| Luxury not as luxurious as it used to be
There was a time when luxury goods were made by hand. Tailors and artisans dealt directly with clients, and shopping was an elevated experience. The $157 billion luxury-goods industry isn't what it used to be, and that's a pity, Dana Thomas declares in her lively and incisive "Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster." These days, writes Thomas (Newsweek's Paris-based culture and fashion reporter), the industry is dominated by a handful of publicly traded corporations. These multinationals spend millions pushing a "cult of luxury" on an obliging "middle market." Fine gowns, jewelry, clothing and cosmetics have become homogenized and omnipresent, she grumbles, their quality downgraded for consumers more interested in flaunting logos than in owning exquisitely made items.
Cider Days coming to Walnut Street Sept. 15
The 10th Annual Cider Days, presented by Great Southern Bank, will be held on Historic Walnut Street from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sept. 15 & 16, in downtown Springfield. This two-day fall festival will feature regional artists and crafters, three performance stages, a free hands-on children�s area with inflatables, a Scarecrow Village, Historic Homes Tour and vintage cars.
Admission is $3 per person; children 10 and under are free. Last year�s event attracted more than 15,000 individuals to the annual celebration.
Artists and crafters from across the region exhibit at Cider Days, selling a variety of handmade products. Artwork sold during past festivals included Raku-fired clay pieces, hand-dyed silk scarves, paper Christmas ornaments, preserved hydrangea, painted pumpkins and candles.
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