Luxury Brands, Music, and Youth Culture: How Dior, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton Shape the Modern Consumer Landscape
“You know my style, I love Christian Dior.” If you’ve recently attended a summer party, hearing this lyric from MK and Chrystal’s hit song Dior might not surprise you. The track has dominated UK charts and quickly gained traction in the U.S. For Christian Dior, this cultural resonance comes at a critical moment for the brand. Bernard Arnault, CEO of LVMH, has been actively revitalizing Dior, while the newly appointed creative director, Jonathan Anderson, is gradually showcasing his vision for the house.
The relationship between music and luxury brands is far from coincidental. Analyzing lyrics from Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Hip-Hop/R&B charts reveals a unique lens through which we can observe the rise and fall of luxury brands. Unlike traditional metrics such as Google search trends or social media mentions, the frequency with which brands appear in song lyrics often captures cultural momentum more directly. From late 2020 to early 2023, mentions of luxury brands in songs surged, especially for labels like Louis Vuitton and Gucci, signaling their status as cultural icons. Yet, after peaking, these mentions began to decline, reflecting broader industry challenges: slowing sales, a generational shift away from ostentatious consumption, and declining stock prices for LVMH and Kering, Gucci’s parent company. Music provides an especially intuitive barometer of cultural influence, sometimes more telling than quarterly financial reports.
Hip-hop and R&B have long served as the bellwethers of luxury consumption. Traditionally, these genres’ audiences coveted high-end brands that European fashion houses often approached cautiously. That began to change about a decade ago. In 2018, LVMH appointed the late designer Virgil Abloh as Louis Vuitton’s men’s artistic director, bridging luxury fashion and youth culture. His tenure catalyzed unprecedented market growth: from 2017 to 2022, global personal luxury goods sales surged by over $100 billion, with American youth playing a pivotal role. Though not ultra-wealthy, this demographic demonstrated a willingness to pay premium prices. The period was defined by bold colors and visible logos, amplified by music, where luxury items like Rolex watches and Hermes handbags frequently appeared in lyrics. As Arnault emphasized in early 2022, Louis Vuitton is not merely a fashion brand—it is a “cultural brand.”
However, post-pandemic inflation and rising interest rates have affected the spending power of many young luxury consumers. As a result, brands began to refocus on wealthier, older clientele, embracing a trend known as “quiet luxury,” characterized by subtle design and understated branding. This shift has alienated younger consumers, and references to brands like Gucci and Dior in lyrics declined between 2022 and 2023. Mid-tier brands such as Goyard, priced relatively lower, maintained cultural relevance among hip-hop and R&B artists.
Consequently, luxury marketing strategies have adjusted. Dior, for instance, shifted its focus from music to sports by appointing football superstar Kylian Mbappé as a brand ambassador, moving away from previous collaborations with artists like A$AP Rocky. While sports partnerships can generate massive exposure, entirely abandoning music may be short-sighted. Music remains the bridge connecting luxury brands to younger audiences, and the right lyrical placement or collaboration can significantly elevate brand visibility.
Gucci’s trajectory illustrates the pattern vividly. Beginning in 2016, under Alessandro Michele’s maximalist creative direction, Gucci was frequently mentioned in lyrics, coinciding with a period of rapid sales growth. In 2018 and 2019, Lil Nas X referenced Gucci in Old Town Road, marking a cultural zenith. Yet, such widespread exposure can carry risks; Michele’s departure left Gucci struggling to redefine itself, and mentions in song lyrics declined. Given that Gucci once contributed over 60% of Kering’s revenue, this downturn had notable repercussions. However, it also provided an opening for Michele’s successor, Demna Gvasalia, to reconnect with younger audiences. After three years of relative low-profile, Gucci is positioned to reclaim its cultural relevance through strategic music and cultural collaborations.
Hermès presents a contrasting narrative. Its performance has remained robust, particularly through the Birkin and Kelly handbags, which frequently appear in song lyrics, reinforcing cultural cachet. In 2023, Shaboozey’s A Bar Song (Tipsy) mentioned the Birkin, propelling the brand back onto the Billboard Hot 100. Such mentions underscore how cultural visibility can substantially enhance a brand’s perceived value and desirability.
Dior, under LVMH, experienced a near quadrupling of revenue from 2018 to 2023, surpassing €9 billion, fueled by brand reinvention and the popularity of streetwear-inspired designs. Yet, since 2020, lyrical mentions have decreased, paralleling slower growth in certain consumer segments. By contrast, Louis Vuitton has sustained attention through continued musical partnerships, such as Pharrell Williams’s creative contributions to men’s collections. In 2024, Drake’s hit Sticky referenced Louis Vuitton, demonstrating how cultural positioning can stabilize brand recognition even amid broader market fluctuations.
Private luxury houses have also leveraged music to maintain relevance. Chanel, despite a 4% drop in sales in 2023, was frequently mentioned in lyrics due to Nicki Minaj’s work. This cultural presence provided a foundation for the brand’s collaboration with Kendrick Lamar, especially after the Super Bowl halftime show, boosting online search interest. Prada, while less prominent in hip-hop and R&B, still benefited from song mentions in tracks like Ferrari Horses and Unholy, correlating with contemporaneous sales growth.
Timepieces are another area where music shapes brand perception. Rolex, once the go-to symbol of opulence in lyrics, has seen declining mentions since 2014, while Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe have risen through celebrity endorsements. Future, for example, referenced both brands in over fifty hit songs. Drake’s appearance with a Patek Philippe Nautilus 5726 in Life is Good turned the watch into a cultural icon. Cartier, collaborating with Tyler, The Creator, encouraged consumers to move from bulky sports models to lighter, more refined designs, consolidating its position in youth markets. Richemont, Cartier’s parent company, has thus leveraged cultural influence to achieve both sales and stock performance gains.
These trends highlight several insights. Brands must capture young consumer attention at critical moments but avoid overexposure to preserve exclusivity. To regain visibility among youth, luxury houses need to reintegrate music and culture strategically, while also addressing global trends, social media influence, and sustainability concerns. Today’s consumers increasingly value environmental responsibility, production transparency, and social impact. Luxury brands that combine exceptional craftsmanship with clear societal value are more likely to sustain long-term relevance.
Social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram now rival traditional advertising in influence. Brands must create “talkable” content within these digital ecosystems. Music, video, and social media form a synergistic cultural environment where luxury goods serve as visible markers of taste and status. Successful brands strategically engage with pop culture, athletes, musicians, and artists to cultivate lasting cultural capital.
Global shifts further complicate the landscape. Asia, particularly China, has become a crucial market for mid-to-upper-class consumers, yet younger buyers increasingly value personalization, exclusivity, and sustainability over conspicuous wealth. Brands must therefore combine heritage craftsmanship with compelling narratives, limited editions, and eco-conscious initiatives to maintain appeal.
Luxury houses are responding by bringing in a new generation of creative directors. Jonathan Anderson at Dior, Demna at Gucci, Blazy at Chanel, and leaders at Loewe, Givenchy, and Celine are all driving innovation. Yet, design alone is insufficient to rekindle youth enthusiasm. Brands must simultaneously innovate in marketing, social media engagement, and cross-industry collaborations. Music remains the most immediate cultural touchpoint—a viral song or social media moment can catalyze brand revival.
The success of Dior exemplifies this dynamic. The song not only boosted Dior’s visibility among younger audiences but also signals a potential turning point after a period of stagnation. With targeted marketing, innovative design, and strategic cultural collaborations, luxury brands can regain their central role in popular culture, driving both revenue and cultural influence. The future of luxury is no longer solely about price and craftsmanship; it is about capturing the spirit of the times and forging deep cultural resonance with younger consumers. In this ecosystem, music continues to serve as the most sensitive and immediate barometer of influence.