Luxury is not sold. It is desired. It’s whispered about in the right circles — not shouted from rooftops. And yet, many well-meaning marketers continue to apply mass-market principles to a realm that fundamentally rejects them.

Elena Falconer recently wrote, “Luxury clients don’t scroll endlessly… They are loyal to recommendations, to lived experiences, to brands and professionals who have earned the quiet endorsement of those already in their orbit.”
As someone who’s worked closely with brands aiming to break into the high-touch, high-worth space, this rings deeply true. But to go even further, we must understand why traditional marketing approaches don’t work in luxury, and what to do instead.

That’s where The Luxury Strategy by Kapferer and Bastien offers unmatched clarity.

“Luxury is not comparative. Luxury is not about comparing one offer to another, but about singularity, timelessness, and cultural anchoring.”
— The Luxury Strategy, Jean-Noël Kapferer & Vincent Bastien

1. Luxury Brands Are Built on Identity, Not Utility

Luxury is not a solution to a problem — it’s an expression of identity. Unlike premium or mass-market products, luxury offerings are not about justifying cost through features or functionality. They’re about aligning with the values, worldviews, and aesthetics of a very specific audience.

Your marketing strategy, then, must avoid the trap of being overly explanatory or benefit-driven. Instead, as Kapferer and Bastien assert, “Luxury has to be earned, not explained.” In this world, mystery builds value.

2. Forget ‘Customer-Centric’ — Luxury Brands Are Dream-Centric

This one stops many marketers in their tracks: in luxury, you don’t build your brand around customer feedback.

Kapferer and Bastien are clear:

“Luxury is not about adapting to demand, but about creating desire.”

Luxury brands lead with vision. They curate, not cater. That’s why the whisper network Elena speaks of is so powerful. When high-end clients hear about your brand through an elegant conversation or a quiet recommendation, it’s not because you optimised for visibility. It’s because you built something desirable enough to earn a place in their world.

3. Visibility Is Not the Goal — Influence Is

As tempting as it is to chase impressions, luxury isn’t about being everywhere. In fact, overexposure can dilute perceived value.

Instead, luxury brands operate in what I call a “curated visibility ecosystem”. Your presence should feel selective, elevated, and purposeful. Think strategic partnerships, invitation-only experiences, and content designed for resonance, not reach.

“In luxury, communication must not aim at selling. It should aim at letting the brand’s myth flourish.”
— The Luxury Strategy

4. Price Is a Feature, Not a Flaw

Another key distinction: luxury brands don’t shy away from price — they lean into it. Not as a barrier, but as a badge.

“High price is not a consequence of luxury; it is a condition.”
— The Luxury Strategy

The true luxury client doesn’t want cheaper. They want meaningful, rare, exceptional — and they are willing to pay for it when the experience matches the expectation.

Bringing It All Together: Building Brands Worth Whispering About

The takeaway? In luxury marketing, your greatest asset isn’t your ad budget or content volume. It’s your positioning, presence, and provenance.

You earn the whisper by embodying excellence. You sustain it by staying consistent, relevant, and rare.

So ask yourself:

• Is your brand cultivating quiet influence?

   

• Are you designing moments worth retelling?

   

• Have you stopped chasing attention and started earning admiration?

   

At Lustosa Marketing, we help brands uncover their unique story, refine their presence, and enter the rooms where the whisper matters most.

Because in luxury, the loudest noise… is often silence.