How Wellness Became a Luxury Good
How Wellness Became a Luxury Good
Over the last decade, wellness has taken a turn from associations with being “hippy” and “crunchy” to luxury. How did we get here and is there any value left to be had in wellness now that it’s become so closely associated with wealth?
“The wellness industry today looks like a coast-to-coast catwalk led by the new supermodels: self-anointed sages sipping perfectly packaged green powders, and companies jostling to commoditize the simple act of caring for ourselves. This is more than a metaphor: The fashion world is largely responsible for the luxury wellness movement. I know this because I was part of it.”
In this powerful account on Bon Appetit’s sister site, Healthyish, Rachelle Robinett exposes the ways she’s seen the fashion industry and the wellness world merge creating the landscape of high-priced exclusive events and hyper branded vitamins we see now.
“…at the boardroom tables of so many companies, I hear how they want their products to represent “a movement,” be “a lifestyle,” and “empower” people. But I believe there’s nothing empowering about selling detox waters, vitamins we can’t absorb, or overpriced herbs without giving people the tools they need to create real, lasting change.”
In the end, Robinett makes some smart suggestions… to put food first; focus on veggies, sleep and exercise; question a brand’s products, their motives, and their social media; and remember that every body is different. All recommendations we can seriously get behind.
Read the full story at www.bonappetit.com here.
