Ride on! Hermès objects are an invitation to forge new links and broaden your horizons. ​ ​

#FallWinter2026​ #HermesFemme​ #HermesHomme​

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This article looks at what meaningful change really involves, what it asks of a person day to day, and why so much of the work happens long after the drinking or the drug use stops. For readers in Columbia, TN, it is also a reminder that help does not have to be far away.

Recognising the Point Where Something Has to Shift

Very few people wake up one morning and decide that everything needs to be different, because the realisation usually arrives slowly, after months of quiet reassurances that things are still under control. Choosing a treatment centre is one of the hardest parts of that moment, since the decision tends to land when energy is lowest and every option sounds more or less the same.

A licensed center that offers supervised detox, residential care, and continuing outpatient support in one place removes a great deal of that guesswork. That combination of medical oversight and steady step-down support is exactly what a centre such as APEX Recovery Columbia, TN is built to provide.

Why Stopping Alone Is Rarely Enough

Plenty of people manage to stop for a while. They get through a week, sometimes a month, and they feel proud of it, which is fair, because it is genuinely hard. The trouble is that stopping removes the substance without removing the reason it was being used. If alcohol was the thing that made social evenings bearable, or if pills were the only way to get through a shift after a bad night’s sleep, then taking them away leaves a gap that has to be filled with something else. 

The Emotional Work That Sits Underneath

Substance use often sits on top of something older. It might be grief that was never properly felt, a long stretch of anxiety that nobody named, or a habit of pushing through pain because that is what everyone around you did. None of that disappears when the substance does. In fact, it usually gets louder for a while, which catches people off guard and can feel like a sign that treatment is failing when it is really a sign that treatment is working. Doing the emotional work means sitting with those older feelings in a setting where someone qualified is helping you make sense of them, rather than facing them alone at two in the morning.

How Substance Use Affects the People Closest to You

By the time someone seeks help, the people around them have usually been adjusting for a long time. A partner has learned which questions not to ask. A child has learned to read the tone of a returning car. A parent has learned to expect the call. Those adjustments do not undo themselves the moment someone gets sober, and it is unrealistic to expect a family to relax on schedule. Real change includes letting the people around you set their own pace, answering their questions without defensiveness, and accepting that their caution is a reasonable response to what they have lived through rather than a punishment.

What the Early Weeks Usually Feel Like

The early weeks are uncomfortable in ways people do not always expect. Sleep is often broken. Appetite comes and goes. Moods swing more sharply than they did before, and small irritations feel enormous. There is also a strange emptiness in the hours that used to be occupied, and that emptiness can be more dangerous than any craving. This is the stretch where medical supervision matters most, because the body is recalibrating and some withdrawals carry genuine risk. 

Building a Daily Routine That Can Hold Weight

A routine sounds like a small thing next to the size of the problem, but it does an enormous amount of quiet work. Getting up at a set time, eating properly, moving the body, and having somewhere to be gives the day a shape that does not depend on willpower. The point is not discipline for its own sake. The point is that a predictable day leaves fewer unguarded hours, and unguarded hours are where old habits find their way back in. A routine that can hold weight is one you can keep on a bad day, not only on a good one, which is why simple routines tend to outlast ambitious ones.

Learning to Sit With Difficult Feelings

One of the most useful skills a person picks up in treatment is the ability to feel something unpleasant without immediately acting on it. Anger, boredom, shame, and loneliness all pass, usually faster than expected, but only if they are allowed to. Counseling teaches people to notice what is happening, name it, and wait it out, often with the help of someone who has been through something similar. This skill is not dramatic, and it does not look like much from the outside. It is, however, the difference between a hard evening that ends in sleep and a hard evening that ends in a relapse.

Planning Ahead for the Hard Days

Everyone has hard days. A good plan assumes them instead of hoping they will not come. That means knowing in advance who to call, which places to avoid for now, what to do with a free Saturday, and how to leave a situation that turns uncomfortable. It also means being honest about warning signs, such as isolating, skipping meals, or lying about something small. Written down and shared with someone trustworthy, a plan turns a crisis into a set of steps, and steps are far easier to take than decisions.

Taking the Next Step

Meaningful change is slower, quieter, and more ordinary than most people imagine before they begin. It is made of early mornings, awkward conversations, kept appointments, and days that feel like very little at the time. If substance use is part of what is wrong, professional help shortens the hardest parts and makes the rest survivable. The first step is usually a phone call, and it does not need to be a confident one.

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Designed and assembled by Les Ateliers Horlogers Van Cleef & Arpels, the movement took four years of development to meld two complications that could operate in harmony: the Sun and Moon that appear and disappear beyond the horizon (represented by a guilloché mother-of-pearl cap painted in a gentle gradient) by way of a 24-hour rotating disc, a signature of the watches in the Jour Nuit series; and a moonphase indicated by a second rotating disc that completes one revolution in 24 hours, 16 minutes and 27 seconds to track the moon’s 29.5-day cycle. A mesmeric animation can be activated by the pusher at 8 o’clock, which spins the dial one full revolution over 10 seconds to reveal the current phase of the moon. Making this marvellous mechanism a challenge to realise is the need to reduce the weight of both rotating discs for the animation to work with minimal friction. The self-winding mechanical movement delegates the crown to control both setting the time and adjusting the moonphase indication.

Part of the Poetic Complications watch collection, the Jour Nuit series launched in 2008 and subsequently updated in 2024 currently comprises more ornate gem-set references measuring 33mm and 38mm, so the Midnight Jour Nuit Phase de Lune’s substantial 42mm diameter and more restrained aesthetic approach clearly telegraph the maison’s intentions for the series. Replacing a diamond-set case with T-bar lugs is a 42mm rhodium-plated white-gold Midnight case with curved lugs; instead of yellow sapphires and white diamonds, the Sun and Moon motifs are done in guilloché yellow gold and white mother-of-pearl, respectively; and a brighter blue Murano aventurine glass and mother-of-pearl cap make way for a moodier, more enigmatic set (the aventurine glass’s deeper colour and bronze-toned shimmer were developed with Van Cleef & Arpels’ Innovation Department to emulate the night sky in more dramatic detail.)

The celestial theme continues on the caseback, which features a white-gold engraving that mimics the surface of the moon and its plains, trenches and craters. Earth is depicted through enamel tracing beneath the sapphire crystal, surrounded by miniature-painted planets that orbit with the rotation of the oscillating weight.

This story was first seen as part of the WOW #86 Autumn 2026 issue.

For more on the latest in luxury watch reads, click here.

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Luxury businesses operate under a different set of expectations than most companies. Customers are not simply paying for a product or service. They are paying for craftsmanship, reputation, exclusivity, experience and the confidence that comes with choosing a respected brand.

That makes building a luxury business especially challenging. Attracting attention may create an initial wave of demand, but lasting success requires more than a strong launch or a fashionable product. Luxury brands must protect their identity while adapting to changing customer expectations and competitive pressures.

The businesses that endure tend to have a clear purpose, disciplined financial management and a willingness to think in decades rather than quarters.

Start With a Distinct Brand Identity

A lasting luxury business needs to stand for something recognizable. If customers cannot explain what separates a company from dozens of competitors, premium pricing becomes difficult to maintain.

Brand identity extends beyond a logo, color palette or elegant website. It includes the way products are designed, how customers are treated, what materials are chosen and even which opportunities the business decides to reject.

Consistency matters because luxury depends heavily on perception. Customers should encounter the same standards whether they are visiting a physical store, browsing online or speaking with customer service.

At the same time, consistency should not mean refusing to evolve. A brand can modernize its packaging, technology or customer experience without abandoning the principles that originally made it distinctive. The goal is to preserve the core while allowing the surrounding business to develop.

Build Around Quality Rather Than Short-Term Volume

Luxury companies often weaken their position when they begin chasing growth too aggressively. Expanding production can increase revenue, but it can also damage the qualities that made the brand desirable in the first place.

Scarcity, careful production and attention to detail all contribute to perceived value. If availability increases dramatically while quality declines, customers may begin viewing the brand differently.

This is why sustainable growth requires discipline. A company may need to turn down certain distribution opportunities or delay expansion until its production systems can maintain the expected standard.

Quality also creates another advantage: trust. Customers who consistently receive well-made products or exceptional service have a reason to return. Over time, that relationship can become more valuable than temporary attention generated by advertising.

Protect Cash Flow as the Business Expands

Luxury businesses still face ordinary financial realities. Inventory must be purchased, employees must be paid and new locations or product lines may require considerable upfront investment.

The difference is that maintaining premium standards can make those expenses particularly high. Better materials, skilled labor, specialized packaging and high-quality retail environments all require capital.

As the business grows, owners should understand both profitability and cash flow. A profitable company can still encounter financial pressure if money is tied up in inventory or if expenses come due before customers generate enough revenue.

Some businesses maintain access to a business line of credit as part of their broader financial planning, particularly when they need flexibility to manage temporary cash flow gaps, inventory purchases or carefully planned expansion costs. Financing should support a clear business objective rather than compensate for weak financial controls.

Make the Customer Experience Part of the Product

For a luxury business, the transaction itself is only one piece of the customer relationship. The experience surrounding that transaction can be just as important as the item being purchased.

Consider everything the customer encounters. Product presentation, communication, delivery, packaging, staff knowledge and after-sales support all shape how the brand is remembered.

Small inconsistencies can have an outsized effect. A customer paying a premium price is unlikely to separate a beautiful product from poor service or confusing communication. Instead, the entire experience becomes part of the judgment they make about the company.

Strong luxury brands therefore treat service standards as seriously as product standards. Employees should understand not only what they are selling but also what the brand represents.

Personalization can strengthen this experience when it is handled thoughtfully. Remembering a returning customer’s preferences or providing relevant recommendations can create a sense of recognition without becoming intrusive.

Resist the Pressure to Follow Every Trend

Luxury brands need to understand cultural changes, but following every trend can make a business feel inconsistent.

Trends move quickly. Brand identity should move much more slowly.

A company that constantly changes its visual style, product strategy or message to match whatever is currently popular may generate short bursts of attention. Over time, however, customers can lose sight of what the business represents.

The stronger approach is to filter trends through the brand’s existing identity. Some developments will create meaningful opportunities. Others can simply be ignored.

Technology is a good example. Luxury companies can introduce digital tools, online consultations or more convenient purchasing systems without sacrificing personal service. The question is not whether a trend is popular. It is whether adopting it improves the experience while remaining consistent with the brand.

Develop Customer Loyalty Without Depending on Discounts

Frequent discounting can be particularly damaging in the luxury market. If customers learn that a premium product will regularly become cheaper, they have little reason to purchase it at full price.

Luxury businesses are usually better served by building loyalty around access, service and relationships.

Returning customers might receive early access to collections, private appointments, invitations to events or personalized recommendations. These benefits strengthen the relationship without changing the perceived value of the product itself.

The principle is simple. Customers should feel rewarded for their loyalty without being trained to wait for lower prices.

Strong relationships can also create organic advocacy. Customers who identify with a brand often recommend it to others, not because they were offered an incentive but because the brand has become part of how they express their tastes and values.

Protect Reputation as Carefully as Revenue

Reputation can take years to establish and very little time to damage.

Luxury companies rely heavily on trust because customers often pay a premium before they can fully evaluate what they are buying. They expect the company’s reputation to act as a guarantee of quality.

That makes operational decisions especially important. Poor customer service, declining materials or inconsistent production can gradually weaken brand equity even if short-term sales remain strong.

Businesses should therefore evaluate major decisions through two lenses. The first is financial: Will this decision generate revenue or improve efficiency? The second is reputational: Will it strengthen or weaken what customers believe about the brand?

Not every profitable opportunity is worth pursuing.

Think in Years, Not Campaigns

Building a luxury business that lasts requires patience. Marketing campaigns can generate awareness and product launches can produce spikes in sales, but neither creates lasting value on its own.

Longevity comes from repeatedly making decisions that reinforce the same fundamental promise.

That means maintaining product standards during periods of rapid demand, investing in employees, protecting financial stability and resisting opportunities that could weaken the brand’s positioning. It also means adapting carefully when customer expectations change.

The strongest luxury businesses eventually become more than sellers of premium products. They develop a reputation that customers recognize before they encounter a particular collection, location or advertisement.

That type of reputation cannot be manufactured quickly. It is built through thousands of consistent decisions made over many years.

A luxury brand does not last simply because it looks exclusive. It lasts because the company behind it has created something distinctive, protected its standards and built enough financial and operational discipline to preserve those qualities as the business grows.

For more on the latest in business reads, click here.

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Superyachts are often described as floating villas and nautical palaces, but are they really? At home, do you park the Bentley, open the front door and walk straight into the dining room? Is your swimming pool on the first floor and the kitchen hidden away in the basement? 

When the shipyard and designers get it right, a superyacht doesn’t feel like a yacht, it feels like home, and with the Majesty 145, Cristiano Gatto Design has done exactly that. The Venetian studio has created a general arrangement that suits today’s lifestyle-conscious owner, bringing together Port Hercule-worthy exterior lines, sublime interiors and expansive social spaces.

Yacht Style is at Gulf Craft Group’s main production facility in Umm Al Quwain, where the first Majesty 145, Suzie Q, was built and launched.

Today, we have the 45m, 420GT superyacht to ourselves, while Captain Simon, an Italian who has been with the owner for seven years, oversees the final preparations ahead of her departure.

Before we head on board, we take a walk alongside Suzie Q to admire her striking profile, which dominates the marina despite some well-known Italian-built neighbours. Designed by Cristiano Gatto in collaboration with Majesty’s in-house design team, the 145, while sharing DNA with the Majesty 120 and her larger sisters, has her own identity.

Gatto’s Italian flair is immediately apparent. A towering arch detail rises from the bridge before sweeping aft, creating a sleek line that flows from the sundeck to the beach club. The fact that it finishes relatively close to the yacht’s centreline hints at the scale of one of the Majesty 145’s defining spaces: her villa-inspired beach club.

VILLA LIFE OUTDOORS

It’s here that you really get a feel for her lifestyle-orientated character. Spanning the yacht’s 8m beam, the beach club is vast, with plenty of room for the family’s sun loungers and water toys.

The first of Suzie Q’s two infinity-style pools overlooks the swim platform and is flanked by staircases leading to the elevated dropdown side terraces. Here, generous sunpads make the most of the beam, which expands to 10.3m when the balconies are lowered.

A spacious, sheltered cockpit lounge forms the hub of the aft main deck, with loose furniture allowing a variety of layouts to suit the occasion. That flexibility is central to the yacht’s DNA. Working within the semi-custom platform, the shipyard collaborated closely with the owner to tailor the yacht to his lifestyle.

Gatto explains: “We offer multiple configurations, with two stern options – an open and a closed version – two flybridge options and two bow configurations. This principle, which allows for the customisation of a semi-series product, reflects both the shipyard’s design philosophy and my working approach.

“Moreover, building a Majesty 145 within a shipyard like this, where most of the production is carried out inhouse, provides unprecedented material selection and processing freedom. This approach fosters extensive research and development, pushing the boundaries of yacht design and construction even further.”

Forward of the cockpit, guests can take the curved staircase to the upper deck or head along the starboard passageway to reach stairs to the foredeck. 

The port side is reserved for the crew. With the Electrolux-equipped galley and crew quarters both to port, the crew can move around the yacht discreetly without disturbing guests.

As with all Majesty yachts, crew comfort is considered just as carefully as guest comfort, reflecting the old maritime saying: “Happy crew, happy ship.” 

In fact, Captain Simon asked for his cabin to be made smaller because it was originally too large. The extra space has since been converted into a workstation on the bridge.

AT HOME INDOORS

At the owner’s request, the shipyard created a different experience in the main saloon, carrying the floating villa concept into the yacht’s principal indoor space. Vast floor-to-ceiling glazing floods the interior with natural light, while a fresh take on the dining area reflects the way the owner and his guests prefer to live on board.

Middle Eastern dining traditions have also been considered. Rather than a fixed formal arrangement, loose furniture can easily be reconfigured to suit the occasion. Sometimes that means an extravagant feast; sometimes it’s simply coffee and snacks in a more relaxed setting. This is, after all, a yacht that puts wellbeing and everyday living first. 

Centrally, a pop-up television keeps younger guests entertained while the owner hosts family and friends around the 12-seat dining table, just as they would at home. With the carpentry and much of the interior joinery designed and crafted in-house at Gulf Craft Group’s Umm Al Quwain shipyard, there’s a reassuring sense of cohesion throughout the Majesty 145’s interior.

Heading through the starboard lobby, there’s a day head to starboard, the staircase to the lower deck to port, and the expansive full-beam owner’s suite forward. Extensive glazing floods the cabin with natural light, while an office, generous wardrobe space and a floating bed reinforce its residential feel.

To port, a private terrace provides a secluded outdoor area, with a fold-down balcony available as an option. Forward, a full-beam his-and-hers bathroom incorporates an infrared sauna, another thoughtful feature that underlines the Majesty 145’s focus on wellbeing.

Suzie Q’s lower deck is geared primarily towards the charter market, with two double cabins, two twins and a forward VIP suite, all finished in the same materials and design language as the upper decks. Every cabin is en-suite, the twin cabins include Pullman berths, hidden storage is thoughtfully integrated, and natural marble features throughout.

THE HIGH LIFE

Guests can reach the upper deck via either the central foyer staircase or from the main-deck cockpit. Forward sits the bridge, complete with wing stations, a distinctive reverse-rake windscreen that minimises glare, and a multi-screen helm.

Aft to port is Suzie Q’s dedicated gym. The wellness space is equipped with a selection of Technogym equipment including free weights, a bench, cross trainer and exercise bike.

At the opposite end of the spectrum is the private aft-deck entertaining area. Spanning the full beam, this bright social space features a bar with icemaker, wine cooler and flexible seating that can be easily repositioned to suit the occasion. Heading out through the electrically operated doors, guests can dine alfresco while those enjoying the sundeck’s infinity pool look down from above. 

The sundeck is another example of the Majesty 145’s flexible approach to social spaces. Aft is a sun seeker’s dream, centred around the infinity pool and surrounded by generous lounging areas. The dining table is sheltered from above by the Majesty’s hardtop and forward, by an opening windbreaker that separates the dining and entertaining zones.

A private lounge and bar occupy the forward section, creating a space that’s open yet remarkably secluded, ideal when berthed stern-to in Saint-Tropez or Portofino.

COMING HOME

After spending the day on board Suzie Q, one thing is immediately clear: she’s perfectly at home in the Mediterranean, and she genuinely feels like a home. It’s rare for a 45m superyacht to be this welcoming, this familiar and this effortlessly liveable.

For all her size, unmistakable Gatto design and Middle Eastern pedigree, it’s the feeling of being onboard that stays with you long after you’ve stepped ashore.

majesty-yachts.com | gulfcraftgroup.com.

This article was first seen on YACHT STYLE.

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