Luxury on Instagram: Authenticity or Just an Illusion?
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by Dragana Vujmilović
At first glance, luxury fashion on Instagram looks flawless: glossy campaigns, staged
minimalism, and polished storytelling that signals exclusivity. But there are tensions beneath the
surface. Younger audiences now expect authenticity, sustainability, and diverse
representation, not just attractive content. This article argues that while Instagram emphasizes the glittering
world of luxury, it also reveals fundamental inconsistencies that Millennials and Gen Z
perceive in very different ways.
Exclusivity vs. Authenticity
Signals of elegance, including iconic settings, black-and-white photography, and perfectly
styled ambassadors, are essential elements of luxury fashion branding. A 2022 study by
Dhanesh, Duthler, and Li shows that both Millennials and Gen Z still associate such aesthetics
with luxury, but only if they remain consistent with brand identity. Once the performance feels
too staged, credibility collapses. In other words, authenticity online is not “real,” it is just
another carefully constructed marketing element.
Generational Perspectives
For Millennials, this staged exclusivity can still be convincing. They appreciate polished
visuals and famous ambassadors, embodying the prestige and tradition of the brand. Gen Z, by
contrast, is harder to convince. According to research by Kim, Leung, and McKneely (2023),
Gen Z is more skeptical and demands greater transparency and authenticity before trusting a
brand. They also tend to value less polished, behind-the-scenes content that feels more genuine.
When luxury fashion brands fail to represent diverse voices, Gen Z is quick to accuse them of
“diversity washing” – diversity as a gesture rather than a real commitment. This reveals a
generational divide: while Millennials still aspire to exclusivity, Gen Z increasingly questions
whether exclusivity itself is ethical.
Sustainability and Ethics
Another contradiction lies in sustainability. Many luxury fashion brands emphasize
craftsmanship and heritage but rarely address broader sustainability concerns or engage with
social and political issues. Marketing studies (Vinerean & Opreana 2019) suggest that luxury
fashion brands utilize Instagram to emphasize prestige rather than sustainability. On a platform
dominated by beautiful images, it becomes easy to hide inconvenient truths behind aesthetics.
Gen Z is difficult to impress with aesthetics alone. They expect transparency and representation
that feels authentic, not symbolic.
Instagram may project authenticity, but much of it remains an illusion. What appears to be a
natural snapshot is often a carefully staged performance designed to maintain exclusivity.
Millennials and Gen Z both appreciate the aesthetics, but they increasingly expect more than
just beauty, they demand accountability. For the fashion industry, the challenge is clear: if
luxury wants to stay relevant, it must move beyond the illusion of authenticity toward practices
that are truly transparent, sustainable, and responsible.
Bibliography:
Dhanesh, G., Duthler, G., & Li, K. (2022). Social media engagement with organizationgenerated
content: Role of visuals in enhancing public engagement with organizations on
Facebook and Instagram. Public Relations Review, 48(2), 102174.
Kim, J., Leung, X. Y., & McKneely, B. (2023). The effects of Instagram social capital, brand
identification and brand trust on purchase intention for small fashion brands: The generational
differences. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, 27(6), 988–1008.
Vinerean, S., & Opreana, A. (2019). Social media marketing efforts of luxury brands on
Instagram. Expert Journal of Marketing, 7(2), 144-152. http://hdl.handle.net/11159/4597
Bio:
Dragana Vujmilović completed her Bachelor’s degree in Marketing & Communication
Management at the University of Applied Sciences Kufstein, Austria. She is now pursuing a
Master’s in Fashion Management at AMD Akademie Mode & Design in Munich. Her primary
interest lies in how luxury fashion brands utilize aesthetics in their social media content,
particularly on Instagram, to convey a sense of authenticity and exclusivity. She is curious
about how different generations respond to various strategies and what this reveals about
changing patterns of consumption.
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