Pleasure is presence. The out-of-reach luxuries are overrated and outdated

The second definition for “luxurious” in Merriam-Webster is “pleasure loving.” It’s the definition I subscribe to, the state of existence I strive after.

Some might associate luxury with indulgence or being out of touch, but it doesn’t have to be the case. I’ve been returning to something the author Naomi Klein recently said: It’s time we re-enchant ourselves with the world we live in, in order to save it. Connecting to those things that give us pleasure connects us to the here and now.

For our October issue, we invited stylists, buyers, poets, designers and more to share their personal pleasures. They include: dressing as bugs and butterflies, walking breathlessly on city streets, cosplaying as a French empress, encountering a beautiful piece of art, sleeping on a weightless mattress and eating a midnight snack.

Pleasure, here, is presence. The out-of-reach luxuries are overrated and even outdated. It’s what’s within reach but not held long enough that’s most desirable of all.