Throughout time, luxury remains a mirror of its era. By turns ostentatious, discreet, committed, or digital, it transforms over the generations, capturing the deepest aspirations of those who inhabit it. From the gold watch proudly worn by a Baby Boomer to the virtual bag collected by an Alpha teenager, luxury has constantly reinvented itself. And each era has its own intimate definition of refinement.
Baby Boomers: Prestige as an Endgame
Born in the post-war period, Baby Boomers grew up in a world undergoing reconstruction, where social success was measured by outward signs. Luxury, for them, was synonymous with reward : a watch Rolex offered after thirty years of career, a tailor Chanel carefully preserved in a satin cover, a bag Hermès passed down like a legacy. The name of a house was enough. It embodied excellence, craftsmanship, longevity, and success.
In the Boomer universe, luxury was not whispered, it was shownIt affirmed status. And it was earned. For Baby Boomers, luxury represented much more than a simple object of desire: it was the symbol of a social success built on hard work, an outward sign of ascension, to be displayed without reserve. Prestige came through timeless signatures, houses with a solid heritage and impeccable workmanship. Hermès, Cartier, Chanel, Dior, Louis Vuitton: these names embodied elegance, tradition, permanence.
The emblematic objects of this era have become heritage icons. bag Kelly d'Hermès, the watch Cartier Tank, Burberry trench coat perfectly cut, the Chanel suit in tweed or even the Vuitton trunk for travel with panache, all are designed to cross the decades with dignity, like a second skin of well-earned success.
Generation X: discretion, distance, distinction
Children of economic uncertainty, rising unemployment, and serial divorces, the X family has learned to be wary of appearances. Their luxury? It becomes discreet, personal, almost secret. A cashmere Loro Piana, a rare vinyl, a vintage piece found in a luxury consignment store. Quality takes precedence over the logo. Elegance is free from demonstration.
Breaking away from the ostentation of their elders, members of Generation X cultivate a more intimate relationship with luxury. Marked by economic crises, rising unemployment and a changing world, they develop a less demonstrative elegance. Luxury becomes personal, functional, often silent, nestling in the cut of a coat, the softness of cashmere, the precision of a detail. Ralph Lauren, Giorgio Armani Calvin Klein : brands that focus on quality, discretion, and timelessness, rather than on the flashy.
Among the emblematic objects of this generation, the Sony Walkman stands out as a symbol of a new emotional luxury: access to your own soundtrack, wherever you are. It embodies a new freedom, mobile and personal. Add to that the glasses Ray-Ban Wayfarer, a sleek automatic watch, a V-neck cashmere sweater or a minimalist bucket bag, and you get a luxury ensemble sensitive, everyday, without ostentation, but resolutely elegant.
Millennials: Experience, more valuable than the object
Born between the turn of the century and the explosion of the Internet, Millennials have shaken up the codes. For them, luxury is not bought, it is experiencedIt can take the form of a secret stay in a guesthouse in Sicily, a confidential rooftop dinner in Tokyo, or a designer bag, but second-hand and repaired. Luxury, in their world, is mixed with authenticity.
They are also the first to question the legitimacy of the luxury industry: where does the leather come from? who sewed this jacket? what does this brand say about its time? In the era of ultra-transparency, luxury becomes responsible, or risks falling into obsolescence.
With the Millennials, luxury is entering an era experiential and engagedMarked by the digital revolution, globalization and the 2008 crisis, this generation is redefining priorities. The object is no longer the ultimate goal, it's the experience it promises, or the story it carries, that counts. The brands that appeal are young, agile, connected to the times: Acne Studios, Jacquemus, Off-White, Aesop, GlossierThey tell a story, convey an aesthetic, defend a position.
On the objects side, we find signature pieces with symbolic dimensions. The bag Chiquito by Jacquemus, tiny but cult, becomes a nod to the absurdity of status luxury. The Rimowa suitcase evokes stylish roaming, the Aesop bottle installed in a bathroom evokes a chic and discreet well-being ritual. baskets Veja ou Yeezy intersect design and environmental awareness, while a well-chosen designer tote bag conveys an affinity with an aesthetic, a tribe, or even an ideology.
Generation Z: Committed Luxury or Nothing
For Zs, born into a world under tension, climate crises, collapse of the traditional model, omnipresence of digital technology, luxury is only worth it if it carries a message. Labels are no longer enough. We need substance, meaning, and words.
They favor daring brands: those that showcase their ethical manufacturing, that support diversity, that innovate without denying their heritage. Gen Z is comfortable with paradoxes: they collect Balenciaga drops while buying secondhand. They want exceptional pieces, but reject waste.
Born into an unstable and ultra-connected world, Generation Z does not tolerate usurpation. For her, luxury must have meaning, or it has no place. Militant, inclusive, ethical, disruptive: these are the new criteria of desire. Balenciaga, Marine serre, Telfar, Stella McCartney, Veja : labels that challenge norms, blur genres, and display their ecological or social commitment. Luxury should not flatter: it must question, sometimes even disturb.
The Telfar bag, which has become a symbol of inclusivity and accessibility, encapsulates the spirit of this generation. An oversized Balenciaga hoodie, vegan sneakers, upcycled jewelry, or a customized iPhone—all objects that reflect a posture more than a status. Luxury Z is worn with second degree, claimed on TikTok as much as on the cobblestones, with irony or activism.
Le luxury becomes a field of political and identity expressionA claim, not a reward.
Generation Alpha: augmented, emotional, fluid luxury
The Alpha children, still very young, evolve in a world where the real and the virtual coexist seamlesslyFor them, luxury could be a digital Gucci bag carried by their avatar, a custom-made piece generated by AI, or an immersive experience in a reinvented flagship.
They may never have seen a print ad. They won't buy something for what it is, but for what it does. allows them to feelAesthetics must be combined with ethics, and innovation with emotion.
For Generation Alpha children, born after 2010, luxury will be neither a rare item nor a coveted object. It will be sensory experience, virtual extension, intelligent presenceIn a world merging real and digital, their relationship with luxury will naturally be hybrid. Gucci in the metaverse, Nike x Roblox, Burberry in Fortnite, Balmain in NFT: brands are already investing in their playing field.
Their iconic objects won't necessarily be tangible: a digital avatar bag, a smartwatch designed for children, smart clothing that changes color according to emotion, a virtual sneaker purchased on a gaming platform, or a personalized voice speaker. Luxury becomes playable, interactive, emotional, and adapts to their lives at high speed. For them, true luxury may not be no longer to possess, but to live, to feel, and to share, in both worlds at the same time.
And tomorrow? Luxury according to Generation Beta
For Beta generation (born from 2025), the luxury of tomorrow will be unlike anything we know today. Still unborn or in infancy, these children will grow up in a world hyper-technological, eco-conscious, fluid and immersiveThe first trends and prospective analyses outline the contours of a luxury augmented, intelligent and deeply emotional, breaking away from traditional benchmarks.
It's still difficult to pinpoint the precise desires of a generation that's only just beginning to emerge. However, the first signs are emerging. Born from 2025 onward, Generation Beta will grow up in a world entirely governed by artificial intelligence, augmented reality, biotechnology, and ecological awareness. For them, luxury will no longer be a rare object but a global environment, an intelligent ecosystem that will meet their needs... even before they express them.
In this world, luxury will become profoundly technological. We will no longer buy a dress or a bag to wear them, but to bring them to life in parallel digital worlds, in the metaverse, on an avatar, in a game. Fashion brands will offer ultra-personalized immersive experiences, combining design, emotions, and artificial intelligence. Objects will be connected, adaptive, sensitive to mood or climate. Luxury will no longer be tactile. It will be interactive, almost alive.
But in a world disrupted by climate change, this generation will view sustainability not as an added value, but as a non-negotiable prerequisite. Luxury, for the Betas, must be regenerative, circular, and transparent. Every garment, every fragrance, every experience must display its carbon footprint, its traceability, and its real contribution to a better world. A luxury product that pollutes simply cannot exist.
Another central dimension: ultra-personalization. Thanks to data, algorithms, and biometric sensors, luxury will become an intuitive companion: it will adapt to mood, emotions, and lifestyle. The clothing of tomorrow may be custom-made in a few clicks, printed locally, designed to last only a moment... or to constantly evolve. We will no longer choose an object: it will recognize us and choose itself for us.
Finally, and perhaps the most unexpected development: in a world saturated with noise, images, and interfaces, true luxury for Generation Beta may become absence. Silence. Slowness. Intimacy. Chosen emptiness. We may witness the emergence of an almost spiritual luxury, based on care, mental regeneration, experiences of disconnection, or invisible but deeply emotional objects.
In short, Generation Beta's luxury will be neither purely material nor purely digital. It will be emotional, ethical, intuitive. And, more than ever, aligned with the times they live in.
What each generation remembers about luxury varies, but one constant remains: it is less price than rarity, less object than vibrationYesterday a sign of power, today a quest for values, tomorrow perhaps a simple bubble of slow time in a hurried world, luxury embraces the desires of its time without ever losing its aura. It evolves, transforms, but never dies.
Angélys Saint-Clair
