The Art Of Waiting

In a world that thrives on the concept of instant gratification, is there still room left for true craftsmanship that takes time and patience to do well?

- Renée Batchelor, Lynette Kee & Kames Narayanan

Time may be a subjective measure, but to anyone growing up post-1990, it is likely measured in minutes and not months. Where the rush of instant gratification for our day-to-day needs, everything from coffee to travel bookings, can be attained at the snap of a finger, the idea of waiting for anything is a foreign, almost laughable concept today. Yet, there are certain industries and businesses that build their reputation on the premise that quality takes time.

An antidote to fast fashion and off-the-shelf purchases, these require consideration, time, money and skill to craft, and part of the joy is in the length of the process, and in the sheer effort that goes into crafting it. Is effort directly linked to time? Here are some bespoke services and boutique brands that offer their services to a discerning clientele who seems to think so, and who are willing to wait it out.

BESPOKE PERFUMERY

PERFUMERY IS ONE of the oldest beauty practices that humankind has undertaken. It is believed to have originated in ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt, and archaeologists have even discovered the world’s oldest surviving perfumes — estimated to be at least 4,000 years old — in Cyprus in 2003. But it wasn’t until the 16th century that perfume reached its pinnacle (or perhaps its nadir), when the wealthy classes doused themselves in the stuff to mask their unpleasant body odours as taking baths was not a daily affair. Modern perfumery as we know it, owes much of its progress to regions like Grasse, in France, which not only started to grow the raw ingredients used in perfumery, like lavender and rose, but also began nurturing generations of perfumers.