Friday, October 20, 2006
MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS
It's no longer enough simply to own a Rolex watch, a Mercedes or a winter home in Palm Springs, Calif. What ups your status standing among your peers now is the ability to make something.
The Holland-based company Trendwatching.com calls it "status skills," the next notch on the scale of consumer luxury. While owning and consuming goods gives you an edge, being creative is even more highly valued today, according to the latest trend report.
For instance, people are learning to make custom wine or whiskey at distilleries. They are taking vacations beyond the beach at Bali to master horseback riding or study crafts. Online classes are part of the program. Learn to soldier or design fashion with a techno twist.
In view of the trend, car companies are offering lessons for driving on all terrain. Nikon provides digital photo instruction. Learning the skill counts, but showing it off is what builds the status, the trend trackers say. Hence the rise of youtube.com or wikipedia.