Mahul Brahma’s book ‘Dark Luxe’ explores the uncharted dark side of luxury

The “Luxe Duology” is a two-part series of  Brahma’s books on luxury – Decoding Luxe and Dark Luxe.

It is published by Srishti Publishers.

This is the first duology of its kind on luxury internationally, said the organisers.

While the first book of the duology is a non-fiction, the second is a fiction. So it is not like a conventional story in two parts but a story none the less, unconventional and thrilling wherein it completes the entire spectrum of luxury – from dazzle to darkness.

Bibek Debroy, Chairman, Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, said in the foreword: “If there is one person who is eminently qualified to write about luxury products, it is Mahul.”

Brahma said, “Dark Luxe is not about dreams, it is about nightmares. The stories about the dark life of luxury are figments of my imagination, but certainly not limited by it. These tales are entwined with the historic evolution of these luxury brands. When we think of luxury, we always think of dazzle. But we never even touch upon the darkness that silently hides behind this luxe. It is always about glam and glitz. Behind this razzle-dazzle, there is another life. A life filled with lust, hatred, jealousy, anger. Luxury is just a silent witness to the depth of darkness of human hearts. It is about those realities that safely hide behind the veil of luxe. These 13 short stories are from the darkest, bottomless pits of hell. These first-hand tales of horror are stuff luxury is made of, straight from their heart, leaving a trail of blood.”

“My objective with the Luxe Duology is to expand the scope of luxury beyond 'price tag' and make it more inclusive so that more and more people can start understanding, appreciating and accepting luxury as an integral part of their life and not shun it as something that belongs to another world,” said Brahma. 

Panelists at the launch of the theme, 'The Dark Side of Luxury', included  Prof Alok Kumar, academician and author, Kounteya Sinha, senior journalist and photographer, Sumit Moitra, senior journalist, graphic novelist and illustrator of Dark Luxe, and the author. The panel was anchored by Saheli Mitra, author and journalist.

The launch was attended by industry leaders and prominent personalities from all walks of life.

The event witnessed a free-flowing and engaging discussion with the panelists talking about the book and luxury from their perspectives with numerous anecdotes.

About the book:
Dark Luxe is an anthology of 13 short stories on luxury. It is the second book of the “Luxe Duology” after “Decoding Luxe” by author and luxury commentator Mahul Brahma. From the glossy magazine pages with “price on request” tag, Dark Luxe takes readers to the other end of the spectrum. These horror stories are pure work of fiction and are crafted as tales from the proverbial horse’s mouth. Whether it is the Princess Cut Tiffany ring or the Rolls Royce Phantom or the Rolex watch or the luxury yacht or a Dom Perignon vintage champagne – all of them will share their tales as a silent witness that are far from the dazzle they exude. Dark Luxe tells you the tale of how we humans are all the same in our core, dominated by one or many of the seven deadly sins.

About the author:
Mahul Brahma is a luxury commentator and columnist. He is also an award-winning communicator, heading CSR, corporate communications and branding for mjunction, a Tata group company. He has been a senior journalist for a decade with Economic Times, CNBC TV18, Reuters and India partner of New York Times. He is an alumni of St Xavier’s College, University of Cambridge - Judge Business School and MICA. His debut micro short film “Post-It” as a filmmaker has received accolades from national and international film festivals. He is an avid golfer.