In the past, luxury had a deeper meaning than money. It was more than just being able to buy a car, a watch, or a purse. It was about the unique opportunity to possess something that has been skilfully, enduringly, and historically constructed. A watchmaker creating a timepiece that would endure generations, a Parisian leather atelier creating a few hand-stitched items annually, or a bottle of wine that has aged over decades these were experiences rather than just goods. They brought connection, legacy, and patience. Luxury was once defined by craftsmanship, discretion, and legacy. Today, hype culture has transformed it into a performance of logos and social media spectacle

The Rise of the Labubu Generation

In those days, luxury whispered. It wasn’t loud, it didn’t scream its worth. The richest people in the room didn’t need to announce themselves with loud logos. Their wealth was quiet, expressed through discreet gestures, subtle elegance, and things that only a few could even recognise. True luxury rewarded those with knowledge, those who understood the story behind the product, not just its price tag. 

But that old world meaning of luxury is fading. The rise of what many now call the ‘labubu generation’ has transformed luxury into a loud, performative act. Rather than valuing legacy or workmanship, Labubus seek visibility. People do not buy thing to enjoy them, they buy them to flaunt and flex. For them, luxury isn’t about craftsmanship or refinement; they see it as a way to be seen and accepted into a classist world of influencers, celebrities, idols, and society.

In this new society, the more prominent the logo, the better. Instagram feeds and TikTok videos have transformed luxury objects into props, part of a performance in which owning the latest release is more important than knowing its worth. Sneakers sell for 10 times their original price, not due to quality, due to hype. People see designer bags as quick fashion, acquired to meet an aesthetic. In this spectacle, the essence of true luxury is dying. Luxury brands are complicit.

New trend or a Trash Bag?

Many high-end fashion houses, once epitome of exclusivity, have surrendered legacy for virality. Over the last few years, Balenciaga has shifted from being a high-fashion luxury house into a hype-driven mass producer. What used to be brand exclusively for the insiders of the fashion world has come crashing down into a mere street wear industry with their ridiculous fashion products. Namely the infamous ‘trash tote’ that literally looked like garbage bag.

Luxury has turned into something that the rich could blindly sell to the general public who are foolish enough to make such purchases to look ‘cool’ and ‘swag’ in front of the peers. What was once about craftsmanship and refinement has now turned into marketing illusions.

People no longer buy a handbag for its refined leather or fine artisanal skill; they buy it because its logo is large enough for everyone in a room to recognize. This shift reveals how luxury has turned into a form of validation that people crave to prove their wealth.

The Death of Discretion in Luxury

In the past, the most modest person in the room was sometimes the wealthiest. Quiet confidence was the hallmark of true luxury, not blaring slogans or glitzy excess. The discreet millionaire may don a custom suit with no labels apparent, an unbranded cashmere sweater, or a watch that only a skilled observer could identify. Despite having billions of dollars, some of the wealthiest people in the world lived simple lives, drove modest automobiles, and even flew economy. That ethos has essentially disappeared today. being loud is essential to the labubu economy. Wealth is no longer lived; it is broadcasted. Social media algorithms reward visibility, not taste, pushing people to flaunt rather than appreciate. In this culture, subtlety has no value because it cannot go viral.

The sad irony is that this loudness cheapens everything. If the point of luxury is to stand apart, then mass spectacle destroys it. When everyone is chasing clout, wearing the same logo-heavy sneakers, or equipping the same limited-edition digital flex, exclusivity collapses. The aura of refinement, the quiet mystique that once defined luxury has been drowned out by the noise of hype culture. The irony is that luxury itself is made less expensive by this noise. Mass spectacle ruins the impression of luxury if its purpose is to stand out. Exclusivity breaks down when everyone vies for the same limited edition sneakers with the same logos, seeking clout. The wealthiest now distinguish themselves by their ability to speak louder in the digital sphere, rather than by their knowledge or sophistication.

So what is Luxury Now?

Perhaps the definition has to change. Real luxury today may not lie in logo heavy drops, but rather in items that defy commercialization. When it comes to fashion, this could mean spending money on tailor who creates clothes by hand just for you or a small artisan company that doesn’t care about mass production. Authenticity, meaning scarcity, and experiences that cannot be mass produced for labubus to flaunt are the hallmarks of true luxury in all fields.

Conclusion

Thinking about the evolution of luxury makes me feel conflicted between realism and nostalgia. Luxury used to have a weight that was almost sacred, it was more than simply a material possession; it was a concept. a sophisticated and meaningful way of life. There days, it is uncommon to find the understated elegance that didn’t require approval.

But luxury isn’t completely gone.

In my opinion, you find true luxury in quiet, unnoticed areas, not in what fills our feeds. Labubu’s focus on spectacle has stripped away the mystique that once made luxury aspirational, reducing most of it to a noisy performance. True luxury lies in a handmade item you cherish in solitude, in moments when you can choose quality over hype, and in experiences you don’t constantly share online. I now consider time, prudence, and genuineness to be more luxurious than material belongings. Labubus can never duplicate things that money can’t purchase.