These days, ‘Xmas madness’ is epidemic, a shopping fever that grips everyone, a buying virus few seem immune to. People under the influence of this very severe illness feel the need to purchase excessive quantities of frivolous and extremely nonsensical-but-so-cute little things for friends and family.
Personally, I am torn between two holiday personalities: my ‘green’ soul enjoins me not to help flood the planet with useless trinkets, while my fashion soul whispers about the delight my friends would have in trendy items as holiday surprises. In trying to strike a balance, I began to wonder about the forces behind our urge to buy as well as what we have already purchased or own.
In a lifetime, we surround ourselves with numerous objects: clothes, accessories, furniture, household goods, and memorabilia. What we own tells the little story of our lives, providing data about where we have been and whom we have met along the way. Consider then, quali cose siamo? (‘What things are we?’) ‘Quali cose siamo’ is also the title of a beautiful exhibition of design and interiors at Milan’s Triennale Design Museum running until February 27, 2011 (www.triennaledesignmuseum.it).
The power of an object can be so strong that it can represent large groups of people and, in some cases, even entire countries, defining the profile of their population. Italy, for instance, which celebrates its 150th anniversary as a united peninsula next year, offers a variety of typical Italian items: Vespa motorbikes, Bialetti coffee makers and la tazzina del caffe, and women in tall boots. Although these items embody a collective identity. However, that identity is made up of millions of personal identities and values. What belongings truly represent us?
Perhaps this holiday season is the time to discover (or rediscover; or assert) our individual identities and redefine how they relate to objects.
We are living in difficult times. As an ever-larger portion of society struggles to get by, more of the ‘haves’ seek to curb their own excessive spending. As we understand more about the effects of constant production and accumulation, many people are rejecting the pressures of consumerism. Living with fewer than 100 objects is the goal of the new ‘non-consumer,’ and the term downshifting is becoming more popular. Superstars such as Leonardo di Caprio are promoting object-free lifestyles, developing a passion for organic and ‘green’ products and demonstrating that they truly believe in recycling. We have entered a new era in which we, the consumers, are more demanding and aware.
And so, my ‘green’ soul and my ‘style’ soul might be both be appeased. For example, rather than succumbing to the buying virus, organize a gift exchange-swap parties are the latest trend for fashion victims-with friends and family. Swap parties allow each person to contribute to the positive, giving spirit of Christmas without overspending on a series of meaningless items. Guests should bring items to give that hold a particular significance to them. In telling the story behind each special gift, you will share unforgettable moments of your life with your closest friends, adding a more meaningful touch to the holiday.
Another option for the season of giving is to choose design, that is, design with a soul, eco-design: objects that are made with recycled materials, and that have multiple uses or that support a good cause; objects with a story, a design value. A new spot in Florence for such items is Slow Design, in Sdrucciolo dei Pitti, 13R. The store is a magical place where Roberto welcomes you by explaining the message of every single object, a place where recycling truly becomes art and objects are the product of careful thought as they are handmade or produced in very limited quantities. These ‘things’ are not merely stylish objects but objects with a lifestyle: they represent our collective conscience and stand as symbols of an emerging way of living.
