History of Human Desire
The history of human desire shows us that when an item is scarce, exclusive, and appeals to the senses, we mere mortals can’t resist the temptation to covet. From aromatic spices to handcrafted leather goods, luxury pieces have propelled us into a world that places value on the desirability of a range of items. While historically, luxury has been differentiated by limiting its access to the masses, recently, brands, both legacy and contemporary, have taken an interesting approach.
Expert Perspectives
Through the use of modern-day influencers, luxury brands, specifically goods, have leveraged the platform and community of these virtual socialites to increase brand awareness and further push an aspirational goal towards a new generation of consumers. To get further insight into the impact of influencers and luxury brands, I reached out to a diverse array of experts to get their perspectives:
“Luxury used to rely on exclusivity, but brands like Prada have shown how influencer marketing can actually deepen desire instead of diluting it. By collaborating with creators who embody the current culture, not just fashion, Prada reframes its heritage for a generation that values both authenticity and aspiration. It proves that when luxury meets influence, the result is not less prestige, it is a new kind of relevance that keeps the brand at the center of the conversation.”
Rachel Pierre | Marketing Leader & Brand Strategist
Rachel highlights a key point. As new generations grow in buying power, impact, and influence, brands need to find a way to relate to them to ultimately turn them into loyal consumers. What better way to do that than to tap into influencers that tap into the culture and remind us that luxury is not just about the unattainable.
“Luxury marketing increasingly draws from research on happiness and human connection because those are central to why people value luxury experiences. Studies in positive psychology remind us that happiness is not found in accumulation but in experiences, moments of connection, and the feeling of being seen. Luxury resorts, fashion, and high-end products tap into this by creating experiences that foster joy, belonging, and identity. A guest does not just remember the suite or the handbag. They remember how it made them feel: cared for, confident, and connected to a story larger than themselves.
For marketers, the lesson is clear. Luxury is no longer just about status, it is about meaning. The most effective luxury brands position their offerings as pathways to joy, pride, and belonging. They are not simply selling products, they are selling emotions that research proves we crave. Campaigns that highlight moments of community, celebrate artisanship, or frame luxury as a source of deeper connection resonate because they align with human needs. Luxury is not about owning more, it is about experiencing more. The future of luxury marketing lies in turning products into memories and purchases into stories of connection. That is how brands help people keep shining long after the moment has passed.”
Nancy Richmond | Digital Media & Social Strategy Expert
The research is clear. As Nancy eloquently notes, luxury is no longer about exclusivity. It is about experience and meaning. The question is, “How can a brand connect with its audience?”. Influencers serve as trust agents that have built a level of rapport and connection with their audience base that brands can tap into.
“Luxury continues to be rooted in aspiration, and creators can play a key role in shaping that connection between brands and consumers. By partnering with the right voices, luxury brands can speak directly to their desired audience in an authentic and impactful way, reinforcing both aspiration and relevance. It is important to keep in mind that just as with other marketing tactics, influencer strategy must be aligned with the goal, whether it’s focused on awareness or conversion. For instance, while larger creators are often effective at building broad visibility, micro-influencers can be especially powerful in driving conversion, even for products positioned at premium price points.”
Viviana Palomino | Marketing Strategy & Integrated Campaigns Leader
As a leader in crafting marketing strategy in the luxury space, Viviana knows firsthand that a blanket influencer strategy approach is not the way to go. Crafting an impactful campaign involves understanding the “what” and “why of what you are trying to accomplish. Through understanding the answers to these questions, you can implement specific tactics with a curated list of influencers to help get your goals accomplished.
“Though influencer marketing has changed a lot in recent years, with a new focus on micro-influencers among most brands, it is still very relevant in 2025 and will remain that way as long as content creation is isolated to social media platforms. For a luxury brand, it depends on the company's position and budget. As an example, a startup would do well with any level of influencer, as in this case you are capitalizing on their connections, and not specifically trying to expose yourself. For a larger or more established brand, influencer marketing can work well for their brand, but I've seen over the years that the larger or more known the company, the less the influencer will affect the bottom line.
This is because the point of hiring an influencer is to gain access to their wide following, so a large company could benefit on a product-to-product basis, but most likely would be successful with brand building in this sense, as they're already at the top-of-mind level.
Thus, association with a known influencer would always help, but the issue a lot of companies - big and small - face is what I call the "Charlie Sheen Effect:" if the influencer makes one wrong move and is publicly shown in a negative manner (remember when "Two And A Half Men" had to resort to Ashton Kutcher because Charlie Sheen went a bit nuts for a while? That's basically what happens if you are a big brand associated with an influencer who ends up tainting their rep."
Ryan W. McClellan | Marketing & Mindset Coach
Expanding on Viviana’s point, Ryan makes a clear distinction on the purpose of hiring influencers and the careful selection brands have to make in order to ensure brand safety. Although an influencer may be popular that is not the only reason why they should be selected for a campaign. A combination of factors, including cultural relevance, connection with audience, and nonproblematic backgrounds should also be considered.
“Luxury used to sit on a pedestal - influencers pulled it down and placed it in real life. By shaping not just what we buy, but how we see ourselves in relation to those brands, they’ve expanded desire into identity. That shift is why today’s luxury feels less like an object and more like a story you can step into.”
Jazmin M. Burrell | VP, Group Strategy Director
The Future Of Luxury
As opposed to something out of reach, influencers help make luxury aspirational and somewhat attainable. Even if you can’t purchase the item just yet, that doesn’t mean you can’t live in that brand’s world. Jazmin’s comments make clear that influencers enhance the power of storytelling. And ultimately it is the stories we tell ourselves that compels us to take action.
Each expert opinion highlights one thing: Influencers are here to stay in luxury marketing. Despite the hesitation of some brands, we are seeing more than ever how more and more exclusive companies are integrating influencers to humanize their brands. They are partnering with creators not to create more distance, but bring themselves closer to the people they value the most.
Brands leading the charge are creating the playbook for what will be commonplace in the future. Tapping into a community through strategic influencer partnerships that seek to connect not dangle a golden carrot is the goal. And for the brands that connect well enough, they will see returns in a variety of forms.