Andrea Vella Borg’s philosophy of luxury: quality over quantity in art and fashion

Luxury. The word is overused, isn’t it? It immediately brings to mind gold taps, handbags costing €5,000 and cars like small palaces. Andrea Vella Borg and his wife Julia think completely differently. Their luxury is hidden. It lies in the perfect suit that still looks like new even after years of wear. It hangs in the small picture on the wall that surprises you every morning. Having less, but having the right things.

Rethinking luxury

What is luxury, really? In the past, the answer was simple. Expensive equalled luxurious. Today? It’s more complicated.

Andrea Vella Borg has found his own way. His luxury is almost invisible. It’s in details that only he notices. The perfect weight of a shirt. The way leather ages. How a painting catches the light.

Take his favourite suit, for example. It comes from a tailor in Sicily whom hardly anyone knows. It costs less than some off-the-peg suits. But it has fit like a glove for five years. It even gets better with time.

His shoes? Handmade in Tuscany. A small workshop with three generations of experience. They become more beautiful with every year because the leather really lives.

That’s his luxury. Things that get better instead of worse. Things that stand the test of time.

Saving time through quality

Time is the most valuable thing we have. Right?

Andrea Vella Borg saves time by buying good things. He doesn’t have to buy new shirts every few months. He doesn’t have to constantly replace his shoes. His things simply last.

All his shirts come from the same shirtmaker in Naples. Perfect fit, best cotton. They last forever and always look good.

Boring? No, liberating. No more endless shopping trips. No more bad buys. More time for important things.

Collecting with common sense

Art collectors can become greedy. More and more pictures, more and more expensive names, more and more spectacular pieces.

Andrea Vella Borg does things differently. His collection grows deliberately. Sometimes he doesn’t buy anything for a year. Then he buys three pieces in a month.

Each new piece has to earn its place. It’s not just about filling a blank wall.

His walls are not covered with pictures. That’s a conscious decision. Each picture is given space to breathe. It can speak for itself.

This restraint is difficult, especially when tempting offers are constantly coming in. But it makes the difference between collecting and hoarding.

Show less, make more of an impact

What isn’t there can sometimes be more important than what is there.

One perfectly placed picture has more impact than three mediocre ones. Andrea Vella Borg understands this.

His collection tells a story. It has a common thread. It is more than just an accumulation of beautiful things.

Visitors notice this immediately. The rooms are calm. They make you think instead of just marvel.

Fashion as an investment

Fast fashion? The exact opposite of everything Andrea Vella Borg stands for.

His wardrobe is based on a few perfect basics. A white shirt that is truly white. A pair of dark trousers that still fit after a hundred washes.

He carefully adds to this foundation. A special jumper. An unusual jacket. But everything has to go together.

The result? A wardrobe that works. Where every combination is right. Where nothing hangs around pointlessly.

It costs more at the beginning. But it pays off. Good things last longer, look better and feel better.

Finding and appreciating craftsmanship

Andrea Vella Borg deliberately seeks out genuine craftsmen. Not out of romanticism. But because they simply do better work.

The Sicilian tailor sews differently from the factory in Bangladesh. With pride. With skill. You can tell.

His shoemaker’s workshop has been around for three generations. Every shoe is a small work of art. It becomes more beautiful instead of shabby over the years.

Finding craftsmen like this is becoming more difficult. But those who support them get quality that is impossible to find elsewhere.

Living as a couple, collecting as a couple

Andrea Vella Borg’s wife Julia shares his philosophy. It wasn’t always like that.

At the beginning of their relationship, they had different ideas about luxury. She was more trend-conscious. He was more conservative.

Today, they complement each other. She brings fresh ideas. He ensures continuity. Together, they find the right balance.

Their home reflects this. Every piece was chosen together. Nothing is there by chance.

Art as a joint project

When it comes to buying art, both have to say yes. Otherwise, nothing is bought.

This sometimes slows things down, but it prevents bad decisions. Two heads are better than one.

Julia often recognises what is coming sooner than Andrea Vella Borg, who has a flair for timelessness. Together, they are unbeatable.

This has made their collection more coherent and more personal.

Sustainability through quality

Sustainability is not a trend for Andrea Vella Borg. It is a logical consequence of his philosophy of luxury.

Those who buy quality automatically act more sustainably. They throw less away. They consume fewer resources.

His art collection will last for generations. His clothes age gracefully. That is true sustainability.

It costs more initially. But it pays off in the long run. Financially and ecologically.

Andrea Vella Borg and regional thinking

Andrea Vella Borg likes to buy regionally. He particularly supports Maltese artists. Italian craftsmen are geographically close.

Short distances make sense. You know the people behind the products. You can better assess quality.

This proximity creates trust. Both sides benefit.

Luxury as a feeling

True luxury is not what you own. It’s how you live.

Andrea Vella Borg lives consciously. The perfect shirt in the morning. Relaxing in front of his favourite painting in the evening. Drinking really good wine with friends.

These are his moments of luxury. You can’t just buy them. You have to develop them.

It takes time and experience. Sometimes mistakes too.

Maintaining balance

Luxury can become a trap. When everything has to be perfect. When spontaneity is no longer possible.

Andrea Vella Borg pays attention to balance. Sometimes he deliberately wears his second-best shirt. He buys the cheaper wine.

Perfection is boring. Small imperfections make you likeable.

Life should be fun, not stressful.

What remains

The luxury of bygone times seems ostentatious today. Golden bathroom fittings? Crystal chandeliers? Outdated.

Andrea Vella Borg focuses on timeless elegance. Things that will still be beautiful in twenty years.

His luxury ages with dignity. It gets better, not worse.

What he collects reflects his personality. Authentic. Honest.

Luxury as self-expression. Not as showing off.

Seems to be working so far.

His philosophy is simple: own less. But own the right things. Quality over quantity. Always.

Sounds simple? But it’s not. It takes discipline. And the courage to swim against the tide.

Andrea Vella Borg has both. That’s why his luxury works.