Luxury Without Mystery? Big Fashion Houses Have Their "McDonald's Moment"

The luxury industry is facing a turning point. To survive, it must redefine itself: abandoning the aura of mystery in favor of transparency, transforming legends into evidence, and enriching heritage with ethics and responsibility. A new era of luxury is coming.

After decades of undisputed dominance, luxury is losing its invisible armor. The 21st century consumer doesn’t buy promises — they want facts, sources, and meaning. Just as McDonald’s once had to face growing skepticism and respond to the call for responsibility, today the same moment is coming for luxury . The so-called “McDonald’s moment” means a moment of confrontation with reality: a transition from the closed world of elites to a model in which prestige is not enough — transparency, truth, and ethical decisions are needed. There is no hiding the fact that luxury is facing a real revolution . In the name of what? Loyal customers and the profits that follow them.

Luxury Fashion / Shutterstock

Not long ago, the veil of secrecy was the main tool of luxury brands . Exclusivity, an aura of scarcity, and a high price were all justifications for value. Today, thanks to social media, artificial intelligence, and revealing video content, consumers see more—often too much. They know where materials come from, how much production really costs, and what working conditions are like.

A boutique of the luxury fashion house Dior, struggling with an image crisis / Shutterstock

Recent scandals have only fueled discontent, with Dior apologizing for Chinese immigrants in its Italian factories and luxury giants explaining what exactly "Made in Italy" or "Made in France" means after a wave of revealing reels on TikTok .

Ethics is the new currency of prestige today. More and more affluent customers – especially the younger generation – choose brands that can prove their commitment to sustainable development, fair supply chains and social responsibility. Part of the industry understands this perfectly. For example, Stella McCartney uses "grape leather" , CHANEL invests $80 billion in the Nevold program , Clarins Group receives the prestigious B Corp™ certificate .

" Quiet luxury " is no longer about ostentatious wealth, but about conscious choices. Customers ask not only "how much does it cost?", but "who made it?", "what working conditions were provided?", "what am I leaving behind for the environment?". Luxury, to survive, must be moral - regardless of the price.

When material value is undermined , true luxury moves into the immaterial sphere. Brands such as Prada or Hermès understand this perfectly, transforming stores into "experience galleries", presenting craftsmanship and values ​​in exhibitions. In addition, luxury brands invite their customers for coffee, vacations and a luxurious dinner - this is how Prada Café , LV restaurant , or YSL bookstore work. The luxury of tomorrow will no longer be a "thing" - it will be a moment, a story. Do you remember fashionable storytelling?

What was a moment of reflection on health and responsibility for fast food is a moment of truth about value and transparency for luxury. An era is coming where prestige is not based on secrecy , but on quality, ethics and the courage to show the truth. The brands that dare to do this will not only survive - they will become leaders in a new definition of luxury .