Luxury Is Becoming More And More Accessible Today. Another Strategy Is Needed Today.

Why is the luxury brand of Paris going to launch a $2000 wallet with a $1 IKEA shopping bag? Why does it look like a shabby Gucci sneaker? Why is it a new craze? Why is Sarah Jessica Parker in Rome Via? Sannio flea market amusing clothes? Why Michelin star Italy chef Craco (Cracco) to use a brand of potato chips in his dishes?

In the past, we often believed that identity symbols were first used in the upper classes of society, that is, between celebrities and fashions, and then gradually spread to the whole society. However, a new trend seems to contradict this pattern. More and more famous brands and celebrities are no longer in favor of new luxury goods, no longer pursue the latest high-end taste, but are interested in low-end fashion and articles, such as adhesive shoes, plastic shopping bags, street food and so on, and even high-end perfume is designed with household cleaning bottles. These puzzling examples have aroused our interest. We have decided to understand this phenomenon from the perspective of semiotics, that is, how consumers use products and brands to present themselves.

We believe that these special identity elements are no longer the same as they used to be, from the higher strata to the lower strata, but from the lower classes directly to the higher strata without affecting the middle class. Tape design sports shoes and chips are low-end products, but they do not seem to exist in mainstream stores or mid end restaurants before they are used by luxury brands or chefs. Therefore, in the process of transmission, some symbols do not seem to affect the middle class of society, but from low to high direct dissemination. So how do we explain this different trajectory?

As traditional luxury goods become more and more popular, such as the symbolic Louis Weedon print handbag or Chanel 5 perfume, the rich class needs other means to highlight their reputation and power. In this case, they can boldly try the popular taste of the low end, do not worry that it will make them look cheap, while the less stable middle class insists on choosing those that can be clearly identified.

But there is one problem worth noting. When using low-end items, the upper class combines them with high-end items, so that their status and status can still be clearly presented. The coat that Sarah Jessica Parker wore was indeed bought from flea market, but don't forget that she also wore the high-heeled shoes of Christian Louboutn (Christian Louboutin) brand.

This year, Timothy Charame (Timoth e Chalamet) zipper pilot jacket attracted many people's attention on the red carpet, but it was the Cartire diamond brooch he wore and the platinum and rubies on her body, which undoubtedly raised his overall collocation to a new height. Crako has put potato chips in his dish, but the crisp potato chips are served in a special atmosphere with other delicacies. In other words, high ranking consumers and luxury brands that cater to them will mix up high-end and low-end tastes to distinguish them from mainstream consumers.

In order to verify this statement, we conducted a series of studies in various fields such as food and clothing. It proved that high status groups would match low-end items with other types of goods to distinguish themselves from most consumers. For example, after examining the menu of more than 1000 restaurants in New York, we found that when providing low-end and cheap food (such as mashed potatoes, rough corn gruel or fried chicken), high-end restaurants often match them with more high-end ingredients, such as truffles. Similarly, groups with high status are more likely to choose foods mixed with high and low end foods, such as foie gras hamburgers and lobster cheese macaroni, when compared with other groups.

In another experiment, we asked respondents to choose clothing accessories, and fashion oriented people were more likely to choose high-end products using low-end cultural symbols, such as Helmut Ron's garbage bags or designer brand soles inspired by Carlo. Finally, we design an incentive compatibility game. Participants can show their social status and identity to other participants by selecting watches with different shapes and colors. Consistent with our hypothesis, we find that when they need to show their identity, a large proportion of the watches chosen by the respondents have mixed elements.

If low-end products are becoming more popular and becoming more and more high-end, what impact will this have on brands? High-end brands can choose several low-end styles and trends to integrate into their merchandise series. Indeed, several luxury brands are using this strategy.

Brands such as Prada and Gucci have worked hard at some low-end or unattractive items to launch luxury brands such as swimming slides and leggings. Miuccia Prada, chief designer of Prada, said in an interview that people have a lot of deep-rooted ideas about beauty. She has been struggling with these inherent ideas and trying to add ugliness to her design, Miuccia Prada. Like Gucci's latest "street Gucci" new series, its inspiration comes from students' anti culture movement and the 1968 French storm in May.

Louis Weedon chose a slightly different strategy. Louis Weedon did not actively increase the low-end products, but showed his interest in avant garde and vulgar artists. This can be seen from the latest new programmes and cooperation results. In the past few years, it has launched a joint brand series with the US skateboard brand Supreme, and is also working with the famous pop artist Jeff (Jeff Koons), who is good at transforming vulgar everyday objects into elegant artworks. Through these cooperation, Louis Weedon used popular printing on his delicate and expensive leather products. Some consumers may not like these changes, but the results show that consumers with high-end tastes may like these changes because they like these brands.

In conclusion, this study shows how identity symbols evolved in the increasingly easy access to luxury goods. Nowadays, symbols that can show superiority in traditional ways are increasingly losing their functions. The consumers and brands of the high class will mix and match different types of identity symbols with purpose, as an alternative strategy to manifest themselves.