Introducing Meta-luxury

奢侈品也分三六九等?

Shēchīpǐn yě fēn sānliùjiǔděng?

如今,在日趋丰富的奢侈品词汇大家族中又新增了一个词条—"奢侈极品". 这个新术语旨在取代原先笼统的"奢侈品".

There's a new entry in the ever-evolving luxury lexicon courtesy of the folks: "meta-luxury." The term, coined to replace that old catch-all "luxury", refers to "luxury after luxury".

由于奢侈品是当前经济低迷期中最富活力的产业,所以各大品牌都对高端品牌趋之若鹜,从咖啡供应商到清洁剂制造商,均自诩旗下的产品为奢侈品.然而很显然,所有这些产品与品牌并非"生来"等而视之,因此创造新品牌门类的需求变得日趋迫切.

As luxury has proven one of the most resilient industries in the current downturn, there has been a rush to the high end, with everyone from coffee purveyors to detergent makers calling themselves "luxury." Clearly, however, all these products and brands are not created equal, so there is an increasing need to create new categories in the space.

品牌咨询师们成功地确立了专注 工艺 历史 稀缺=紧扣时代脉搏的奢侈极品的模式.他们认为奢侈极品体现了人类对至臻至善产品的追求,这些品牌能经得起时代的考验,获得一代又一代消费者的青睐、经久不衰.这详细说明了品牌界定为奢侈极品的内涵；而且更重要的是,列出了一般品牌所不具备的品性.

Those branding consultants are effectively setting the equation of focus artisanship history rarity = meta-luxury to rhythm. They think meta-luxury brands embody the human quest for unique achievements that can stand the test of time, enduring and evolving from one generation to the next. It actually specifies what brands qualify as "meta-luxury" brands and more importantly, what brands don't.

那么,我们该把香奈儿、古姿与迪奥归为何类呢？

Now, where do we put Chanel, Gucci, and Dior?

词语解释：

奢侈品 （shēchǐpǐn） luxury

术语 （shùyǔ） term

笼统 （lǒngtǒng） general (terms)

低迷期 （dīmíqī） downturn

自诩 （zìxǔ） praise oneself

等而视之 （děng ér shì zhī） be treated equally

脉搏 （màibó） pulse

至臻至善 （zhì zhēn zhì shàn） attain perfection

经久不衰 （jīng jiǔ bù shuāi） have a long lasting market

界定 （jièdìng） specify

(Source: myechinese.com)