Editorials
March 13, 2026
Brunello Cucinelli store on Sloane Street in London's Knightsbridge. Image credit: William Barton, Shutterstock
By Mickey Alam Khan
For years we’ve heard that the term “luxury” doesn’t stand for what it was intended: exclusive, rare, high quality. Many folks want to dump the word but have no substitute. In reality, luxury has undergone a silent divergence, with three camps catering to distinct audiences.
{"ct":"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","iv":"f2a16af96da7f0d059e98dc947cb406d","s":"bb30f8fb4c146266"}
Share your thoughts. Click here