My One And Only

CURATING | by ROBIN AVNI

THE CONNOISSEUR IS BACK: that discriminating girlfriend with the exquisite taste who has a great knack for collecting the well-designed, unique objects that all admire, covet and strive to find.

The difference this time around? The number. Recent years had been all about the many. Or rather, how many, how much and what the heck, why not? Last year, as we all know, that came to a screeching halt and everyone recalibrated.

Moving forward, self-control is the guiding principle for the next couple of years. And as the consumer dips her toe back into the marketplace, it’s all about the power of one. Single item. Signature piece. Object of desire.

One woman’s discerning taste in antique collectibles is another’s found object at the swap meet. Or, one’s trash is another’s treasure. But all are discovered with the educated, ever-scrutinizing eye of the beholder.

This isn’t to say the high-end is out. Actually, far from it. Once again, the rich really are different.

Take, for example, the 1795 U.S. reed-edged, million-dollar penny. To be exact, it was $1.3 million for a single cent. Also fetching a high price at the fall auctions was Andy Warhol’s “200 One Dollar Bills”, for $43.7 million — that’s $218,500 for each buck.

Then back to reality, where at the opposite end sit the dollar stores, everything costing one dollar but usually worth much less.

The point? The new connoisseur is everywoman. At every price point.

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EXCERPTED FROM 10 INSIGHTS FOR 2010 by Lifestyle Insights.
For more information: robin@robinavni.com.

© 2009 robinavni | lifestyle topics, insights & trends llc. All rights reserved. No part of this material may be duplicated or redistributed in any form without written permission.

Edited by MOLLY MARTIN; image source: iSTOCKPHOTO.