Luxury

Once I was told that a good fashion magazine sells dreams, not clothes. Each day I share more and more that opinion. Yesterday I went to my favourite newstand, that little one which has international mags, -something not so common here- and I saw this magazine. Despite I am not very fond of Harper's Bazaar covers, this one captivated me.

Una vez me dijeron que las buenas revistas de moda no vend�an ropa, si no sue�os. Cada d�a estoy m�s de acuerdo con esa afirmaci�n. Ayer fui a mi quiosco favorito, un peque�o quiosco que tiene revistas internacionales -no es muy com�n por aqu�- y vi esta revista. A pesar de que no soy fan de las portadas de Harper's Bazaar, �sta me cautiv�.

*Image scanned by Atelier// October 2008 issue

While the financial crisis is reaching its climax, people need to prove they still have some money for their "vices". The gap between upper-middle classes and the elite is becoming wider, and they are totally conscious of that. Maybe saving you can afford a pair of Louboutins, but having a pool and a 10.000-hectares-garden is completely out of your budget. That is the aim now, pure and vile ostentation. And that is what they want us to dream of. Because a $1500-handbag is not unattainable any more.

A la vez que la crisis llega a su punto �lgido, la gente m�s necesita probar que a�n tiene algo de dinero para sus vicios. La distancia entre la clase media alta y la �lite est� aumentando a pasas agigantados, y en las revistas son totalmente conscientes de ello. Puede que ahorrando nos podamos permitir unos Louboutins, pero una casa con piscina y un jard�n de 10.000 hect�reas est� totalmente fuera del presupuesto. Y esa es la meta ahora, la ostentaci�n m�s pura y vil. Y eso es con lo que quieren que so�emos. Porque un bolso de 1500 euros ya no es imposible. Muchas portadas nos hacen olvidar la crisis, y quieren que so�emos con una vida de primera clase. Y los sue�os libres son, �no?

Many current covers pretend the crisis doesn't exist, and they want us to dream with a first class life. And dream is free, right?

source:thefashionspot

Nevertheless, Anna Wintour seems quite conscious of the situation, because she is tightening her belt, and she proposes cheap holidays and bargains that you can keep on wearing during the summer. And most important, in the cover, the simple and humble girl any American could be.

Sin embargo, Anna Wintour parece bastante consciente de la situaci�n financiera actual. Se est� apretando el cintur�n, y propone vacaciones baratas y prendas que se pueden reconvertir y utilizar en el verano. Y lo m�s importante, en la portada, la chica simple y humilde que cualquiera americana podr�a ser.

source: the fashionspot

And remember, at the end, luxury lies in the absence of vulgarity. (Coco Chanel)

Al final, el lujo est� en la ausencia de vulgaridad (Coco Chanel)