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Luxury items are not a necessity but rather tokens of wealth and status; sometimes, they do not even fulfill any practical needs so that people can easily do without them. However, some brands combine functionality with status offering what one may dub functional luxury or luxurious functionality. Meet Bernadette Schaeffler, the owner of the namesake online retailer of home luxury products.
Founded in 2011 as a family-owned business, Bernadette Schaefller LLC specializes in one-of-a-kind home luxury goods, home wear, fashion jewelry, handbags, and more. Bernadette Schaeffler’s online store has a unique collection of hand-picked one-of-a-kind goods of European origin. Until recently, the company had a store in Dallas’s design district but, like many other businesses, was forced to entirely go online in the wake of COVID-related restrictions. All goods come in
small batches from European artisans, so that most of them are unique. Bernadette was born in Germany, and her love for European luxury goods manifested itself from a young age. For her, luxury is not necessarily associated with the big names and old, established fashion houses such as Hermes, Chanel, Bulgari, etc. Instead, Bernadette hand-picks her ware during her trips to Europe, where she sources them from often unknown yet talented artisans who handmake premium-quality products. “I personally select one-of-a-kind items from master craftsmen around the world,” explains Bernadette. The result of her thorough search of classics worldwide is the unmatched collection of select goods that marry old-world classics with modern simplicity.
Interestingly, wealthy consumers are not the sole buyers of luxury items. One recent study revealed that even low- to medium-income Americans tend to splurge up to 40 percent of their income on luxury goods, devoting the remaining 60 percent to necessities. Though the study covered a period from 1984 to 2014, its findings may still be roughly accurate. Bernadette Schaeffler’s goods fall right into the new luxury category associated not as much with brand names as with experiences that speak to consumer identities.
Bernadette Schaeffler helps fill every home with elegant, premium-quality, chic products. As famous brand names do not have the same appeal as before, a subtler admiration with high-end items is becoming more common than showing off somebody’s next luxury possession. As we were navigating Bernadette Schaeffler’s website, we virtually fell in love with some items. Given Bernadette’s love for all things Texan (her former Dallas flagship store also attesting to this love), she personally designed the classy Texas Longhorn crystal jar. The jar is made from Bohemian crystal from the Czechia, hand-graved, and mouth-blown; the jar marries old European artisanal tradition with Texan bonhomie. Another masterpiece that caught our eye is the set of six Viden whiskey glasses inspired by the Wiener Werkstatte, an early 20th-century Austrian design movement. The Viden glasses are massive, have distinctive sharp angles, and a bold aesthetic making them a must-have feature of a complete barware set. Needless to say, they are made of hand-cut and hand-polished crystal.
With the concept of luxury changing towards subtler undertones, Bernadette Schaeffler’s products align with the new luxury concept thanks to a personalized approach to every product. To learn more about the brand, visit their website and Instagram.
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