VIRALCORE IS FASHION’S NEW ‘IT’ THING
Luxury brands are turning to memes and pop culture to stay relevant, with ‘go viral or go home’ on their minds; experts weigh in
Luxury fashion houses, traditionally known for their signature styles and catering to an elite clientele, are now evolving to capture the attention of fashion enthusiasts through meme-inspired (also memeworthy) products that gain popularity online.
A recent example involved a social media user who posted a picture of a red heirloom tomato on X, captioning it: “This tomato is so Loewe I can’t explain it.” The post quickly gained traction, with users agreeing on the fruit’s resemblance to the brand’s aesthetic. Just five days later, Loewe’s creative director, Jonathan Anderson, unveiled a clutch shaped and coloured like the same tomato, signalling a shift towards meme-worthy marketing.
Designer Nachiket Barve explains this trend: “With the market oversaturated and luxury brands looking increasingly similar, memeworthy products generate organic attention. While these items might not sell in large numbers, they significantly boost the brand’s visibility in unconventional ways.”
Loewe isn’t alone in this approach. Under Demna Gvasalia, Balenciaga has become known for its absurdist products, such as the $925 terry cloth towel skirt and the $1,850 cheese and onion chips bag. Their $4,000 tape bracelet was widely discussed online too. Similarly, Beate Karlsson, the designer of independent fashion house Avavav, recently staged a fashion show in Milan where he metaphorically represented online trolling and hate by pelting models with garbage.
Gaurav Khanijo views these trends as more gimmick than genuine design innovation: “In the digital age, gaining traction and eyeballs is crucial. These products appeal to the younger generation, offering high attention value despite lacking product value.”
But do these viral products translate into sales? Khanijo believes so, as they become collectible items.
“Luxury brands create limited numbers of such products, making them highly desirable. However, while they achieve immediate market demands, these products may lose relevance over time.”
Barve highlights the importance of maintaining brand identity while innovating. “Brands need to stick to their DNA but innovate within that space. Items like the Coperni air bag or JW Anderson pigeon clutch generate conversation and visibility, boosting sales,” he says.
However, Khanijo warns that these trends could alienate traditional customers: “The core of what these fashion houses stood for can get lost. Long-term customers might feel disconnected from the brand’s original ethos.”
Fashion business analyst Joyee Abraham notes that the success of luxury products is increasingly measured by their online virality: “Metrics like earned media value show how critical online buzz has become.” Barve, however, cautions against using virality as the sole metric of success, by saying, “Each brand should find and speak to its own unique audience.” Ultimately, attention has become the new currency in fashion, ends Khanijo, adding, “Craftsmanship has taken a back seat in the race for virality.”