What do you regard as “luxury” today? Take a moment to reflect. You might have realised how tough it is to find an unequivocal definition for an answer, and this is because it is a matter of perception.
“The definition of luxury today is developing and ever-changing. In previous generations, luxury used to be associated with owning exorbitant material belongings, but today, there is more to it than possessing the most expensive watch or jewellery.
“So, though luxury will evermore be centred around the notion of exclusivity, the concept of luxury has shifted to a rather personal idea of freedom, space, and time,” says Alex Leuzinger about the definition of luxury.
As the owner of the Swiss design and architecture firm Studioforma, Alex and his team have been shaping the designs of various luxury homes and retail brands worldwide for over two decades, delivering customised, sophisticated solutions to them.
Above: Alex Leuzinger, owner of Swiss design and architecture firm Studioforma.
“Furthermore, luxury is being able to invest time to accomplish first-class quality. Over the years, I have learnt how paramount it is for a designer or an architect to devote their time to carefully selecting excellent materials in the design process to attain prime and peculiar results,” continues Alex.
“Despite the global occurrences in the past two years, we have relapsed, trying to make up for ‘lost time’ due to the pandemic. Yet, it is crucial to understand the correlation between time, quality and value being the most luxurious intangible goods.
“For instance, we endeavour to instil in our clients to take time for every project regardless of its size. Why? Because the outcome should be durable — that is the essence of luxury.”
Luxury has numerous facets rather than standardised solutions. This indicates that comfort, beauty and functionality are key aspects of the ‘luxury concept’.
“Bottom line, the time-value concept is generally not new. Every brand which takes time to meticulously select exquisite materials and fuse it with a thorough savoir-faire, paired with a high level of service, will always be able to offer ‘luxury’ to their clients.”
The principles Alex speaks of are very well noticeable in many of Studioforma’s projects, such as the ‘Apartment Luxe’, a luxury apartment project in Paris.
Above: Luxury apartment in Paris designed by Studioforma.
To find out more about Studioforma and its projects, visit their website and Instagram profile.