Luxury

Is the flagship boutique always your best choice?

Paris taught me a lesson about prominence versus comfort. Tokyo reinforced it

Sep 16, 2026

Field Notes: Don’t just buy the story

A copy-and-paste AI prompt for a five-minute check of a maison’s human rights and sustainability record

Sep 12, 2026

The luxury of not knowing

Italy’s labor scandals expose what happens when maisons that sell provenance lose sight of who actually makes their clothes

Sep 9, 2026

Field Notes: Mirror, mirror, on the wall...

...what’s the most minimalist wallet of them all?

Sep 5, 2026

Five cities, five Louis Vuittons

The firm’s most ambitious flagships show how a maison de grand luxe can repeat its identity without repeating its stores

Sep 2, 2026

Field Notes: Why are minimalist wallets so thick?

When luxury houses reduce what their wallets hold without rethinking how they’re built, they don’t solve for modern life

Aug 29, 2026

When does collecting become overconsumption?

There isn’t a magic number. The question to ask is what the next purchase is for

Aug 26, 2026

Field Notes: In the cashless + cardless age, how much wallet do you need?

Stripping the traditional luxury wallet down to two simple pockets may be enough

Aug 22, 2026

Should you choose the large bottle of fragrance?

Why the bigger bottle may be the better price but the worse deal

Aug 19, 2026

When does luxury for pets become absurd?

Hermès, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton reveal where craftsmanship ends and spectacle begins

Aug 12, 2026

How recognizable should a luxury tote be?

Three French maisons that reside between Louis Vuitton’s global Monogram and logo-free quiet luxury

Aug 5, 2026

Field Notes: What makes a shampoo luxurious?

Three approaches to luxury shampoo at progressively higher price points

Aug 1, 2026

The first dent is the hardest

Beautiful things are made to be used. So why can using them feel so uncomfortable?

Jul 29, 2026

Field Notes: Two ways to wear time

Cartier and OMEGA offer different answers to what a women’s everyday luxury watch should do

Jul 25, 2026

Can mindfulness make you a better luxury consumer?

What Buddhist practices might teach us about our desire for beautiful things

Jul 22, 2026

Field Notes: Try before you buy, Leica edition

Four ways to dip your toes in the Leica ecosystem without diving in

Jul 18, 2026

Can you ever be immune to luxury?

A weekend of luxury shopping suggests the answer is complicated

Jul 15, 2026

Field Notes: Hidden gems of Mexican luxury

From homeware to leather and fragrance, three distinct luxury treasures from México

Jul 11, 2026

Can you love luxury without being owned by it?

What Buddhism can teach us about wanting beautiful things without mistaking them for happiness

Jul 8, 2026

Field Notes: When fashion gets smartphones right

Some luxury smartphone accessories are useful and can survive the upgrade cycle

Jul 4, 2026

What makes something worth handing down?

An heirloom isn’t something you buy; it’s what something can become

Jul 1, 2026

Field Notes: When fashion gets smartphones wrong

Some luxury smartphone accessories are just mistakes

Jun 27, 2026

The scarf you can carry

A practical guide to men’s three-season scarves, using Hermès as the map

Jun 24, 2026

Field Notes: The unexpected joy of Ralph’s Coffee

When a luxury fashion house ventures into coffee culture and gets it right

Jun 20, 2026

Louis, mon ami, you have a problem

A Neverfull tote and an Aerogram messenger reveal the same flaw: bags from Louis Vuitton that are beautiful but uncomfortable to carry

Jun 17, 2026