The Five Things Luxury Shoppers Want Right Now
Jean-Marc Mansvelt, CEO of LVMH’s leather house Berluti, explains what consumers are looking for from the industry.
An artisan applies Berluti’s famous “patina” to a pair of leather loafers.
Photographer: Matteo Carassale/BerlutiAs the creative leads of many of the world’s great fashion houses begin to forge new identities on their runways, it’s a great time to question what consumers really want. Is quiet luxury over? Are loud labels back? Is bespoke the last real exclusivity? Is maximalism the mode of the day?
The one thing I keep hearing from designers and industry chief executives is that a sense of “private luxury,” or luxury that’s just for one’s self or one’s small community of peers, is what the highest spenders are looking for. Private luxury can be a lot of things. For example, a watch from a brand so obscure that your boss doesn’t know it’s nicer than the one he wears. Or the old niche car you won in an auction on Bring a Trailer while a small but vocal group of nerdy fellow enthusiasts cheered you on. Or a pair of shoes made just for your feet from a custom cobbler who keeps a pair of lasts in his shop with your name on them.