you might see on E! or MTV Cribs. Things like Allen Edmond and Alden shoes are not astronomically expensive, but are out of reach of most people without being ridiculous, like a Gucci bag covered in Swarovski crystals.
posted by electroboy at 10:13 AM on February 2, 2010


Maybe some of the links on this blog may help. If your looking for things the super rich would like in their homes, then I think those things aren't necessarily going to be on a list, or have a label. Wouldn't they look for things that nobody else has -- a painting, a sculpture, a designer table from the fifties. Perhaps look more at the general tone of the reading material that you've identified with your definition of super rich and look at the contemporary designers profiled, or check out Art Basel / Art Miami to see who advertises there. Good luck!
posted by bwonder2 at 10:14 AM on February 2, 2010


You might want to pick up some issues of CITY Magazine— "the magazine for, by, and about New York City's arbiters of excellence." It's basically high-end consumer porn, and will likely have information about the types of items that you are looking for.
posted by kimdog at 10:15 AM on February 2, 2010


There are furniture makers like Ligne Roset (French, I think) and you might try at looking at bespoke stuff (Purdy's shotguns, for instance). There's a lot of high end UK stuff (from stereos - try the cornflake shop to lobb's shoes) that is handmade. You probably won't have heard of many of the names but they're way above the kind of mass market luxury stuff that most big designer brands come out with.

Try the FT's "How to spend it" supplement too. That always has plenty of that sort of thing.
posted by rhymer at 10:15 AM on February 2, 2010


Technically clothing, but kind of bordering on sports gear: Moncler ski jackets.
posted by oinopaponton at 10:15 AM on February 2, 2010


Oh dear, let's try that URL again. Here.
posted by oinopaponton at 10:16 AM on February 2, 2010


Maybe not a good per-se, but houses with both a huge walk-in humidor and wine cellar stocked to the brim scream LUXURY. And not househeld, but a private jet.
posted by jmd82 at 10:23 AM on February 2, 2010


In other words, consumables that serve to signify that the consumer is not only able to afford said items, but also part of a "special class" that knows about them in the first place.

How do you plan to verify our statements about these items, if a defining feature is that they are not widely known?

For example, I can tell you that the most impressive TV screen I've ever seen was a Vutrix broadcast monitor - and among other things, such displays have been fitted in luxury yachts and homes.

You won't find anything confirming this online, though - maybe because I just told you about an extremely well-kept secret known only to the most discerning connoisseurs, or maybe because I just made it up.
posted by Mike1024 at 10:25 AM on February 2, 2010


Trader Monthly would have been a good source for items like this, although it looks like it is no longer in publication. If you can find some old issues, there may be some ads for brands/products you are looking for. The only other similar thing I can think of is Squaremile.
posted by Beefs at 10:28 AM on February 2, 2010


ooh, how about an Amex Centurion (also called black card), available by invitation only.
posted by brainmouse at 10:32 AM on February 2, 2010


From a yuppie-on-the-East Coast, Viking-and-Vuitton-five-years-ago perspective, Aga ranges. Bulthaup kitchens. Herman Miller repros of Eames chairs, if you can't get the Eames originals. And a classic Burberry trenchcoat is still classic.

In the bad old days, Wallpaper* pre-eminent for the yuppie design of all categories and sorts, but they were bought by the big boys and now have ads for Target.
posted by joyceanmachine at 10:39 AM on February 2, 2010


High end 'audiophile' stereo equipment?
I can only imagine the ultra rich pressing the 'cart' button to purchase this
'Clearaudio' turntable for $150,000 online in order to outdo a neighbour / fellow audiophile.

Don't forget the matching 'interconnects', that can run thousands of dollars per foot, connected to similarly / higher priced pre-amplifiers, amplifiers, and loudspeakers...
posted by csmason at 10:42 AM on February 2, 2010


Are you talking about old money or new money? The answers will be vastly different. "Aspirational objects" for old money is generally stuff you can't buy--the letter a founding father wrote your great-great-etc-grandfather, things like candlesticks that were handed down your family tree and thus come with a history, a bloodline traced back to Plymouth, and so on. It means more for status precisely because any old millionaire can't go out and buy it.
posted by sallybrown at 10:46 AM on February 2, 2010


My girlfriend works for someone who comes from old money. They were just talking about remodeling this week. Apparently Sherle Wagner bathrooms are quite fancy. Also, Fortuny fabrics are high end, and something I had never heard about before.
posted by yeti at 10:47 AM on February 2, 2010


the Financial Times' How-To-Spend it section. Also Monocle Magazine will be great repositories of absurdly expensive unattainable items that actually aren't of "platinum weddings, everything with swarovski crystals is 'classy'" ilk

Otherwise this list could be almost infintely long

Also if you are looking for "shockingly expensive consumer item that doesn't seem extraordinary" Valextra is my winner,
posted by JPD at 10:49 AM on February 2, 2010


Oh, and private club membership. Especially to super-secret places like the Alibi Club.

You might also be interested in the "Cave Dwellers" of Washington, DC. Warning: snobbery ahead.
posted by sallybrown at 10:52 AM on February 2, 2010


Most over/under shotguns are luxury goods (see Browning Citori, Beretta). They're arguably inferior to pump and semiauto shotguns, but usually have finely finished woodwork and intricately detailed hardware.

Also, the two items linked are pretty low end guns.
posted by electroboy at 10:52 AM on February 2, 2010


Lots of good stuff so far.
Some clarifications:
Again, not interested in watches/jewelry/clothes or cars/boats/planes. Sub-zero refrigerators are one good example (although they are well known now and have probably lost some cache because of this). Specific furniture choices are useful. To establish the "who" - the virtual target would be either children of the old rich or any age group with new money. I realize that status objects differ from country to country and sub-culture to sub-culture, but at this point a broad range of suggestions is still useful.
posted by stagewhisper at 11:05 AM on February 2, 2010


Golf, formerly a game for the rich, has become a bit too democratic. Triathlons are becoming a status sport, because there's lots of gear to spend money on, and they take a lot of leisure time to train for seriously.
posted by Pirate-Bartender-Zombie-Monkey at 11:10 AM on February 2, 2010


You might want to look at Melissa C. Morris's blog, if you haven't. From what I can glean she married into a lot of money, and she tends to casually mention brands of things she and her husband (Chappy) own--like dishwashers, etc.
posted by sallybrown at 11:13 AM on February 2, 2010


The Dux bed. I wandered into their Boston store and haven't been able to sleep since.
posted by jwells at 11:39 AM on February 2, 2010


Mattress: Haastens
posted by JPD at 11:58 AM on February 2, 2010


I'll see your Purdey and raise you a Holland & Holland. On sale now for only $30k!
posted by electroboy at 11:59 AM on February 2, 2010


Shoes by John Fluevog. They're not retardedly expensive, but they've got that "you have to know about them" idiom.
posted by Jon_Evil at 12:34 PM on February 2, 2010


Fountain pens. An acquaintance makes custom, limited run fountain pens that sell for thousands of dollars each. He has a pool of collectors who sometimes buy a complete run before he even starts making them. It's crazy.
posted by Mitheral at 12:44 PM on February 2, 2010


Most over/under shotguns are luxury goods

I guess this is a regional thing, but really over/under shotguns are dreadfully nouveau.
posted by atrazine at 1:08 PM on February 2, 2010


Custom-made Brunschwig & Fils upholstered furniture.
Lighting by Artemide.
posted by aquafortis at 1:12 PM on February 2, 2010


Some of the above suggestions are totally off-base from real status objects. Here are some alternatives to consider:

Leica M7 Hermes camera
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/11/leica-m7-hermes-a-14000-film-camera/

FP Journe watch
http://portero.com/f-p-journe-invenit-fecit-platinum-chronometre-resonance-watch.html

Dyson fan
http://www.dyson.com/fans/

Berkel meat slicer
http://www.berkelbiz.com/restaurant-equipment/antiques/mito250-meat-slicer.htm

Land, in general, is becoming collectible
http://fullerwestern.com/

Wally yachts
http://www.wally.com/

Good luck on your project!
posted by pmikal at 2:05 PM on February 2, 2010


This camera with this lens.

Or, to take it to a more obscene level, any one of these.
posted by imjustsaying at 2:07 PM on February 2, 2010


Wine. Is there anything more luxurious as paying obscene amounts of money for things you eat/drink? I mean, at least cars and shoes will last you longer than a mealtime. People build wine cellars in their houses now.
posted by emeiji at 2:27 PM on February 2, 2010


Thanks for all the input so far everyone.

How do you plan to verify our statements about these items, if a defining feature is that they are not widely known?

For example, I can tell you that the most impressive TV screen I've ever seen was a Vutrix broadcast monitor - and among other things, such displays have been fitted in luxury yachts and homes.

You won't find anything confirming this online, though - maybe because I just told you about an extremely well-kept secret known only to the most discerning connoisseurs, or maybe because I just made it up.


How do any of us verify the answers we get to any questions posed to metafilter?
a.We trust that most people will attempt to answer the question if they happen to be knowledgeable about the subject.
b. We assume most people would rather be helpful than threadshit.

"Some may call me a dreamer, but I'm not the only wo-o-one..."
posted by stagewhisper at 4:04 PM on February 2, 2010


For bicycles, a Ferrari Colnago limited edition or a bespoke hand made bicycle frame.

In synthesizers a vintage buchla is probably the way to go. Nobody has heard of it, and it is worth much more money than its contemporaries.
posted by idiopath at 4:07 PM on February 2, 2010


Are you familiar with the term "veblen good"? If not, you may find the Wikipedia entry of interest.
posted by hot soup girl at 4:12 PM on February 2, 2010


Uh, for folks recommending Leica cameras, especially current Leica cameras, no. Old Leicas are valued above contemporaries mostly for the excellent lenses they used and that the bodies on the 35 are well designed aesthetically and functionally. New Leicas, especially digital ones, are for dilettantes and the nouveau riche.

Better names to drop with cameras: Argus, whose cameras were so ugly they're beautiful (and whose 35mms show up in hipster photo shoots all the time to connote luxurious photographing); Rollei, especially the Rolleiflex, used by Arbus and Helmut Newton; Hasselblad, the medium format cameras taken into space (and used by more photogs than you can count); Mamiya, the Japanese medium format camera that's slightly hipper than Hasselblad, but roughly as expensive; and just about the most important name to drop is Zeiss. Zeiss lenses are the gold standard of glass for cameras—there are other lens manufacturers that can make comparable, even better (or certainly cheaper) lenses, but Zeiss is the name. They also made cameras, but there the Leica really did outpace them, in part because (at least as I've heard) the Leicas will take far more punishment than the Zeiss-Ikons.

But these are all in that weird area between tools and collectibles, as very few folks who shoot for a living still shoot film, and while you may impress someone with the model of your Canon, the name Canon itself doesn't connote exquisite quality the way that Hasselblad or Zeiss does.
posted by klangklangston at 5:35 PM on February 2, 2010


Runco projectors and televisions.
posted by contraption at 10:17 PM on February 2, 2010


How do any of us verify the answers we get to any questions posed to metafilter?
a.We trust that most people will attempt to answer the question if they happen to be knowledgeable about the subject.
b. We assume most people would rather be helpful than threadshit.


What I mean is: I'm sure everyone posting here is trying to be helpful - but don't you think a lot of people would try to help you out by posting about things they've seen online or read in a magazine fluff article? Hence some people could point you to things they think the super-rich would covet/aspire to own - but people could be mistaken.

The reason I think this is important is because it's easy to list things which are expensive and which have low sales - but are sales low because few people are discerning enough to want them, or because few people are foolish enough to want them?
posted by Mike1024 at 12:43 AM on February 3, 2010




(sorry, didn't see the no-cars thing. still)
posted by polyglot at 1:28 AM on February 3, 2010


klangklangston: Hasselblad is definitely a status brand, but not so much Mamiya IMHO and I say that as the owner of an RZ67. The quality is as good but they don't have the cachet and sell for a tiny fraction of the price. You may find the Is that a Hasselblad? thread amusing.

Zeiss lenses do have it (particularly the ones that go on 'blads) but they're now being sold in modern autofocus form by Sony - the lenses are optically as good as or better than anything they've made before, but they are now much more mass-market. Aspirational maybe, but at only $1500 each and owned by many a poor working professional photographer, they're not very aspirational.
posted by polyglot at 1:54 AM on February 3, 2010


What I mean is: I'm sure everyone posting here is trying to be helpful - but don't you think a lot of people would try to help you out by posting about things they've seen online or read in a magazine fluff article? Hence some people could point you to things they think the super-rich would covet/aspire to own - but people could be mistaken. Okay, now I understand what you are saying. There's a risk there, yes. But I'm planning on double checking my list to the best of my abilities once I've compiled it.
posted by stagewhisper at 2:23 AM on February 3, 2010


I would think services are the big thing - personal assistants, butlers, people to do every need. Also multimillion-dollar rehabs and health retreats.

I always thought the stuff Wallpaper* promoted was of luxury levels.
posted by divabat at 10:24 AM on February 7, 2010


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