By Leigh O’Connor.
After years of tightening belts, air-frying everything and pretending that ‘quiet luxury’ wasn’t just code for beige, something curious is happening. The world is slowly – joyfully - stretching its limbs after a long cultural hibernation and leaning back into indulgence.
Not the velvet-roped, diamond-encrusted, Moët-in-magnums kind. No, this is a softer, wiser, wilder variety of opulence. A kind that pairs truffle-laced lentils with your favourite mismatched bowl. A kind that pours vintage Champagne into a humble tumbler because, honestly, it just feels right.
Welcome to the Great Decadence Rebound.
Luxury, But with a Wink
This new wave of indulgence doesn’t take itself too seriously. The pandemic taught us that life can turn upside down in a heartbeat - so why wait for ‘the right moment’ to pop something beautiful open? Why save fancy ingredients for guests only? The new decadence says: you are the guest of honour in your own life.
It’s decadence with a wink - luxury that’s self-aware, irreverent and occasionally chaotic. Think butter boards at 10 pm on a Tuesday. Think shower beers, but swap the lager for a crisp half-glass of Blanc de Blancs because it’s been a day. Think caviar…but sustainably farmed, regeneratively produced, spooned onto a piece of hot, buttered sourdough like it’s no big deal at all.
The Permission Slip We Didn’t Realise We Needed
There’s a collective exhale in the air. We’ve emerged from years of minimalism, frugality and thinking hard about every grocery bill. Austerity had its purpose - it grounded us, taught us gratitude, recalibrated our desires. Now the pendulum is swinging back and it’s bringing flavour with it.
Yet, this rebound doesn’t feel like the flashy indulgence of the early 2000s. It's more intentional, more grounded. It’s less ‘status symbol’ and more ‘soul symbol’. Instead of baller purchases designed to impress strangers, we’re investing in small, high-impact joys that hit us right in the emotional solar plexus.
Conscious Indulgence Is the New Currency
This era’s luxury has ethics woven into its silk lining. If something is grown, harvested, farmed, or crafted, we want to know the story behind it. We want indulgence without the guilt hangover.
That’s why regenerative caviar farming is having a glow-up. Why truffles are being shaved over lentils - an elevated twist on comfort food that blends earthiness with extravagance. Why a beautifully aged Champagne doesn’t have to be sipped out of crystal to be revered.
There’s power in choosing beauty while staying responsible. This is the kind of decadence that lets you enjoy pleasure without compromising your values.
Decadence as Self-care (For Real This Time)
The Great Decadence Rebound isn’t about excess - it’s about expression. It’s about reclaiming sensory joy. It’s about acknowledging that pleasure is not frivolous; it’s foundational.
A spoonful of creamy burrata, the pop of a salmon pearl, the hushed fizz of bubbles rising in a humble glass - these tiny luxuries ground us in the present moment. They remind us that delight is a form of wellness, too.
Where We’re Headed
If the last decade fetishised minimalism, the next might just celebrate mindful maximalism. Not more things, but better things. Not louder experiences, but deeper ones.
Luxury, at last, has loosened its collar. It’s swapping tuxedos for linen, crystal flutes for tumblers and exclusivity for inclusivity. Honestly? It tastes better this way.
