Authenticity over opportunism, always! That’s what we’ve been recommending to our clients at VitaBella for 20 years. The takeaway for anyone in luxury branding is simple yet profound: opportunism does not pay off in the long run. You might grab attention for a season by imitating whatever seems hot, or spike sales for a quarter with a gimmicky campaign – but these gains are illusory if they come at the cost of your brand’s authenticity. As we are seeing now, brands that deviated from their core values to chase quick wins are paying the price in lost cachet and consumer alienation. In contrast, the icons of luxury – the ones that survive and thrive across generations – are those that stay true to themselves and consistently project a clear set of values. And the world’s great wines have to take this into account.
Ultimately, luxury is a marathon, not a sprint. The new generation may have different tastes and habits, but they still seek what luxury has always promised at its heart: something unique, meaningful, and enduring. If a brand’s vision is guided by authenticity and a commitment to its core values, it will naturally attract customers who share those values, now and in the future. Align with their values, not just their aspirations, and you earn something far more valuable than a one-time sale – you earn loyalty, respect, and cultural relevance.
At the core of this discussion is understanding Values vs. Aspirations in a branding context. Values are the deeply held beliefs and principles that guide behavior. They are intrinsic and enduring. For a person (or brand), values might include authenticity, quality, craftsmanship, inclusivity, or sustainability. These are relatively stable over time – a compass for decisions and identity. Aspirations are ambitions or dreams that people aim to achieve. In luxury, aspiration often manifests as the desire for an elevated lifestyle or higher social status – the dream of owning that sports car, designer bag, or exquisite watch and the lifestyle it signifies.
For decades, luxury brands have masterfully played on aspirations. Classic luxury advertising often paints a picture of an ideal life of glamour, exclusivity, and success – something consumers might aspire to by purchasing the product. However, aspirations can be fleeting or external; they change with life stages and economic ups and downs. Values, on the other hand, tend to persist. For example, a consumer who values sustainability will carry that value regardless of trends, and they will favor brands that uphold sustainable practices.
The luxury sector has enjoyed booming growth in the past decade, but current economic headwinds are exposing cracks in brands that relied on opportunistic marketing. Beyond economics, some luxury brands are struggling because they chased short-term trends at the expense of brand DNA. During the recent boom years, it was tempting to grab at every new idea to stay “relevant” to millennials and Gen Z. But not all of these moves were authentic to the brands doing them. Opportunistic marketing can generate buzz temporarily. However, today’s savvy consumers can sense when it’s just hollow posturing.
Consider the fallout: several once-hot labels have seen their cool factor fizzle because they over-rotated on hype. In the current market slowdown, those brands that overextended with trend-driven products are now stuck discounting, damaging their prestige. Heavy discounting is practically heresy in true luxury; it signals that the brand’s recent offerings didn’t earn lasting demand. It’s a textbook case of what happens when a brand leans too hard into short-lived trends or expands beyond its core identity – consumers might bite once, but they don’t come back for full price. As a result, brands that lost sight of their roots and relied on opportunism are suffering in this tougher climate.
In contrast, the luxury players thriving today are those who have remained steadfast in their DNA while naturally aligning with new generation values. Rather than contorting themselves to chase each new trend, these brands have found ways to make their original brand ethos resonate with younger consumers. One standout example is Hermès. The French maison has never swerved from its core values of craftsmanship, timeless quality, and exclusivity. Hermès doesn’t do wild logo overhauls or gimmicky collabs; it doubles down on what it does best – superb hand-crafted products with a rich heritage. Younger buyers, even if they can’t yet afford a Birkin bag, admire Hermès for its authenticity – and aspire in a different way, seeing it as a goal purchase when they value quality over flash. In an age of fast fashion and fleeting fads, Hermès’ commitment to heritage ironically feels fresh to new gens seeking substance.
Brands that win with the new gen don’t abandon their DNA – they amplify it in ways that intersect with contemporary values. Whether it’s a legacy of craftsmanship, a spirit of innovation, or a heritage of rebellion, when a brand finds the authentic overlap between its story and what matters to young consumers, it unlocks growth. And importantly, that growth is sustainable – because it’s built on truth, not a trend.
Behind every enduring luxury brand is a long-term vision that transcends any single trend or quarter. In an industry inherently about timeless appeal, the most successful houses plan in decades, not seasons. A long-term vision means sticking to a coherent, consistent strategy over time, even if short-term market fluctuations tempt a change of course. In contrast, brands that pivot with every wind often confuse consumers and erode their own equity. If this year a brand is all about minimalist “quiet luxury” but next year suddenly screams maximalist logos (or vice versa), people start to question what the brand really stands for, or if it stands for anything at all. The new generation, especially, has a finely tuned radar for inconsistency; they’ve seen many pop culture fads come and go, and they reward brands that feel steady and trustworthy.
Crucially, a long-term focus doesn’t imply refusing to evolve or innovate – it means evolving in line with a guiding purpose. The strongest luxury brands find new ways to express their founding values as times change. They have what one might call a dynamic consistency. When brands ground themselves in a long-term mission (whether it’s being the pinnacle of French elegance, the guardian of Italian winemaking tradition, or the innovator of sustainable fashion), they can weather storms and adapt gracefully, without losing consumer trust.
Contact Guillaume Jourdan via LinkedIn
