On a recent Xploring project, I met aspiring Emirati photographer Alia al Shamsi. She has studied abroad and while her passion is photography she loves to contribute to the growth of the arts and culture in her native Dubai – she is now working for the Dubai Arts and Culture Authority. She comes from a wealthy UAE family , who despite her wealth was brought up to really appreciate hard work. This has shaped who she is today.
Although she works for a government entity, the likelyhood of her losing her job is practically impossible (that’s because she is a national). So unlike most others living in Dubai, she can still live the same lavish lifestyle she has always lived - buying without looking at a price tag, or having fancy dinners without worrying about the bill, spending an extra two years post graduation in London just roaming around Europe and occasionally interning). Despite that, she still feels a sense of guilt towards her lavish spending (luxury shopping) because she is close to many people who have lost their jobs: “I feel bad knowing I am walking out of a store with loads of shopping bags.”
Her consolation is however the classics. “If I need to buy something it's got to be a classic – something that not only lasts one season but is really timeless!! I love going for the limited edition pieces of my favourite fashion brands. I think of them as more of an investment.” She says that she would love to pass on her best limited edition hand bags to her daughter in the future; she says the passing on of items through generation is no longer just about jewelry and watches.
Of course, that has something to do with her being an artist – she always looks for and appreciates those collector items- collaborations of art and fashion. To her true luxury is about craftsmanship, innovation, creativity and most important of all, that which will stand the test of time.
“In life, there will always be ups and downs, recessions, bad decisions and the financial risks people take. These are things we can’t really control. We have to deal with them. But what we can control is how we spend our wealth. When I buy a piece of expensive jewellery, watch, or even a handbag its not about the price tag or me showing off my status in society. But really its about me investing in my own and family’s future.”
So much so, that Alia is in fact now considering ‘investing in her future’ beyond the material things – and that is starting her own business. “I want to have something I can call my own. Don’t want to be employed for the rest of my life. Although I have the initial financing I would need from my family, it will however require a lot of hard work.”
She is also considering buying a flat in the Dubai Marina (she currently lives with her family, a prevailing custom in the Gulf until one gets married) and she believes buying an expensive car is her way of owning a lasting vehicle and a piece of art. She wants to be independent and not have to wait for the man to buy her a house and a car – a luxury not many have over here. All of which are luxuries that last – rather than short term indulgence.
The Truth: Luxury is more than the price tag put on an item, a status symbol, or the immediate reward you get. Luxury is that which you will continue to be rewarded by in the future to come. Its timeless. Its one that will continue to give back.
Opportunity: Give them the chance to buy into their future, today.
Luxury brands should stand for more than the reward for today and tomorrow. They should stand for a future of giving.
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