THE FIFTH

ANNIVERSARY
OF THE
NEW LUXURY
5 5

NEW LUXURY’S
NEW RULES

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 1
 CONTENTS

5 5

JOURNEY TO HERE 3—6

WHAT’S IN A RULE? 7 — 13

THE ACCELERATION OF NICHE CULTURE 14 — 20

NEW CODES 21 — 25

NEW CREATORS 26 — 31

NEW EVENTS 32 — 36

NEW INCLUSION 37 — 41

NEW COLLABORATION 42 — 52

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER 54

CREDITS 55

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 2
 JOURNEY TO HERE

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THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY SINÉAD O’DWYER SS23

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 3 SINÉAD O’DWYER
 5

In December 2018, Highsnobiety launched This rise in the New Luxury mindset has coin-
the New Luxury report, putting cided with a rapid pace of change for both the
into words and building a lexicon for the industry and the consumer. Revolving doors
seismic shifts that had been taking place in creative directorships at established hous-
in the industry for some time. A new world es; emerging brands led by innovative found-
with new rules. ers that are growing at light speed; a rapid
rise in social-driven DTC brands; too many
The New Luxury is a mindset driven by collabs to mention; new media platforms re-
knowledge over possession, participation placing the old guard. And, of course, a pan-
over consumption and stories over prod- demic that saw an unexpected surge in lux-
uct. This has become the dominant para- ury spending, global economic and political
digm pervading fashion and lifestyle at large. uncertainty, and an always-evolving consum-
Since coining the term, Highsnobiety’s re- er outlook that expects luxury to meet them
search has acted as a guide for brands to where they are.
build credibility in culture.
In short, the world has changed, and, five
years on, it’s time to update the New
Luxury’s Rules.

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY THE NEW LUXURY 2018, HIGHSNOBIETY
NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 4 JULIEN TELL
 THE CULTURAL
PIONEER

Before we begin, a quick reminder on our

protagonist. Soon after coining the term the 90%
New Luxury, Highsnobiety set out to define
Say “trying new things is part of my ethos
the key character within this landscape. In
and everyday life.”
2019’s Culture Culture Culture, in partnership
with Boston Consulting Group, we described
an early adopter audience called the 81%
Cultural Pioneer.
Say “when my friends are looking
They are barometers of where culture is for recommendations, they come
heading. Critically minded and driven by to me first.”
knowledge. Actively engaged with fashion
and style culture. Well connected and influ-
ential among their peers. 83%
Say “I am one of the most knowledgeable
about brands within my group of friends.”

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 5 COURTESY OF MARC JACOBS
 5

METHODOLOGY
TO ANSWER HOW NEW LUXURY’S RULES
ARE CHANGING, WE SURVEYED
~1,000 CULTURAL PIONEERS FROM OUR
GLOBAL NETWORK. THIS COHORT OF
CONSUMERS NOT ONLY SKEW YOUNGER,
BUT ALSO BUY MORE LUXURY GOODS
THAN THE GENERAL PUBLIC, AND
THEREFORE GIVE A GLIMPSE OF
WHERE THE MARKET IS HEADING.
DIESEL’S FIND THE D CAMPAIGN
THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY
NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 6 ENVISIONED BY CREATIVE DIRECTOR GLENN MARTENS,
ART DIRECTOR CHRIS SIMMONDS AND PHOTOGRAPHER JOHNNY DUFORT
 WHAT’S IN A RULE?

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THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY SINÉAD O’DWYER SS24

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 7 ZOE NATALE MANNELLA
In the original New Luxury we observed an Certain brands are building their businesses
emerging mindset driven by the consumer; with New Luxury principles at their heart and
an audience exploring luxury and adopting have become as known for their subversive
brands and products on their own terms. approaches to the ‘traditional rules’ of
In the past several years however, we’ve luxury and fashion as they are for their iconic
been seeing brands adopt more pioneering products: rejecting a fashion week schedule;
approaches (both new players born of challenging our notion of which talent is suit-
this age and traditional houses breathing able for a brand campaign; creating concep-
new life into their methods). tually-driven products that cannot be bought;
developing unique experiences that stretch
their brand real estate.

The New Luxury brands we hold up as case

studies demonstrate not only that traditional
notions need not be followed, but huge
rewards can be reaped by creating a play-
book that deliberately goes against them.

Going against industry orthodoxies has never

been so rewarding.

The New Luxury has New Rules.

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48%
Say “the brands I buy need to be willing
to provoke people for the right reasons.”

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 8
 PHOEBE PHILO’S RECENTLY LAUNCHED,
MUCH-ANTICIPATED LABEL REJECTS THE
TRADITIONAL FASHION SCHEDULE.

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY PHOEBE PHILO A1 EDIT

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 9 COURTESY OF PHOEBE PHILO
“GIRLISHNESS” MAY BE A FUNDAMENTAL
PART OF THE MIU MIU PERSONA,
BUT THE BRAND’S GENDER DIVERSE
APPROACH HAS TRANSFORMED THE
WOMENSWEAR LABEL INTO A MAJOR
MEN’S FASHION OBSESSION.

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY MIU MIU READY TO WEAR SPRING/SUMMER 2024
NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 10 VICTOR VIRGILE/GAMMA-RAPHO VIA GETTY IMAGES
 IN ONE OF THE YEAR’S BEST GUERILLA
FASHION CAMPAIGNS, BOTTEGA VENETA
ALLOWED A$AP ROCKY ACCESS TO ITS
UNRELEASED SPRING 2024 COLLECTION,
RELYING ON PAPARAZZI TO DISTRIBUTE
IMAGES OF THE OUTFITS.

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 11 ROBERT KAMAU/GC IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES
 GUCCI PREVIEWED KEY PIECES FROM
SABATO DE SARNO’S FIRST MENSWEAR
COLLECTION AT THE LACMA ART+FILM
GALA IN L.A., MONTHS AHEAD OF MILAN
FASHION WEEK.

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY 2023 LACMA ART+FILM GALA, PRESENTED BY GUCCI
NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 12 EMMA MCINTYRE/GETTY IMAGES FOR LACMA
 SO, HOW SHOULD
YOU THINK ABOUT
THESE RULES?

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A brand is faced with countless business and

marketing decisions every day. Many involve
navigating industry traditions, otherwise
known as rules, and many involve reacting to
the way other brands are transforming those
so-called traditions and rules.

These rules should be viewed as invitations

to try something different or double down
on something you’re already doing, all in
the name of standing out against the com-
petition and achieving your goals – whether
that’s eyeballs, conversations, footfall,
or sales.

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY JACQUEMUS FW22

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 13 JACQUEMUS & YOANN & MARCO
 THE ACCELERATION
OF NICHE CULTURE

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THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 14 COURTESY OF MARC JACOBS
A driving force behind so much of the change
we’re discussing is internet culture’s ability to 44%
turn today’s nascent chatter into tomorrow’s
dominant cultural conversation. ‘Gorpcore’, Are drawn to things considered weird
‘dark academia’ and ‘tote bag girly’ are just a or ugly by the mainstream.
few of the vast number of recent trends that
inform online and offline conversations, our
style and how we connect with one another.
63%
Say their aesthetic tastes have
The internet and social media’s seemingly in- become more niche in the last few years.
finite participants and the near-instantaneous
speed at which trends pick up and spread
means that no emerging cultural or style
71%
trend truly remains ‘sub’.
Say “I like it when I recognize niche cultural
And brands are catching on. Certain aesthet- references in branded content or
ics once relegated to the fringes have begun entertainment.”
to take center stage: It has never been so
cool (and so profitable) to be ‘strange’. Luxu-
ry is embracing the niche to bring a sense of
newness and alternativeness to their mass
consumers. Counterintuitively, niche is a
commercial asset, and the margins are the
mainstream. 5

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY PARIS FASHION WEEK STREET STYLE SS24
NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 15 JULIEN TELL / HIGHSNOBIETY
 5

HEAVEN BY MARC JACOBS PUTS NICHE

SUBCULTURES AT THE CENTER OF
ITS CREATIVE CAMPAIGNS AND
COLLABORATIONS.

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NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 16 COURTESY OF MARC JACOBS
 FOUNDED BY SISTERS LAILA AND
NADIA, GOHAR WORLD CREATES
SURREALIST TABLEWARE THAT
CELEBRATES “TIME, TRADITION
AND HUMOR.”

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 17 GOHAR WORLD
 LOEWE’S SPRING/SUMMER 2023
WOMENSWEAR COLLECTION INCLUDED
PIXELIZED CLOTHES THAT LOOKED LIKE
IRL MINECRAFT, TAKING DIGITAL
AESTHETIC CODES INTO REAL LIFE.

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY LOEWE WOMENSWEAR SPRING/SUMMER 2023
NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 18 PETER WHITE/GETTY IMAGES
 CULTURAL PIONEERS ARE STILL SITTING
ON CULTURE’S FRONT ROW, BUT CULTURE
IS MORE FRAGMENTED THAN
IT HAS EVER BEEN.

BRANDS NEED TO BE EVERYWHERE,

ALL AT ONCE, TARGETING THEIR
AUDIENCES THROUGH A VAST NUMBER
OF CHANNELS, PARTNERSHIPS,
EVENTS AND MORE.
5

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY CAFÉ DE FLORE X HIGHSNOBIETY

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 19 POLO LINDSTRÖM MULLER/HIGHSNOBIETY
 THE NEW RULES

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THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 20 COURTESY OF MARC JACOBS
 1. NEW CODES

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In our original paper we alluded to the shift

that was taking place from Buying to Buying 56%
Into; from Price to Knowledge:
Say meme starter packs are an accurate
“While {luxury} still comes at a cost, that reflection of how people dress
cost is now more closely aligned with knowl- and behave today.
edge and access as opposed to cold, hard
cash.” — The New Luxury 2018 74%
Five years later and the notion of knowledge Have questioned whether the images they
as your cultural passport to the New Luxury see online are real or virtually generated.
space has never been more pertinent. But,
how you gain and share that knowledge
has evolved.

We are living in a culture of the internet, a Today, the codes and stories a brand puts
culture that is constantly reinventing itself out into the world—its visuals, products,
by copying and repackaging old ideas. This campaigns and content—are no longer taken
is a culture of mood boards, forever recon- as they are, they’re adopted and repackaged
textualising and reiterating references and into a never ending array of online mood
how Cultural Pioneers decipher and share boards, curated IG pages and starter pack
these mood boards say how sophisticated memes to form worlds and references
and tapped into ‘the culture’ they are. outside a brand’s control.

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NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 21
 FANS WHO HAVE NEVER BOUGHT A
SINGLE ITEM FROM AIMÉ LEON DORE
SHARE THE BRAND’S LOOKBOOK IMAGES
ON THEIR INSTAGRAM, PROPELLING
ALD’S LORE FAR AND WIDE.

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 22 @DIE_WORKWEAR
 ONE OF BALENCIAGA’S MOST HYPED
MOMENTS OF 2023 WASN’T CREATED BY
THE BRAND; IT WAS AN AI-GENERATED
VIDEO PARODYING HARRY POTTER X
BALENCIAGA, MADE BY CREATOR AND
AI HOBBYIST, DEMONFLYINGFOX.

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 23 DEMONFLYINGFOX
A product or campaign story is only the
beginning of the journey. Brands now need
to dedicate as much time exploring how and
by whom their products and content will be
adopted, as to creating those products and
content in the first place.

Brands aren’t just selling products, they’re

selling references and codes that will build
the cult of their brand. We know brand codes
are important, but almost as important is
how they live online.

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NEW CODES
FROM: DIDACTIC (BRAND NARRATIVE)
TO: OPEN SOURCE (BRAND WORLD)
HOW EASY IS IT FOR THE STORIES
YOU TELL AND THE IMAGES YOU MAKE TO
BE IDENTIFIED, DECIPHERED AND
SHARED BY YOUR AUDIENCE?

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NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 24
 THE NEW
LUXURY BRANDS
1.
2.
3.
5

4. 5

5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

*List ranked by Highsnobiety editorial team based off the ‘New Rules’

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NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 25
 THE NEW
LUXURY BRANDS
11.
12.
13.
5

14. 5

15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.

*List ranked by Highsnobiety editorial team based off the ‘New Rules’

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 26
 2. NEW CREATORS

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THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY HIGHSNOBIETY

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 27 POLO LINDSTRÖM MULLER
We have been living in the era of ‘micro-in- 76%
fluencer’ for a while now – those with small-
er followings but serving specific interests. Are bored by global celebrities.
But the bar for the creative output we ex-
pect from those we follow has grown con-
siderably higher. Pioneers don’t just want to 69%
passively follow influencers, they want to be
Say due to apps such as TikTok, “I often
entertained and informed by them too.
recognise a song without knowing who
the artist behind it is.”
Traditional skills, like acting, singing and
sports mediated by institutions—such as
movie studios, record labels and sports 50%
teams—now sit alongside a new breed of DIY
creativity, delivered directly from the source Think communities formed around
with a highly individualized and expressive a shared interest shape culture today.
spirit.
45%
In the past, starring in an artist’s music video
was the epitome of ‘making it.’ Today, many Think celebrities shape culture today.
musicians’ careers live or die by the chance
that a TikTok creator may sample 30 seconds
of their song.

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Simply put: partnering with a big name ce-

lebrity doesn’t cut it anymore. Today’s best 66%
talent strategies are not just based on celeb-
rities and cultural icons, but the creators that Use social media for entertainment
surround them and propel them to stardom. (the highest scoring driver for social media use).
Born of the internet, this cohort of creators
intuitively know its language. Relatability and
entertainment reigns over reach and aspiration.

In some ways this is due to a shift in the

platforms we use; while the Kardashians
were masters of Instagram, this new cohort
are masters of TikTok, speaking its self-refer-
ential language and skillful in the art of
entertainment.

While featuring one of the Kardashian /

Jenner clan might reward a brand with more
impressions on an Instagram post, nailing
this new generation of in-the-know talent
will win favors with the Cultural Pioneer.

When it comes to talent, niche can be more

powerful than mass.

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NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 28
 5

WHILE POKING FUN AT THE

LIFESTYLES OF THE ULTRA WEALTHY,
THE SOCIAL MEDIA PARODY PERSONA
GSTAAD GUY IS OFFICIALLY DRESSED BY
LORO PIANA AND AUDEMARS PIGUET.

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 29 GSTAAD GUY
 AMELIA DIMOLDENBERG,
WHOSE AWKWARD AND DEADPAN
INTERVIEWS ON CHICKEN SHOP DATE
GARNER MILLIONS OF VIEWS, RECENTLY
REPORTED BACKSTAGE FOR GUCCI AT
MILAN FASHION WEEK.

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY AMELIA DIMOLDENBERG REPORTS BACKSTAGE FOR GUCCI AT MILAN FASHION WEEK
NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 30 PHOTO BY ERNESTO S. RUSCIO/GETTY IMAGES FOR GUCCI
 5

A FEED OF EXCLUSIVELY BLACK AND

WHITE OUTFITS, ACCOMPANIED BY A
SHARP POV AND WITTY TAKEDOWNS
OF FASHION’S BIGGEST NAMES, HAVE
PROPELLED EDITOR, COLLECTOR,
CONSULTANT AND CONTENT CREATOR
@BRENDAHASHTAG TO CULT STATUS

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 31 @ANAWOZA/ANAROSA TROTTA
 What makes someone influential?

49% They’re highly regarded in their community

and/or industry.

49% They are exceptionally creative.

42% They’re the first to try new things / they take risks.

35% They live a lifestyle I admire.

29% They’re good at many things.

28% They connect me to a world or scene I otherwise wouldn’t

have access to.

26%
They say what’s on their mind and don’t worry about the
consequences.

20% They have a high social following. 5

NEW CREATORS
FROM: ASPIRATION (CELEBRITY)
TO: ENTERTAINMENT (CREATOR)
WHEN IT COMES TO TALENT, ARE YOU
BUILDING INROADS TO NEW AUDIENCES
AND COMMUNITY PASSION POINTS?

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 32
 3. NEW EVENTS

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THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY JACQUEMUS FW22

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 33 JACQUEMUS & YOANN & MARCO
The worlds of both fashion and marketing But it is smaller ‘happenings’—the ‘event
are run on a schedule: seasons, fashion at the event’—that serve the true commu-
weeks, marquee cultural events. There are nity-building function, creating a sense of
numerous examples of how the industry belonging for those who attend and carving
ensures brands appear alongside their pathways to cultural credibility for those who
competition. host them.

While landmark cultural moments – the Met Paris Fashion Week may be the event on
Gala, Superbowl, Fashion Weeks – still garner the calendar, but the moment you actually
attention, we are in the midst of a shift to tapped into was the Rick Owens after party,
a culture that is far more fragmented and hy- the SSENSE dinner, or Highsnobiety’s party
per-specific than it was even three years ago. with NTS and 99GINGER at Fête de la Musique.

We began to report on this in 2022’s Luxu- Marquee cultural events become canvases
ry 3.0, which spoke about the rise of meta- for micro events to take place, and communi-
communities, namely in the digital space. ties to gather, converge, separate, and create
Post-pandemic, we are seeing this take place their own news.
between online and offline spaces.

Marquee cultural events serve a mostly orga-

nizational function: acting as a broad funnel
to catch a larger community, arrange influen-
tial voices and news gatherers, and ensure
an audience is watching.

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THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 34 PAIGE POWELL
We are also seeing how some brands 21%
bypass these traditionally sacrosanct dates
and moments altogether. Hosting shows Are excited by landmark cultural events / mo-
outside the traditional schedule allows ments (e.g. the Met Gala,
brands not only to align with their values but Superbowl, etc).
also to create more noise and attention. In
these New Luxury rules, going smaller often
63%
has a far bigger impact.
Say their favorite way to engage with brands
Consider Jacquemus’ show in Arles, France— is through branded physical spaces
an off-calendar event that saw stylists, (e.g. retail or branded events).
editors, buyers and influencers arrive at a
venue in the salt mountains of the Camargue
park. Or Tom Ford’s final collection for his 85%
eponymous brand, dropped not with a run-
way show, but in the form of three short Have attended a brand event in the past
videos by Steven Klein. 6 months, or plan to attend one in the future.

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY POLO LINDSTRÖM

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 35 MULLER/HIGHSNOBIETY
 5

MSCHF AND TOMMY CASH HIJACKED

RICK OWENS SS24 SHOW BY SHOWING
UP IN THE CROCS TAKE ON BIG
YELLOW BOOTS.

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY TOMMY CASH IN THE FRONT ROW AT THE RICK OWENS MEN’S SPRING 2024
NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 36 SWAN GALLET/WWD VIA GETTY IMAGES
 5 5

NEW EVENTS
FROM: SHOWING UP (PARTICIPATING)
TO: STANDING OUT (PROVOKING)
HOW CAN YOU STAND OUT FROM
COMPETITORS BY CHALLENGING THE
TRADITIONAL WAY A BRAND SHOWS UP
ON THE CULTURAL CALENDAR?

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 37
 4. NEW INCLUSION

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THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY WALES BONNER SS23

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 38 JULIEN TELL / HIGHSNOBIETY
In our first whitepaper we explored how the
notion of exclusivity was evolving – a shift
from material exclusivity (less inclusive) to
exclusivity driven by knowledge and access
(more inclusive).

Since 2018, inclusion – in multiple forms –

has become a headline topic for the fashion
industry. Discussion around sizing and eth-
nic diversity ebbs and flows in and out of the
institutional fashion discourse yet remains a
key priority for the Cultural Pioneer. Similar-
ly, the urgent need to rethink the makeup of
leadership across a number of fashion hous-
es and corporations continues to be raised by
consumers and industry experts.

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Inclusion needs to be thought about in Representation is table stakes. Cultural

more lateral and imaginative ways. Pioneers are asking: How is your brand
providing new forms of access to the world
of luxury? The brands demonstrating some
53% of the most exciting changes in the luxury in-
dustry are those speaking directly to commu-
Say “the luxury industry excludes
nities who were overlooked in the past.
and ignores minorities.”
From Telfar’s inclusive pricing model to
38% Corteiz’s 99p store and Sinead O’Dwyer’s
radical approach to sizing, some brands
Say “The word ‘purpose’ in branding means are providing tangible access to a greater
nothing to me.” number of people and building intense
fandom in the process. Inclusion is a core
part of their brand DNA.

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NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 39
 SINÉAD O’DWYER’S EPONYMOUS
LABEL ACCOMMODATES NON-SAMPLE-
SIZE BODIES AND CHALLENGES
INDUSTRY BEAUTY STANDARDS.

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY SINÉAD O’DWYER SS24

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 40 INDIA ASHMORE
 CORTEIZ’S “99P STORE” PLAYED WITH
AN OLD LONDON CLASSIC STOREFRONT
WHILE PROVIDING ACCESS TO THE TRIPLE
BLACK CARGO PANTS FOR THE LOW,
LOW PRICE OF 99P.

RATHER THAN SET PRICES, TELFAR LET

CONSUMER DEMAND DETERMINE THE
COST OF ITS COLLECTION.

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY DAVID M. BENETT/DAVE BENETT/GETTY IMAGES
NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 41 RAIMONDA KULIKAUSKIENE / GETTY IMAGES
 ”THE NEWNESS IN LUXURY IS IN
INTERROGATING WHAT GARMENTS HAVE
BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH WHAT BODIES
AND WHY AND HOW AND WHO HAS
ACCESS TO THEM. AND THEN
RETHINKING THAT.”
Sinéad O’Dwyer, Womenswear Designer

NEW INCLUSION
FROM: INCLUSION MARKETING
TO: COMMUNITY BUILDING
HOW CAN YOU ENSURE COMMUNITIES
THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY OVERLOOKED
HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE AS YOU
PLAN THE FUTURE OF YOUR BRAND?

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NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 42
NEW COLLABORATION

5 5

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY MARK BORTHWICK

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 43 /OUR LEGACY
Our final rule speaks to the growing imper- Collaborations are no longer product initia-
ative to be heard above the noise this new tives, they are desirability initiatives. And,
climate creates. As brands catch up and mar- while a great collab can always deliver, we
keting becomes more sophisticated, the bar have been in the era of ‘collaboration satu-
for what gets attention rises too. The appetite ration’ almost since our New Luxury explo-
the Cultural Pioneer has for unexpectedness ration began, hence, the need to think more
is paramount and cannot be ignored. broadly about about the purpose of
a collaboration.
Since our initial paper, we have seen a rise in
story-driven initiatives designed to generate
conversation and land a brand on the front
page news. Nowhere is this more apparent
than in collaborations.

71%
of Cultural Pioneers agree that the story you
tell around a collaboration is just as
important as the final product.

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THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 44
 51%

of Cultural Pioneers’ favorite

collaborations brought two different
communities/subcultures together.

New Collaboration traces the way New

Luxury brands are creating heat around
products. Everything is underpinned by
a story-first mindset. Over the past five years,
we’ve seen plenty of different methods for
creating desirability around collaborations.
We’ve broken this down into three buckets—
Archive, Moment and Innovation.

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COLLABORATION
THROUGH ARCHIVE
The concept of “renewing the archive” is a
tried and tested format. The Year of the Sam- 78%
ba, The Year Of The 501, The Year of the Ba-
guette—products are constantly making a Say “I enjoy visual inspiration outside
return with full commercial and cultural of the trend cycle (e.g. archival imagery).”
force. Yet the status quo leans heavily on a
singular product, leaving the larger archive
story as a ‘closed-room’ idea. The archive is
69%
unequivocally one of the greatest points of Are actively following curated IG pages.
fascination for the Cultural Pioneer. So much
so that many fan-led archival accounts like
@archived.dreams and @samutaro have
emerged in lieu of inspiring brand-owned
archive platforms.
Enter concepts such as Massimo Osti Studio,
the new contemporary label celebrating the
legacy of famed Italian designer Massimo
Osti; or Pharrell’s JOOPITER, which collabo-
rates with the star’s network to sell one of a
kind archival pieces.

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 45
 5

JOOPITER PRESENTS THE ARCHIVE

FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE OWNER.

FOR ITS SUMMER ITERATION,

PHARRELL WILLIAMS CALLED ON HIS
GLOBAL NETWORK OF FAMOUS
FRIENDS AND COLLABORATORS TO
CONTRIBUTE PIECES.

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY JOHNNY NUNEZ/WIREIMAGE

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 46 /GETTY IMAGES
 COLLABORATION
THROUGH MOMENT

5 5

If scarcity is the fundamental rule of collabo-

ration, then big collaboration “moments”
is scarcity in its most distilled form.
Beyoncé on stage during her Renaissance
tour wearing her one-of-one Jacquemus suit
is a collaboration moment. Kendrick Lamar
at Glastonbury with a one-of-one Tiffany
& Co. crown is a collaboration moment.
Rihanna at the Superbowl in her one-of-one
Loewe jumpsuit is a collaboration moment.
One-of-one product, massive stories.

65%
Agree that advertising and marketing can
be forms of art.

Most interestingly, while these may have

been regarded as collaboration moments
between superstars and superbrands, none
of them officially were. These were co-signs.
Moreover, despite these brands having a
massive moment on their hands, they gave
it room to manifest before claiming owner-
ship. No tease videos, no clues – instead
they followed the “by-the-way” method.

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NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 47
 TIFFANY & CO. RELEASED
A “MAKING OF” DOCUMENTARY AFTER
KENDRICK LAMAR’S PERFORMANCE
AT GLASTONBURY.

This simple “by-the-way” mechanism is one

of many ways to approach a big moment.
The major takeaway here is that collabora-
tions that maximize the moment and mini-
mize the product can still push the brand into
the cultural conversation without hinging on
the souvenir that goes with it. Collaborations
become co-signs, and visuals become
cultural currency.

57%
of Cultural Pioneers agree collaborations
between brands don’t necessarily need
to include products.

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY JOSEPH OKPAKO/WIREIMAGE

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 48 /GETTY IMAGES
 COLLABORATION
THROUGH INNOVATION

5 5

When it comes to innovation, it’s easy to drift Then, five years ago, a brand called MSCHF
into the cliché playbooks of “think different” came along and through an array of official
or “just do it” type collaborations. But we’re and unofficial collaborations made cultur-
talking about a style of innovation that shifts ally urgent innovation their entire business
away from progress and utility towards prov- model. Each week they manage to send the
ocation and urgency. It’s the “never knew I internet into a frenzy with law-bending prod-
needed this” type approach. uct drops that live up to their name. Satan-
ic, blood-infused Nike Air Max; Tiffany &
Supreme was the brand to light the torch of Co. Participation trophy, giant Fruit Loops—
culturally urgent innovation. Every Thurs- MSCHF is a tour de force balancing daring
day, something surprising emerges from the creativity with an all-star legal department.
brand. What started with skate decks and
keychains suddenly became bricks, crow bars Fortunately, the key lesson from brands like
and money guns. Many brands have imitated MSCHF isn’t to raise a middle finger to the
and advanced this irreverent format (with Pal- law. Instead, it reveals a core truth about
ace probably being its most renowned the cultural pioneer. When it comes to fos-
successor). tering new collaboration, the art of surprise
isn’t just a nice to have, it’s an expectation.
It’s about breaking away from the joint mer-
ch ventures between brands and inventing
something truly novel. Legacy be damned, if
you create something new, you will be re-
warded.

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NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 49
 AS PART OF THEIR COLLABORATION,
MONCLER AND RICK OWENS CREATED
A STEEL, SOUNDPROOF SLEEP POD,
WHICH WAS UNVEILED AT “THE ART OF
GENIUS” EVENT IN LONDON.

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY MONCLER + RICK OWENS

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 50 IMAGE VIA MONCLER
 PALACE COLLABORATED WITH
WEDGWOOD TO CREATE A
TONGUE-IN-CHEEK TEA SET.

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 51 PALACE
 77%

Trust their favorite brands to create good

products / services in new industries, regard-
less of their legacy in that area.

Wielding culturally urgent innovation gets

us questions like: What would a Gucci Xbox
look like? What would a Minecraft-inspired
pixelated Loewe shirt look like? It’s less about
“what’s next” and more about “what’s now.”

5 5

NEW COLLABORATION
FROM: COLLABORATION INITIATIVES
TO: DESIRABILITY INITIATIVES
HOW ARE YOU REIMAGINING THE IDEA
OF “COLLABORATION” TO FUTURE-PROOF
YOUR BRAND AND RISE ABOVE
THE NOISE?

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 52
THE KPI OF THE NEW LUXURY LANDSCAPE
IS CULTURAL CREDIBILITY.

SURVIVING THE FUTURE REQUIRES

BRANDS TO HAVE A ROBUST
CULTURE STRATEGY.

BY ENABLING THE AUDIENCE TO

PARTICIPATE IN YOUR BRAND WORLD,
THEY BECOME A TRUE BRAND ADVOCATE;
A CRITICAL PART OF YOUR MARKETING
5

ECOSYSTEM. 5

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NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 53
 THE NEW LUXURY
EVOLVED

5 5

FROM TO
COMMUNICATIONS CULTURE
STRATEGY STRATEGY
MAINSTREAM MARGINS
TOP-DOWN PEER-TO-PEER
PRODUCT-LED STORY-LED
(BRAND NARRATIVE) DIDACTIC OPEN SOURCE (BRAND WORLD)
(CELEBRITY) ASPIRATION ENTERTAINMENT (CREATOR)
(PARTICIPATING) SHOWING UP STANDING OUT (PROVOKING)
INCLUSION MARKETING COMMUNITY BUILDING
COLLABORATION DESIRABILITY
INITIATIVES INITIATIVES
THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY
NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 54
 LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

At Highsnobiety, we have always focussed Whilst it is the fashion industry that is often
on highlighting the brands, creators and ahead of the curve, we are working during
consumers who are defining what’s next. a time where there is more to be learned by
looking further afield than looking at your
In December 2018, we published our first immediate competitors.
white paper: The New Luxury. It was a deep
dive into where luxury was heading. We dis- Since our original report, the New Luxury
covered how, for an emerging generation of mindset has begun to conquer other spaces
consumers, traditional boundaries and defi- such as automotive, beauty, and the outdoors,
nitions were eroding. Suddenly, it seemed as just to name a few.
though there was one playground made up
of different brands from different corners of Throughout our journey, what we began to re-
the fashion spectrum. And that playground alize is that the New Luxury is bigger than one
was (and still is) more open than ever. industry. It’s not just about ‘luxury.’ It’s about
how brands build credibility in culture.
Since coining this term, the New Luxury has It’s also about how they connect with an influ-
taken on a life of its own, becoming com- ential customer – the Cultural Pioneer – who
mon parlance in the fashion industry and is critical when it comes to driving business
acting as a north star for our business.
5
forward. 5

Our inquiry into luxury is a mission that is That means taking onboard new operating
never finished because as the word changes, principles, whether that’s reevaluating your
the definition of luxury changes too. It can’t be brand universe and considering how and
left unsaid that in the five years since our orig- where you turn up, or looking at how a talent
inal report, the changes the world has gone strategy builds paths to new communities, or
through are seismic, and this report captures rebuilding a collaboration strategy that cuts
several key themes that emerged from our through the noise. The tasks are many, but we
conversations with the Pioneer. are here to guide you.

One thing of particular note is the increasing- Many thanks to all those who contributed to
ly central role they play in evolving the new this report, and to the wider teams who fuel
rules. The customer is no longer just that. our research and strategy offerings, enabling
They are a creator, advocate and channel. And us to support our clients and contribute to the
tomorrow’s consumer will play an even more space we all love.
active role in building the universes of their
favorite brands. Whatever you do and whatever industry
you’re in, please don’t hesitate to get in touch
The influence of the Cultural Pioneer – and with one of our offices to hear more about
younger generations at large – is only grow- how these insights relate to your business.
ing in importance every day, and brands are
seeking to future-proof their business. David Fischer,
Founder & CEO,
Highsnobiety

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NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 55
 CREDITS
Authors:
Anna Burzlaff
Director, Research & Insights

Edward Campbell
VP, New Business & Thought Leadership

Editor-In-Chief
Willa Bennett

Head of Strategy
Nina Kong

Strategy Director
James Davis
5 5

Senior Manager, Insights

Tattiana Lamas

Research Analyst Contact:

Esmaeel Elsayed
Europe
Senior Brand Creative Max Berger, CCO
Majada Ramadan [email protected]

Executive Editor US
Genevieve Walker Matthew Talomie, SVP Brand Partnerships
[email protected]
Copy Editor
Jake Indiana

Designer
Lucie de Bréchard

Senior Visual Editor

Manus Browne

Editorial Designer
Youri Chapelle

Account Manager
Julie Barnasconi

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY

NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 56
 5 5

DIESEL’S FIND THE D CAMPAIGN

THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW LUXURY
NEW LUXURY’S NEW RULES 57 CREDIT: ENVISIONED BY CREATIVE DIRECTOR GLENN MARTENS,
ART DIRECTOR CHRIS SIMMONDS AND PHOTOGRAPHER JOHNNY DUFORT