Luxury brands have been lying to you since 1899.

The beginning and the end of luxury

During La Belle Époque, socialites took the role of Instagram influencers.

They flaunted their expensive clothes, jewelry, and parties.

But it was not just for their enjoyment, as they made sure everyone else knew how special they were.

It's what we'll now call 'flex culture': showing what you have so others know you have it. FOMO and picture-perfect lives.

Let's shatter the myth that old-world luxury was about craftsmanship… that it was about a high level of skill and acquired taste.

It wasn't.

Here’s the truth: you can craft beautiful things, but taste is a secret language tied to your social class.

No matter how high you climb, it will remain part of your identity.

It's why British aristocrats will never wear Richard Mille watches.

Luxury is a game with hidden rules. Even though more people have access to it nowadays, the rules haven’t changed.

Luxury is a belief system rooted in scarcity and deliberate separation.

The more people join this ‘luxury club’, the more its symbols get copied.

And that’s when it stops being luxurious.

LVMH will learn this the hard way. When luxury becomes commoditised, it's nothing but McDonald's in a designer wrap.