Luxury Brands Court Youth Through Craft

A jeweller’s workbench is becoming an invitation into luxury. At Tiffany & Co.’s New York workshop, visitors watched artisans working under microscopes and examined tools that had been used for generations. The encounter offered something a shop window cannot: a view of the labour behind the finished object. As younger consumers question what makes an expensive purchase worthwhile, established houses are giving craftsmanship a more public stage.

The Tiffany visit formed part of LVMH’s Les Journées Particulières, whose sixth edition ran from 16 to 18 October. The group’s programme covered 71 venues across 13 countries, with 45 houses offering access to workshops, cellars, archives and other spaces. Created in 2011, the initiative provides free encounters with artisans and their working environments. Antoine Arnault, LVMH’s director of image and environment, told CNN that the industry’s difficulties were not the reason for holding it.

Elsewhere, the invitation extends beyond an occasional open door. Chanel’s Galerie du 19M brings fashion and decorative craftsmanship into a cultural setting, with exhibitions and activities accessible to the public. Its November programme includes straw weaving, ribbon accessories and embroidered felt. Gucci has explored its history through exhibitions. Together, these approaches suggest a different introduction to luxury: visitors can spend time with materials, techniques and creative traditions before deciding whether they want to own anything bearing the name.

There is a commercial challenge behind that welcome. McKinsey’s Gemma D’Auria told CNN that price increases following the pandemic had weakened trust as shoppers questioned whether quality justified the cost. Workshops cannot make a handbag or necklace more affordable, but they can make its construction less abstract. For younger admirers, the first meaningful encounter may now involve meeting a maker rather than making a purchase. The question for brands is whether that understanding develops into lasting affection, and eventually ownership.