Why People Really Buy Luxury (Hint: It’s Not About Quality)
Let’s talk about luxury not just what it is, but why we buy it.
It’s my belief that most people don’t buy luxury because of quality. I know that sounds counterintuitive, but stay with me.
We’re often sold this idea that luxury equals superior craftsmanship, perfect tailoring, or the finest materials money can buy. But in reality? “Well-made” and “luxury” aren’t the same thing. There are beautifully made, high-quality items from smaller or lesser-known brands that don’t carry a luxury label and there are luxury items that, frankly, aren’t particularly well made at all.
If quality alone dictated value, would luxury brands even exist in the way they do today?
So, Why Do People Buy Luxury?
Because luxury is about perception. It’s about identity, aspiration, and emotional value. People don’t just buy the item they buy what it represents.
Here’s what I believe people are really paying for when they buy luxury:
- Status A luxury item can serve as a symbol of success or achievement. It signals something, whether subtly or loudly, about where you stand or where you want to stand.
- Belonging Owning a piece from a luxury brand can feel like you’re part of a certain world. It creates a connection to a lifestyle or group, even if you’re just visiting it temporarily.
- Emotional Value Luxury often comes with an experience the packaging, the in-store treatment, the story behind the product. It evokes feeling. And sometimes, that emotional payoff is worth more than the item itself.
- Design & Aesthetics Many luxury brands lead with bold, memorable, or timeless design. Even when the craftsmanship doesn’t justify the price, the look can still feel worth it to the buyer.
- A Narrative Luxury brands are great storytellers. Whether it’s heritage, exclusivity, or a celebrity association, people love owning a piece of a bigger story.
Quality Isn’t Irrelevant — But It’s Not the Reason
To be clear, I’m not saying all luxury is poorly made. Some brands do invest in exceptional craftsmanship. But that’s not the core reason people spend thousands on a bag, watch, or pair of shoes. If it were, people would seek out the most durable, functional options and many of those don’t carry a luxury logo.For years, people have voiced frustration over the declining quality of Chanel bags prices keep rising, but craftsmanship seems to be slipping. And yet, the demand hasn’t stopped. People are still buying Chanel.
Luxury is about value beyond the tangible. That’s what people are really buying into. And once you see it that way, it becomes clear: we’re not just consumers of goods we’re consumers of meaning, identity, and narrative.
When a Chinese creator took to TikTok and revealed that many products even high-end ones are manufactured in China and only receive finishing touches elsewhere before being branded, it shook the internet. For so long, “Made in China” carried a stigma often (and unfairly) equated with being poorly made.
But now that we’ve had a closer look at how the global supply chain actually works, isn’t it time to challenge that outdated narrative?
The idea that products made in China are automatically of lesser quality while anything made in Europe is superior isn’t just inaccurate, it’s rooted in a Eurocentric and, frankly, racist bias that deserves to be dismantled. Quality exists everywhere. Excellence in craftsmanship isn’t bound by geography it’s about standards, ethics, and intent.
It’s time we moved beyond the label and started asking better questions: Who made it? Under what conditions? With what values? Because where something is made should never matter more than how and by whom it’s made.
Why do you buy Luxury?
