There was a time when luxury was defined by a price tag, but a new exhibit at The Victoria and Albert Museum in London is turning that notion on its head.
The exhibit - entitled "What Is Luxury?" - seeks to answer that very question by way of more than 100 over-the-top design concepts, including diamonds made from roadkill and a 24-karat gold skipping stone.
The items on display are organized into several sections based on their intended use, such as Pleasure, Passion, Expertise, Investment or Precision, according to Fast Company, and each piece is presented with information on how long it took to create, what its purpose is, the materials used to craft the object, and the benefit it offers those who use it.
The goal, Fast Company explains, is to get museum patrons thinking about whether their own beloved products are really worth so much. "Caring about high design implies a certain level of privilege, and designers often indulge in what seems like luxury for its own sake. But how often do design snobs question why they care about so-called luxury, or whether their beloved products are really worth so much? " Fast Co.'s Carey Dunne writes.
In addition to the luxury items on display, the exhibit also attempts to answer what luxury will look like in the future, and how individuals define luxury for themselves. (Spoiler: It may not have anything to do with material objects at all.)
Take a look at a few of the items on display in the photos below, and let us know how you define luxury in the comments below.
Luxury skimming stone with belt pouch
Church vestment made from linen needle lace mounted on silk
Combs made from human hair, resin, stainless steel and mirror
