How to maintain desirability in luxury? With the release of the latest report from the Comité Colbert on the theme of desirability, Laurent Boillot quotes Stendhal: “The desire for luxury is simply a desire for beauty.” He rightly recalls the pursuit of the intimate and the sublime that animates the luxury sector around aesthetic and sensory experiences, as well as the question of brand responsibility.

Going beyond necessity to evoke dreams, the challenge for luxury brands has always been not only to create desirability but above all to maintain it over time. However, this concern now finds itself amidst the evolving codes of luxury, consumer expectations, and brand expressions.

The Allure of Icons in Luxury

The concept of desirability is inherent to luxury. Throughout history, iconic objects crafted with unmatched expertise and recognizable symbols have been symbols of refinement and exclusivity. From Chanel’s 2.55 bag to Hermès’ scarf, to Cartier’s Love bracelet, these pieces transcend trends and eras, embodying a timeless quality that fascinates enthusiasts across generations. Their value, far beyond their material aspect, lies in their ability to embody enduring excellence. For luxury brands, the goal is primarily to create « long-sellers », rather than “best-sellers”that perpetuate the dream in consumers’ imaginations. This longevity raises questions about the space for emerging brands: how to carve a way in a landscape dominated by giants?

New Strategies to Reach New Audiences

In a constantly evolving market, the iconic object alone is no longer enough to generate excitement. Brands are doubling down on creativity through marketing strategies to reach new targets. Brands are doubling down on creativity through marketing strategies to reach new targets. One strategy is to play with the concept of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), which encourages consumers to acquire a product for fear of missing a unique experience. Some brands stimulate desire through limited edition product launches or drops, highlighting artificial scarcity, and generating virality. Numerous collaborations between luxury brands and diverse artists, such as that of Moncler and Jay-Z around a capsule that aims to be unique, highlight this blend of two worlds, intended to captivate the attention of new generations and reinvent the codes of luxury. The role of ambassadors also contributes to sustaining desirability. For example, Armani’s Si perfume is now endorsed by a trending brand ambassador like Sadie Sink, joining Cate Blanchett, to reach a new generation. It’s a game with time, an imaginary race against the clock that encourages seizing the present moment, unlike what endures.

Contemporary Perspectives and Responsibility

The traditionally long-term approach associated with luxury and desirability is therefore being questioned. Luxury is becoming increasingly accessible, through the overall experience, but also through diversification, with brands now offering beauty products more affordable than fashion pieces, and finally through new uses. The example of Louis Vuitton’s runway show orchestrated by Pharrell Williams on TikTok – which made the House the most followed luxury brand on the platform – demonstrates the power of influence that offers a relaxed foray into luxury. The live show, once reserved for the happy few, is now open to a wide audience, prompting us to reflect on the legitimacy of luxury in our society and the values it conveys.

To ensure that luxury remains a symbol of excellence while engaging positively and sustainably, other brands aim to make an impact on society through partnerships and commitments. This is the case with Prada, which partners with Libraries Without Borders to promote education for the preservation of marine ecosystems, an engagement reflected in the brand’s overall communication. These initiatives, integrated into green marketing operations, are part of the issues driving the luxury world. The latter seeks to strike a balance between accessibility and responsibility while still eliciting admiration from consumers.

A Delicate Balance: Accessibility or Exclusivity

On one hand, brands are faced with the need to diversify their offers to meet emerging trends; on the other hand, luxury remains inherently linked to exclusivity and rarity. In recent years, in order to innovate, create more products and content, and provoke surprise, the trend is to explore new territories through brand experiences – museums and cultural destinations but also pop-ups, cafes, restaurants, hotels, spas, or even beaches, by Dior, Gucci, Jacquemus, Chanel, among others. This quest for the infinite aims to extend the brand experience and strengthen its impact on a wider audience.

On the other hand, brands cultivate inaccessibility through ultra-luxury or services reserved for a limited clientele, the VICs (Very Important Customers). Chanel’s 11.12 bag has thus crossed the symbolic price of 10,000 euros, reinforcing its status as the ultimate coveted object. Louis Vuitton continues to open its VIC spaces, named L’Appartement, exclusively designed to meet the demands of a privileged clientele. Luxury navigates between two poles, balancing the desire for innovation and democratization with the need to preserve its aura of prestige.

The notion of desirability in luxury is not static but evolves with time. If once it was mostly linked to singular craftsmanship, today it is defined by the ability to create virality or appeal to a target sensitive to sustainability issues or in search of experiences. For Omedia Paris, the key lies in creativity, emotions, the bond forged with its clientele, timelessness, and the precious know-how that must be preserved. To maintain their position as leaders in the industry, luxury brands must continue their efforts to exacerbate and perpetuate desire, while embodying values of excellence and commitment that cater to demanding clientele. Our expertise at Omedia Paris also lies in the ability to innovate to support brands through creativity and strategic choices that make them ever more desirable.

The concept is resolutely on trend, appearing everywhere, yet aspiring to be discreet.
Quiet luxury represents an upheaval in consumption patterns, and brings luxury back to its very foundation: to the excellence that constitutes it and the experience that defines it. Although it has taken off thanks to pop culture and social networking trends, the trend is not new. However, the persistence with which it is being expressed bears witness to a profound reflection on the very definition of luxury and on consumer expectations. Indeed, the silent revolution is resonating with new generations (McKinsey study) in search of experience, personalization and sustainability, and conscious of their ecological footprint.

Silent elegance and fashion

The craze for discreet refinement has been identified above all in fashion, making its mark on many brands. Paris Fashion Week for the SS23/24 season explored its codes: Givenchy played with transparency and pared-down tailoring, Courrèges adopted a modern vision of purity with monochrome black or white looks, Saint Laurent proposed an ode to Saharan beige. Surprisingly, even the House of Gucci celebrates minimalism. The creative director explains: “The focus is on materials, form and silhouette. Beyond the “old money” aesthetic that is sweeping social networks, some brands have based their identity on quiet luxury, the most emblematic being The Row and Loro Piana. The former presents a product line and communication that respond to a timeless aesthetic. In addition to basics with exceptional fabrics, impeccable details and masterful cuts, the message revolves around an identity state of mind that is both singular and plural. The Instagram account gives way to artistic curation, a Spotify playlist is fed with cutting-edge music selections, and the brand is personified by the IT girls. It’s an ideal of finesse offered as a way of life, to be shared among insiders.

On the other hand, Loro Piana, a brand renowned for its unique materials, symbolizes the principle of exclusivity within a group: “If you know, you know”. The brand pushes subtle details to the limit, the famous white sole that will be detected by the sharp eye, the singularity of its cashmere and wool. Faced with these trends, Jérôme Hue explains: “Basically, quiet luxury responds to the inherent demands of luxury: product longevity, quality that stands the test of time, ethics, authenticity.” Brands claiming a form of quiet luxury must therefore adapt their communications to meet these expectations. The recent announcement of the launch of Phoebe Philo’s eponymous brand has put the spotlight back on effortless style, with minimalist, timeless, pure pieces.

The embodiment of a lifestyle

Consume less, better, sustainably. Quiet luxury reflects a shift in consumption patterns based on the pillars of eco-responsibility, environmental awareness and sobriety. These characteristics are exacerbated by contemporary issues such as the search for products designed to last and minimize the ecological footprint. Authenticity remains key – know-how, transparency, diversity and inclusiveness are the concerns that define a positive brand image. In short, it’s a reflection of a slow life where we take time to live, feel and enjoy experiences. For its followers, embracing discreet luxury means not only owning quality products, but also appreciating their intrinsic quality, and sharing a bond with the brand and its values.

Highlighting these qualities requires meticulous work on brand identity. For Champagne Bollinger, the Omedia agency developed a platform that reflects the codes of quiet luxury: transmission, heritage, sustainability – the House recently obtained B Corp certification, testifying to its ethical, ecological and sustainable commitment. “Giving a taste of eternity and naming it: Bollinger”, the concept developed places the brand in a sustainable temporality. The brand also unites a community around shared values: effortless elegance, sophistication, a taste for refinement and the intimacy of moments shared between connoisseurs. The “Be a part of our family” brand concept meets the expectations of a target group wishing to be part of a community, and aims to unite them around singular experiences marked by distinction, style and taste. The desire to be part of a circle, often implicitly, motivates consumers to embrace elegant subtlety and its philosophy.

Back to basics

The design, hotel and tourism industries are also witnessing a growing interest in authenticity, closeness to the local environment and know-how, all traits associated with quiet luxury. In search of a refuge, elegant intimacy and a memorable experience, the target group is sensitive to a demanding level of service that nestles in the details, without excess or extravagance. The décor uses natural, sustainable materials, and personalized service caters to the needs and preferences of each guest. Stays that take the form of high-end retreats, inviting guests to recharge their batteries, are multiplying in this sense. Ultra-confidential resorts such as La Granja Farmhouse in Ibiza offer a rustic setting, close to nature and local communities, with a slow lifestyle. The holistic approach to well-being reveals a profound reflection in the way we conceive and appreciate luxury.

Isn’t minimalism the ultimate form of sophistication, as Leonardo da Vinci once said? At a time when we are overwhelmed by an avalanche of content and consumer products, quiet luxury offers us an escape to refocus. It’s an invitation to slow down, to appreciate the quality of what surrounds us, through balance and meaningful experience. Much more than an elitist concept, it’s a return to the essential.