"Rich white women hugging poor black orphans does not bridge class and race and ethnic divides" observes Misha Pinkhasov, co-author of Real Luxury: How Luxury Brands Can Create Value for the Long Term. "It might raise awareness of problems, but it does not solve them." Awareness is without question where the frontlines are located for any product - from the most exclusive luxury item to the most overtly philanthropic endeavor - which is why everyone who wants to part people from either their time or money (or both) spends on PR.
But where philanthropy and luxury generally part ways is that the latter encourages openness while the former is generally thought to thrive on not being accessible.
Perhaps this view is a leftover relic of a different era, just like the (mostly) rich white men and their trophy spouses that make up the stereotype of the luxury consumer considered most desirable. "Gucci, Rolex, Louis Vuitton and other luxury brands will be in evidence on the backs, wrists and feet of those participating," continues Pinkhasov about the well-heeled crowd that ponied up $70,000+ to attend the recent World Economic Forum in Davos. And obviously this was not the consumer that Frédéric Rouzaud, managing director with Cristal champagnes, was referring to when The Economist asked whether the brand’s association with hip-hop and bling might damage it. “What can we do?" he answered. "We can’t forbid people from buying it.” (Gucci Mane image)
But maybe, Monsieur Rouzaud, you shouldn't want to.
Just ask the salespeople at Gucci, who have a clue. "Early one spring day a few years ago," Pinkhasov recounts, "a group of somewhat rowdy kids came into the large Gucci store near Paris’ Place de la Concorde. Their clothing and accents suggested they were from low-income, heavily immigrant areas that Fox News infamously identified as No-Go Zones. Their manner and behavior usually set posh establishments on edge, but the sales and security staff displayed an easy grace, helping the teenagers browse the merchandise, bringing more out from the stock room upon request, and wishing them a cheerful goodbye."
This high-spirited group, points out Pinkhasov, hailed from the same economic background where the French-born terrorists responsible for the Charlie Hebdo and the Hyper-Cacher attacks had been recruited "by religious extremists who offered them a sense of purpose and community after a young adulthood of feeling unwanted by society, aimlessness and petty crime." However, this particular posse of Gucci enthusiasts would drop in about once a week, according to the manager, and enjoyed being shown around the store, trying on new products and they especially loved it when the staff would remember their names. Did they buy anything? Hardly - perhaps the occasional baseball cap or key fob. But did they cause trouble? Unequivocally, no. Rather, what these potentially-troubled teens received was something far more rare than a branded bag or shoe; they received validation. (image via Gucci.com)
Validation, according to psychologists, is one of the central pillars of mental health, and by offering these teens validation, the Gucci sales staff succeeded where handwringing politicians, press conference-loving law enforcement, stressed-out teachers and beleaguered social workers have failed. "Validating people in ways that do not make for good photo ops – recognizing their humanity by just speaking their names and welcoming them into the world they aspire to – goes so much further," adds Pinkhasov. "It is simple, intimate and unsung. How many of the grandiose participants at Davos are capable of that? In the famously exclusive world of luxury, here was a moment of inclusivity."
- Lesley Scott
NOTE: All things L-U-X-U-R-Y are a signature of the Supremium fashion tribe - spendy, style-conscious fashionistas that enjoy jetsetting, globetrotting and shopping their way across the globe. To read more of my posts about the Supremiums, CLICK HERE. To learn more about each of fashion's four mega-tribes that I track, START HERE.
Follow Fashiontribes on TWITTER
Join me on FACEBOOK
Let’s hook up on LinkedIn
Why not shop my curated Chloe+Isabel jewelry collections?
