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当前位置:首页 -> 11级英语阅读 - > 哪种商品会成为未来的奢侈品
哪种商品会成为未来的奢侈品
添加时间:2014-12-30 07:52:23 浏览次数: 作者:未知
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  • Jewelry1 could be a service one day. A couple might go into a jewelry store early in their relationship and sit down with a designer who makes a ring that somehow reflects who they are to each other. Time passes. They return to the shop as they’ve both seen the relationship has progressed. The jeweler takes the same metal and diamond and refashions in it into a new shape to reflect the new stage. Then again as they marry, have kids, etc.

    或许有一天,珠宝可能变成一种服务。比如一对情侣在确定恋爱关系初期,走进一家珠宝店,请一位设计师打造一对能够反映他们当前关系的戒指。时光荏苒,当这对情侣觉得彼此关系又深了一步时,他们重返这家珠宝店。珠宝商将把他们的戒指重新设计,再打造一对能够反映二人关系迈入新阶段的戒指。随着这对情侣结婚、生子,这种服务还会不断更新。

    This is the vision of “tbc,” a conceptual brand imagined by the New York and London agency Pearlfisher in its report, Luxury Mode, a forward looking imagining of shifts anticipated in the luxury market based on observations of today. In a changing world where technology makes everything so much cheaper (and so fast), it’s worth asking what luxury consumers will want a few years from now that everyone can’t have.

    这正是珠宝商Pearlfisher构想出的“tbc”概念品牌,它在纽约和伦敦都设有分店。近日,Pearlfisher在其名为《奢侈格调》的报告中,畅想了未来奢侈品市场的可能发展模式。世界日新月异,科技已经使得一切都变得更加便宜快捷。而我们不妨扪心自问,几年后,奢侈品消费者想要哪些与众不同的东西?

    Yesterday’s luxury is commonplace today. Sophie Kleber of Huge, an international creative agency based in Brooklyn, pointed2 out that rapid home delivery of goods was once only available to the affluent3. Now, goods delivered the same day or close to it is a reality for the regular urbanite4. Uber has made black car service commonplace. Butlers on demand are even offered at attainable5 prices.

    昨日的奢侈品今天可能已经“平民化”。纽约布鲁克林Huge国际创意公司的索菲o克莱伯指出,在过去,送货上门是只有富人才能享受的服务,而今天,当日送达等服务对于都市人来说已经不是新鲜事了。Uber等打车软件使得高档租车业务也变得平易近人。甚至管家服务的价格也不再那么高不可攀了。

    Which illustrates6 why being exceptionally luxurious7 will get harder as technology makes so much easier. A theme that many of the luxury agencies consulted for the survey kept returning to was the idea that luxury brands will take bespoke8 experiences to new levels as a way to stand out from the mass market. So, for example, soon customers may walk into a Prada store and the sales associate will get a report of their sizes and tastes to guide them to exactly what they might like swiftly.

    科技让一切变得更便携的同时,所谓“高度奢华”越来越难以立足。在该调查中,许多受访的奢侈品机构都反馈称,奢侈品业务要想与平价市场拉开距离,就必须要把体验做到更高的水平。比如,在不久的将来,当顾客走近一家普拉达(Prada)专卖店时,销售助理可能会获得一份关于顾客的尺码和品味的报告,使他们能迅速引导顾客购买他们喜爱的东西。

    Yet, how long before that technology is comparably available to consumers at the Gap GPS 1.48% ? Or Target TGT 1.45% ? That sort of information technology scales so fast that any advantage a brand achieves digitally won’t last.

    不过,Gap或Target等平价品牌的消费者多久之后能用上这种服务?由于信息技术发展得非常快,任何一个品牌都不会长期独享这种技术优势。

    High tech devices, in a way, undermine the very notion of luxury. Take the $10,800 Vertu Signature Touch Smartphone. It comes with a year of global concierge10 service, with a camera and speakers certified11 by top brands, but it is still just running Android, and its processor isn’t even quite as good as the one in the $499.99 Moto X. On the outside, it has beautiful customizations, but, as a device, it is nothing extraordinary.

    从某种程度上来说,高科技设备已经冲击了所谓“奢侈品”的概念。以价格达10800美元的Vertu署名触屏智能手机为例。消费者可以享受一年的“全球管家服务”,它的摄像头和话筒也是经过国际领先品牌认证的,但它依旧运行的是安卓系统,而且它的处理器可能还不如499.99美元的Moto X手机。从外在看,它的定制做得很漂亮,但作为一款设备,它没有任何突出的地方。

    Yet a $22,200 pair of earrings12 from Kimberly McDonald have no features at all, beyond being objects. People aren’t paying for the earrings or the phone’s function, but their quality as rare objects. If that’s so, experts say that luxury consumer will be looking for something not only rare but that expresses something about them. Pearlfisher calls this a shift, “from excess to asset.” People won’t want to be seen so much having lots of expensive things, but just the right ones.

    一对价值22200美元的金伯利(Kimberly McDonald)耳环,除了是一对物件,没有任何特殊功能。人们购买这对耳环或Vertu手机,看中的并不是它们的功能,仅仅是因为它们是稀罕物。因此,奢侈品专家表示,奢侈品消费者今后的消费方向将是那种不仅少见,而且还能表达他们自身某些特质的东西。Pearlfisher公司称之为“从放纵到资产”的转变。人们不再希望让别人觉得他们拥有很贵的东西,只想让别人觉得他们拥有对的东西。

    These consumers will want to make purchases that illuminate13 something about how the buyer sees the world. Pearlfisherpoints to Maison Martin Margiela, with a homeware collection that offers products such as a night-light sculpted14 to look like a basic, vintage light fixture15, in glow-in-the-dark plaster.

    这些消费者希望他们购买的东西能反映出他们的三观。Pearlfisher的报告举了Maison Martin Margiela公司的产品作例子,这家公司主打高档家居产品,比如它的一款夜灯的形状就像一具非常简单的古代灯具,材质是能够发出荧光的石膏。

    The O Group’s Kristen Dillman echoed the idea of thoughtful, considered consumption. “Perhaps in the future,” she says, “we might see luxury brands playing on this idea that’s already permeated16 the culture, of people investing in fewer but better things.” If this prediction is right, expert curators may be more in demand before long.

    纽约时尚创意机构The O Group的克里斯汀o迪尔曼也认为这个理念很有道理,她表示:“或许在将来,人们将普遍接受这一理念,那时人们开始投资更少的钱买更好的东西,奢侈品品牌也要基于这个理念发展。”如果这一预测是正确的,那么不久之后市场将需要更多的专业策划人才。

    The other implication of this shift could be that upstart brands who know their following will erode17 the legacy18 companies’ market share, Roxanne Genier, cofounder of Agence:Luxury, explained. Though no doubt some will always like the story of 200-year-old lines, like Goyard luggage. “When you start looking at all the big brands, their social media presence and their websites, it’s all about me,” Genier said, but she doesn’t think that works for the coming generation of consumers.

    品牌营销机构Agency:Luxury的联合创始人洛葛仙妮o吉尼认为,这种转变的另一后果,则是新兴公司将逐渐蚕食守成公司的市场份额。虽然总是有消费者喜欢那种像Goyard Luggage那样拥有两百年历史的老品牌,不过吉尼表示:“如果你看看所有的大品牌,看看他们的社交媒体内容和他们的网站,你会发现他们非常自恋。”但是下一代的消费者可能对此并不买账。

    They want brands they can be in conversation with, she says. “The younger generation, they want something that’s them. They don’t want to be a copycat like everyone else.” In fact, beyond customization, Genier pointed to one small brand, Anatomie, whose designer has such a close relationship with his best clients that he’s been known to visit them at home to personally style them.

    吉尼表示,新一代消费者想要的是能和他们对话的品牌。“新一代人想要能反映‘他们’的东西。他们不想像其他人一样盲从。”吉尼还举了一个名叫Anatomie的小品牌的例子,这个品牌的设计师与他最好的客户保持了非常好的关系,他们甚至邀请他到家里去给他们做造型。

    As bespoke becomes the watchword, services may become the ascendant luxury product. Genier is working with Presidential Private Jet Vacations, which plans an entirely20 customizable itinerary21, makes all the arrangements and escorts their guests through it in a private plane.

    随着定制变得流行,服务可能成为一种大有可为的奢侈品。吉尼正在与一家名叫Presidential Private Jet Vacations的公司合作,这家公司专门规划完全定制化的旅行线路,所有行程安排都是通过私人飞机完成的。

    Kleber spoke9 to the deeper value proposition of this kind of service. “The biggest luxury today is time,” she says. Services that can give deliver unique experiences but save clients the trouble of making them and add value to shared experiences are likely to be sought after going forward.

    克莱伯指出,这种服务具有更深层次的价值定位:“如今,最大的奢侈品是时间。”那些可以为消费者带来独特体验,同时省却他们很多麻烦,并能带来附加值的服务,很可能将成为消费者追捧的对象。

    Rare experiences are also likely to be more prized, experts agreed. Dillman pointed to Afar Magazine, saying that luxury consumers will look to “travel deeper.” For example, The champagne22 company VeuveCliquot runs an invitation-only hotel in Reims, France, L’Hotel du Marc. It features neoclassical architecture complemented23 by a rotating collection of contemporary artwork. With just six rooms, very few people will ever get to say they’ve been.

    专家们认为,一些稀有体验也将变得更加珍贵。迪尔曼举了旅行杂志《Afar》为例,表示奢华型消费者更期望“深度游”。比如香槟公司VeuveCliquot在法国的兰斯有一家只有获得邀请才能入住的酒店,名叫L’Hotel du Marc。该酒店具有新古典主义的建筑风格,以及一系列当代艺术作品。由于该酒店只有六间房间,能够入住的人少之又少。

    Which isn’t to say that goods and technology have no place in the high end market. More engineers are turning their skills to devices rather than digital products such as software and websites, and the marginal cost of machines never reaches zero, as it does with digital inventions.

    这并不是说,商品和科技在高端市场中已经没有一席之地了。越来越多的工程师正在把工夫下在设备上,而不是软件和网站等产品上。而机器的边际成本永远不会像软件与其它数字产品那样趋于零。

    Jessica Banks founded Rock Paper Robot, a high-end furniture maker24 that uses principles of physics to make furniture that appear to do the impossible (her signature piece is a levitating25 table). She says, “Versatility26, customization and modularity: that’s what I think the future is about. And I’m banking27 on it.” Right now, that consists of making a chandelier that can spread light out or focus it in based on the mood it senses in a room.

    杰西卡o班克斯是Rock Paper Robot公司的创始人,这家公司是一家高端的家居制造商,它的独特之处在于,通过使用物理学定律来生产一些貌似几乎不可能存在的东西(比如她的标志性作品是一款悬浮桌子)。班克斯表示:“我认为功能性、定制性和模块化是未来的关键,这也正是我的发展方向。”班克斯的公司还生产了一款神奇的吊灯,可以通过判断屋里人们的情绪来决定散射或集中光线。

    Where might high-end customization of the home lead? Imagine whole walls covered in electronic paper whose color and patterns could change in a moment. Later, there could be furniture that could rearrange or transform itself at a voice command, from dining room to den19 to ballroom28 in the same space.

    家居市场的高端定制化会朝着哪个方向发展呢?我们不妨想象一下:不久的将来,整面墙都用电子墙纸包裹,墙的颜色和图案可以迅速改变。再往后,说不定你只要下一条语音指令,家具就可以自己整理甚至像变形金刚一样变形,同一间屋子不一会儿就能从餐厅变成卧室再变成舞厅。

    If it’s a safe bet now that tomorrow’s luxury consumer will seek brands that speak to their unique selves, further down the road, logic29 says it would go one step further: affluent consumers could demand solutions that can adapt on the fly to precisely30 the person they want to impress.

    如果说,明日的奢侈品消费者青睐的是那些能够表达出自我个性的品牌,那么随着时间的推移,它还会合乎逻辑地继续迈进一步:未来的奢侈品消费者很可能需要一些能够即兴发挥,精确适应目标人群品味的解决方案。

     11级    英语新闻 


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    1 jewelry ['dʒu:əlrɪ] 0auz1   第8级
    n.(jewllery)(总称)珠宝
    参考例句:
    • The burglars walked off with all my jewelry. 夜盗偷走了我的全部珠宝。
    • Jewelry and lace are mostly feminine belongings. 珠宝和花边多数是女性用品。
    2 pointed [ˈpɔɪntɪd] Il8zB4   第7级
    adj.尖的,直截了当的
    参考例句:
    • He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil. 他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
    • A safety pin has a metal covering over the pointed end. 安全别针在尖端有一个金属套。
    3 affluent [ˈæfluənt] 9xVze   第7级
    adj.富裕的,富有的,丰富的,富饶的
    参考例句:
    • He hails from an affluent background. 他出身于一个富有的家庭。
    • His parents were very affluent. 他的父母很富裕。
    4 urbanite [ˈɜ:bənaɪt] Sf6zJN   第12级
    n.都市人
    参考例句:
    • More and more urbanite begin to pay attention to mental health. 越来越多的都市人,开始注重心理健康。
    • A study of German college students suggests that urbanite brains are more susceptible to stress, particularly social stress, than those of country dwellers. 由德国大学生组织实施的一项研究表明,都市人的大脑与农村居民相比,要更容易受到压力的影响,尤其是社会压力的影响。
    5 attainable [ə'teinəbl] ayEzj8   第7级
    a.可达到的,可获得的
    参考例句:
    • They set the limits of performance attainable. 它们确定着可达到的运行限度。
    • If objectives are to be meaningful to people, they must be clear, attainable, actionable, and verifiable. 如果目标对人们是具有意义的,则目标必须是清晰的,能达到的,可以行动的,以及可供检验的。
    6 illustrates [ˈiləstreits] a03402300df9f3e3716d9eb11aae5782   第7级
    给…加插图( illustrate的第三人称单数 ); 说明; 表明; (用示例、图画等)说明
    参考例句:
    • This historical novel illustrates the breaking up of feudal society in microcosm. 这部历史小说是走向崩溃的封建社会的缩影。
    • Alfred Adler, a famous doctor, had an experience which illustrates this. 阿尔弗莱德 - 阿德勒是一位著名的医生,他有过可以说明这点的经历。 来自中级百科部分
    7 luxurious [lʌgˈʒʊəriəs] S2pyv   第7级
    adj.精美而昂贵的;豪华的
    参考例句:
    • This is a luxurious car complete with air conditioning and telephone. 这是一辆附有空调设备和电话的豪华轿车。
    • The rich man lives in luxurious surroundings. 这位富人生活在奢侈的环境中。
    8 bespoke [biˈspəuk] 145af5d0ef7fa4d104f65fe8ad911f59   第12级
    adj.(产品)订做的;专做订货的v.预定( bespeak的过去式 );订(货);证明;预先请求
    参考例句:
    • His style of dressing bespoke great self-confidence. 他的衣着风格显得十分自信。
    • The haberdasher presented a cap, saying,"Here is the cap your worship bespoke." 帽匠拿出一顶帽子来说:“这就是老爷您定做的那顶。” 来自辞典例句
    9 spoke [spəʊk] XryyC   第11级
    n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
    参考例句:
    • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company. 他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
    • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre. 辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
    10 concierge [ˈkɒnsieəʒ] gppzr   第12级
    n.管理员;门房
    参考例句:
    • This time the concierge was surprised to the point of bewilderment. 这时候看门人惊奇到了困惑不解的地步。
    • As I went into the dining-room the concierge brought me a police bulletin to fill out. 我走进餐厅的时候,看门人拿来一张警察局发的表格要我填。
    11 certified ['sə:tifaid] fw5zkU   第7级
    a.经证明合格的;具有证明文件的
    参考例句:
    • Doctors certified him as insane. 医生证明他精神失常。
    • The planes were certified airworthy. 飞机被证明适于航行。
    12 earrings ['ɪərɪŋz] 9ukzSs   第7级
    n.耳环( earring的名词复数 );耳坠子
    参考例句:
    • a pair of earrings 一对耳环
    • These earrings snap on with special fastener. 这付耳环是用特制的按扣扣上去的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    13 illuminate [ɪˈlu:mɪneɪt] zcSz4   第7级
    vt.照亮,照明;用灯光装饰;说明,阐释
    参考例句:
    • Dreams kindle a flame to illuminate our dark roads. 梦想点燃火炬照亮我们黑暗的道路。
    • They use games and drawings to illuminate their subject. 他们用游戏和图画来阐明他们的主题。
    14 sculpted ['skʌlptid] da5be298460bb9f4b0690c2dc86da0af   第11级
    adj.经雕塑的
    参考例句:
    • a display of animals sculpted in ice 冰雕动物展
    • The ladies had their hair sculpted by the leading coiffeur of the day. 女士们的发型都是当代有名的理发师做的。
    15 fixture [ˈfɪkstʃə(r)] hjKxo   第7级
    n.固定设备;预定日期;比赛时间;定期存款
    参考例句:
    • Lighting fixture must be installed at once. 必须立即安装照明设备。
    • The cordless kettle may now be a fixture in most kitchens. 无绳电热水壶现在可能是多数厨房的固定设备。
    16 permeated ['pɜ:mɪeɪtɪd] 5fe75f31bda63acdd5d0ee4bbd196747   第7级
    弥漫( permeate的过去式和过去分词 ); 遍布; 渗入; 渗透
    参考例句:
    • The smell of leather permeated the room. 屋子里弥漫着皮革的气味。
    • His public speeches were permeated with hatred of injustice. 在他对民众的演说里,充满了对不公正的愤慨。
    17 erode [ɪˈrəʊd] NmUyX   第8级
    vt. 腐蚀,侵蚀 vi. 侵蚀;受腐蚀
    参考例句:
    • Once exposed, soil is quickly eroded by wind and rain. 一旦暴露在外,土壤很快就会被风雨侵蚀。
    • Competition in the financial marketplace has eroded profits. 金融市场的竞争降低了利润。
    18 legacy [ˈlegəsi] 59YzD   第7级
    n.遗产,遗赠;先人(或过去)留下的东西
    参考例句:
    • They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left. 它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
    • He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods. 他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。
    19 den [den] 5w9xk   第9级
    n.兽穴;秘密地方;安静的小房间,私室
    参考例句:
    • There is a big fox den on the back hill. 后山有一个很大的狐狸窝。
    • The only way to catch tiger cubs is to go into tiger's den. 不入虎穴焉得虎子。
    20 entirely [ɪnˈtaɪəli] entirely   第9级
    ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地
    参考例句:
    • The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
    • His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。
    21 itinerary [aɪˈtɪnərəri] M3Myu   第9级
    n.行程表,旅行路线;旅行计划
    参考例句:
    • The two sides have agreed on the itinerary of the visit. 双方商定了访问日程。
    • The next place on our itinerary was Silistra. 我们行程的下一站是锡利斯特拉。
    22 champagne [ʃæmˈpeɪn] iwBzh3   第7级
    n.香槟酒;微黄色
    参考例句:
    • There were two glasses of champagne on the tray. 托盘里有两杯香槟酒。
    • They sat there swilling champagne. 他们坐在那里大喝香槟酒。
    23 complemented ['kɒmplɪməntɪd] ef190f44a2dd6967f0c5c8104e74e707   第7级
    有补助物的,有余格的
    参考例句:
    • The excellent menu is complemented by a good wine list. 佳肴佐以美酒,可称完美无缺。
    • In vitro analysis must be complemented by studies of the virus replication cycle in plants. 体外的分析必须辅之以植物体内病毒复制周期的研究。
    24 maker [ˈmeɪkə(r)] DALxN   第8级
    n.制造者,制造商
    参考例句:
    • He is a trouble maker. You must be distant with him. 他是个捣蛋鬼,你不要跟他在一起。
    • A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman. 家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。
    25 levitating ['levɪteɪtɪŋ] 4e075770f0f97cc8716fee3f684c4b3f   第12级
    v.(使)升空,(使)漂浮( levitate的现在分词 )
    参考例句:
    • It will not mean things like levitating objects and reading others minds. 你将开始明白掌握力量的真正意义。 来自互联网
    • As the pole rotates the balls spin out levitating higher the faster the system spins. 柱子旋转的时候,这两个球也会转起来,这个系统转得越快,它们飞得越高。 来自互联网
    26 versatility [ˌvɜ:sə'tɪlətɪ] xiQwT   第7级
    n.多才多艺,多样性,多功能
    参考例句:
    • Versatility is another of your strong points,but don't overdo it by having too many irons in the fire.你还有一个长处是多才多艺,但不要揽事太多而太露锋芒。
    • This versatility comes from a dual weather influence.这种多样性是由于双重的气候影响而形成的。
    27 banking [ˈbæŋkɪŋ] aySz20   第8级
    n.银行业,银行学,金融业
    参考例句:
    • John is launching his son on a career in banking. 约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
    • He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking. 他具有广博的银行业务知识。
    28 ballroom [ˈbɔ:lru:m] SPTyA   第9级
    n.舞厅
    参考例句:
    • The boss of the ballroom excused them the fee. 舞厅老板给他们免费。
    • I go ballroom dancing twice a week. 我一个星期跳两次交际舞。
    29 logic [ˈlɒdʒɪk] j0HxI   第7级
    n.逻辑(学);逻辑性
    参考例句:
    • What sort of logic is that? 这是什么逻辑?
    • I don't follow the logic of your argument. 我不明白你的论点逻辑性何在。
    30 precisely [prɪˈsaɪsli] zlWzUb   第8级
    adv.恰好,正好,精确地,细致地
    参考例句:
    • It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust. 我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
    • The man adjusted very precisely. 那个人调得很准。

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