Do you like the sound of a golden zipper as it eases open a leather Louis Vuitton suitcase? What about the feeling of a cool string of Tasaki pearls hitting your palm, the pearls lightly tapping against each other? Does the sound of an Hermès Kelly bag clipping shut send shivers down your spine?
If you answered yes to any of the above, then you were probably experiencing ASMR, or an autonomous sensory meridian response. This phenomenon occurs when people see things or hear noises that trigger a physically satisfying response, and it’s taken the internet by storm. ASMR videos can feature anything from a person whispering into a microphone or tapping lightly on a keyboard to make-up applications or a meal being prepared and edited together with gratifying precision, with ASMR influencers racking up millions of views and likes. While there are still few studies about the science behind ASMR, researchers from Shenandoah University in Virginia used brain scans to discover that ASMR activated regions associated with reward, triggering oxytocin and dopamine, two hormones that aid relaxation.
In the Times Luxury world of ASMR you can experience this relaxation every day, whether that’s in a sea of new Loro Piana cashmere being pulled neatly from tissue paper, the spine of a new Smythson notebook being cracked open for the first time, or the ticking of a Bentley indicator. Here you’ll find the sights and sounds of luxury, on demand.
Matcha whisk
Over 300 years ago, the military government of Japan, the Tokugawa Shogunate, gave 13 families in the village of Takayama the right to make the chasen, or whisks, required to blend matcha tea. Matcha had arrived in the region in the 1100s in the knapsack of a Zen Buddhist monk returning from his studies in China. It quickly became an important part of the cultural landscape. Three of those original families are still operating today, and 90 per cent of matcha chasen are made in the same region. The whisk in this video is no exception. It was made in Takayama by the Ikeda family, who have been crafting chasen for eight generations.
Hear the soothing sound of the tea being whisked in this chic Ingot Objects bowl, available with the chasen, at the homegoods hub Abask.
Matcha powder provided by Japan House
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Dior Lip Glow Oil
There’s nothing more satisfying than finding the perfect shade of lip gloss. That is unless you’ve found the perfect shade of lip gloss that also happens to have the perfect kind of shine, is long lasting and — most importantly — doesn’t stick to your hair. Many have attempted this feat, but few have succeeded as triumphantly as Dior. Not only does the brand’s Lip Glow Oil come in eight chic colours, it also nourishes your lips and is free of sulphates and aluminium. And the sound of the applicator being removed from the base is the cherry on top of this sensory experience.
Videography and edit: Jennifer Lafer and Mohsen Rastizadeh
Asprey charm bracelet
The luxury brand famous for its jewellery, leather goods, silverware, clocks and fancy games was founded by William Asprey in 1781. It received a royal warrant from Queen Victoria in 1862, grew in popularity and moved from Surrey to central London, where during the Second World War it kept its doors open so the silversmiths could make parts for the war effort. The workshop remains in London, and a key component of Asprey’s business is its bespoke offerings, including its personalised charm bracelets.
Charm bracelets have long been popular: Queen Victoria wore one that contained lockets with family portraits. Asprey’s woodland charm bracelet is a veritable bonanza of beautiful, nature-based charms, which can include everything from an 18-carat gold blackberry to a pavé-diamond mushroom. There’s nothing more fun than adding a new charm, and nothing more ASMR-friendly than the light tinkling sound as the bracelet moves. Videography and edit: Jennifer Lafer and Mohsen Rastizadeh
Mason Pearson hairbrush
Spot the famous red and black of a Mason Pearson brush on someone’s dressing table and you know they mean business. Since its launch in east London in 1885, the British brush maker has been a symbol of luxury hair care. Pearson founded his company at the height of the industrial revolution, taking advantage of the newly minted modern technologies to mechanise parts of the brush-making process, while also maintaining the handmade, high-quality elements that had been prized in the past. The combination of the rubber padding — never before used in hairbrushes — and the boar bristles was revelatory, offering a smoother and more efficient brushing experience. The natural bristles were able to massage the scalp more gently, while also distributing oil from the roots to the ends, leading to shinier, healthier hair overall. Pearson’s brush had such an impact that he was awarded the Silver Medal at the International Inventions Exhibition in London the same year the brush hit the market.
After his death in 1906, Pearson’s widow, Mary, and their eldest son, Mason Jr, alongside his sisters, continued to grow the company. The factory remained in its original east London location for over 100 years, until 1986 when it was relocated to Stratford, and later Rainham (to make way for the London Olympics). Today, more than 60 people work at the factory, where the construction of the brushes has changed little since the 1920s. Hear the satisfying sound of the brush smoothing over a head of hair here. Videography and edit: Alicia Leech
Diptyque candle
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You know you’re in the right kind of place when you are met with the lovely smell of a Diptyque candle. The company was founded in Paris in 1961 by three best friends — Christiane Montadre-Gautrot, an interior designer, Yves Coueslant, a set designer, and Desmond Knox-Leet, a painter. They knew they wanted to work together, but didn’t quite know how, so they bought a shop in Saint-Germain, naming the brand after the two large, identical windows on the storefront, which reminded them of a diptych. At first the shop was a sort of bazaar, selling everything from fabrics and paintings to dolls. One Paris guidebook at the time called the Diptyque trio “merchants of nothing”. Before long, however, the brand found its niche — scented candles. Their aromas include notes such as berries, woodfire, jasmine and fig, and their classic formulations are based on trips abroad where they collect items to inform their candles’ scents. Their products became so well known that people from around the world would fly to Paris to acquire them. Diptyque’s candles are also famous for their distinctive labels, which were originally designed by Knox-Leet, who worked decoding enemy messages for the British Army during World War II. The unusual format of the words on the labels reflects this era. Listen to the tingle-inducing sound of one of the brand’s candle wicks being trimmed then lit. Videography and edit: Jennifer Lafer and Mohsen Rastizadeh
Fallow truffles
Truffles have been enjoyed as a fragrant and tasty delicacy for thousands of years. The Sumerians in present-day Iraq and the ancient Greeks and Romans were fans, and some even believed that they had magical powers. Truffles are a type of fungus that grows near the roots of specific trees, including hazelnut, beech and oak, and they come in both white and black varieties. They are most commonly found in France, Italy and Spain, although they are now cultivated around the world. Truffles are known for sprouting in hard-to-find places, and often require the help of specially trained pigs and dogs to be snuffled out. While they have always been rare, they have become even rarer as a result of climate change — warmer, drier summers in the European truffle regions have left crops vulnerable. Today a single wild white truffle can cost upwards of £1,500 per kilogram.
It’s important to note that not all of these fancy fungi are created equal. As truffles have become an increasingly in-demand ingredient, it’s become more common to find copycat products using a compound called 2,4-dithiapentane to masquerade as the real thing in truffle oils and sauces.
If you’re looking for a bona fide truffle experience, one of the best places in London is Fallow. When possible, the restaurant gets its supply from Wiltshire Truffles or distributors from around Europe, which it then serves with everything from cheese toasties to mushroom parfaits. These fresh truffles not only taste delicious, but the very particular sound they make as they are being shaved fresh onto your plate may have Pavlovian results for truffle lovers.
Videography and edit: Alicia Leech
