Way back around the turn of the 20th century, economist/sociologist Thorstein Veblen introduced the phrase ‘conspicuous consumption’ into the cultural lexicon with The Theory of the Leisure Class, an academic tome on the consumerist nature of American society. The concise version of Veblen’s essential point is that the public display of affluence signified by the trappings of upper class life, expensive clothes, cars, jewelry, houses, etc, are a mechanism that reinforces a traditional hierarchical class structure. The even shorter version is that, all the way back in 1899, there was a backlash against flaunting labels and hype, just for the sake of showing off.
The philosophy behind Scandinavian design, quality in the form of clean, uncluttered simplicity and practical functionality stands in stark contrast to both the practice of conspicuous consumption and the view of fine goods as pure, functionless ostentation. That's because, at the heart of this philosophy, is the idea that design should function in harmony with the user's every day life. It's an approach that's been applied to everything from cars and major appliances to furniture and household items.
Stockholm based Our Legacy introduce a progressive, contemporary element to this classic formula, bridging the gulf between pure utilitarianism and ephemeral fashion. Think of it as a Saab you can wear.
