Fashion brands are selling you coffee and cakes

Fashion brands are selling you coffee and cakes because food is the new luxury. With the cost of living, food is now a status symbol, which I think is pretty sad. Look at the Prada Cafe, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Ralph Lauren, Miu Miu. They're giving you a taste of luxury, even if you can't afford the 2,000 dollar bag. Because it's more likely you can afford an overpriced cake. An expensive coffee is far more attainable than long-term saving in this economy. When times are tough, people are more likely to indulge in everyday little luxuries and little treats. This is called the lipstick effect. And branded drinks create huge hype. Everyone shares their vlogs, creating this FOMO (fear of missing out) effect. What we're seeing here is the Cafe Effect, tapping into Gen Z's 'little treat' culture. Nobody is buying this for the taste. It's about social signalling and feeling part of this exclusive designer tribe, serving Instagrammable food to keep you in their world even if you can't buy expensive products. The last two years have been huge for designer cafes and food for luxury brands. I think we're gonna see a lot more food activations in 2025. If you're new here, my name is Joel. I'm a content creator and social strategist for brands and celebrities. Have you been to a designer cafe and did you notice this trend? Follow along for more creative and social insights.