Walking Beyond The Class Divide

What happens when you step out of your house casually dressed on a Sunday afternoon and through a sudden change in plans en route you end up in a highly luxurious mall like DLF Emporio situated in the posh Vasant Kunj area?.

Well if I were you, I would remain in complete awe of everything around. On sighting the elite crowd who are dressed no less than celebrities, I would be extremely conscious about what I am wearing especially my footwear. The saying that a person’s persona can be determined through his or her footwear would resonate violently on my mind. However, on second thoughts this is a natural feeling which normally creeps onto most of our minds. One should not pay heed to such thoughts. Does it really matter what economic class the store attendants or the filthy rich perceive you to be belonging to?

I recall visiting DLF Emporio about a month back and played witness to never seen before moments. Upon entering the grand building, I spotted Kate Spade and Coach stores on one of the floors and gathered the courage to enter their premises. The attendant inside the Kate Spade store had a good command over English and did not mind showcasing the lower budget articles. A small bag which I thought would be economical, turned out to be of 22,000 rupees after discount! After going through a silent mental shock, I dared to check out the prices of other small to tiny articles. Prices of all were exorbitant.

Prateek and I swiftly stepped out of the store after thanking the attendant and walked towards the Coach store. My high hopes completely shattered because the designs had no feminine appeal. There were no eye-catching shades and the available designs did not have mentally satisfying price tags. I sneaked out with disappointment.

All the well acclaimed Indian fashion designers had their stores there. I didn’t dare to enter any of those stores to make any kind of enquiry. I thought it would be suicidal. I could see a few families venturing in. Of course, they were the super-rich creme de la creme population. There was an open restaurant on the ground floor. Looking at the hustle bustle on the tables, I realised that it was a major attraction for the elite class to mingle with friends and family. Also, this is one of a kind luxury empire catering to such a population.

I asked myself, why am I feeling so out of place here? Is it that things sold here are out of my reach? Well, I can surely afford many of those handbags and shoes, but it cannot be a mental delight. To be honest, I would not remain indifferent to the inflated price tag when I make such a purchase, unlike someone who is born to enjoy such luxuries. However, the crux is that why do we earn our salaries? Are we not allowed to spend liberally once in a while? Is it foolish to spend 20,000 rupees on a bag or on shades? The answer is we deserve to be pampered once in a while. Plus the advantage is that the article will remain intact for years to come and you need not put more money into similar purchases at least for a few years.

As far as the conscience goes, I do believe that a feeling of disparity does emerge while visiting such places. However, everyone irrespective of their economic background enjoys full right to visit and witness the extravagant sight.

Last Sunday, DLF Emporio celebrated their 10th year of existence and there is a plan to unveil another clone very soon. A luxurious brand may have a restricted target audience but cannot stop people like us from splurging once in a while on their products.

Whether a store attendant attends to you or not should be irrelevant. This should not act as a dampener to your shopping experience. If you decide to purchase something, none of them can stop you. There are no restrictions on store entries and it should not matter if you do not find anything worthwhile and step out of the store empty-handed.

I did get a sense of relief when I stepped out of DLF Emporio and entered DLF Promenade which houses many affordable brands but now I have made a promise to myself. I shall be brave and walk with my head high next time I step in such a lap of luxury. Would you?