Is Luxury Dead?
A few weeks ago, I was browsing YouTube and came across a video of someone reacting to another video about a popular YouTuber selling their Hermes collection. While watching that video, I found another person uploaded a video about the same thing. I watched both videos and laughed at the second person's reaction because they were “heartbroken” over the person selling their bags. After a workout, I found another video of someone saying they were done purchasing luxury bags and talked about the change in her channel. All of these videos made me start to think. Is luxury dead?
So, a few weeks ago, YouTuber Lydia Millen posted a vlog telling her subscribers that she was going to sell off her Hermes bags. Here’s the thing: I unsubscribed from her channel over a year ago because I did not find her relatable (well, she was never really relatable to me, but I did like watching her for her handbag collection, her home, and she just seemed like a cool person to watch). I noticed her channel pivoting from fashion to gardening and home things, but not things I am not into. Also, I remember her selling some of her handbags before I stopped watching her, and I had a feeling back then that she was going to be changing her content. I started noticing other people on YouTube changing their content, too. I even changed my content from natural hair to sneakers and now fashion (I was thinking about dipping my toe back into natural hair videos again, but I don’t know). I found out her channel has pivoted into now more English Countryside things, and that is something I am not really into. After watching the two reaction videos, it confirmed that I have been seeing and thinking that luxury is dead. A lot of the influencers I used to watch have changed their content, or I do not relate to them because I changed what I like to watch and my change in mindset.
On the way to a 5 mile walk and get thoes 10,000 steps
Ever since 2020, my mind started to shift from what I once felt was important. I used to think having the coolest luxury bag was the thing for me, but as time went on and I went through some monumental life changes (losing a job of 20 years, graduating college for the second time, the responsibility of becoming a first time homeowner and my health), I felt mind and priorities shift from material things to my overall wellbeing taking a front seat to what I felt was more important to me. I realized going shopping every week was not the thing I needed to do to feel better. Recently, my health has been my main focus, so luxury bags have not been a thing for me for a while. My last luxury purchase was in 2022, and other things have been more important to me since then. I don’t watch very many luxury influencers anymore cause they don’t serve a purpose for me. I would rather watch someone build a home or see what the trends are in interiors than find out what the next new it bag is. The funny thing is I have kind of stayed tapped in a little bit, but it is not the only type of videos I watch anymore. I would rather watch a person show their latest desk setup or office tour than watch someone show for an overpriced handbag. Now, just to be real, I am not giving my bags up or not purchasing anymore anytime soon, but I rather take a break from consuming it to concentrate on other things.
Now, scrolling on TikTok, Chinese suppliers are popping up on my FYP, showing where all the luxury goods are made and selling them directly to people from their sites. Now, the funny thing is people were just shaming others for purchasing bags and things on sites like DH Gate, and now it looks like the tides have turned, and thoughts are changing on where to purchase “luxury” goods and what is luxury? Granted I have purchased several bags at marked-up prices and I am going to keep them cause they are mine and I love them, but will I purchase new bags at the marked-up prices going forward?