The Things We Keep

Things are never just things. There are always varying degrees of value that individuals ascribe to their belongings in ownership, and it is in the inklings of esteem, sentimentality and "good feelings" that material things can be elevated from humble objects to inheritable items.

- Vanessa Grace Ng

What encourages the upkeep of a purchase? The tender safekeeping of an item once the day is done? What distinguishes a select few accessories to be promoted from object to heirloom? To be inherited and then boasted about for generations to come?

An heirloom begins with an affinity for a single object that in time sows legacy. Way beyond traditional conventions that monetary value or public perception define worth, an object is given "grail" status when true, pure affection is earned. Cultivated in even the most minuscule sentiments of utility, rarity, pride, sentimentality, the compounding effect sees an ordinary object lifted and esteemed into being beloved.

Likewise are "grails", a term that has exploded in fashion's consumer culture. Vague enough to shirk rigid definitions, "grails" encompass items that are highly sought after, cherished for a personal perspective, or "wants" for the near future. Blanket statement as it might be, the concept is simple - people love what they love, and that typically encompasses things that are pursued, maintained, kept and loved with intention.