Imagine splurging a fortune on high-end fashion pieces that crumble apart right after you buy them – could the glamour of luxury be fading into oblivion?
Once upon a time, luxury items were crafted to endure the test of time, much like heirloom treasures passed down through generations. But today, a growing number of these coveted products seem as fragile as the trendy fast-fashion garments flooding our closets. This shift raises eyebrows and sparks debates about whether premium prices truly equate to superior quality anymore.
Take the case of Wisdom Kaye, a New York-based model and social media star with over 13 million TikTok followers. He recently shared his frustrating experience after spending a whopping $18,000 on outfits from the Italian label Miu Miu. In viral videos that captured widespread attention, Kaye excitedly unveiled his purchases, only to watch in horror as parts of them literally fell apart during the unboxing. In one clip posted in early September, he described himself as a devoted Miu Miu admirer before detailing the nightmare: items breaking the moment he arrived home. For instance, a gold button on a denim vest jacket popped off with just a gentle touch – no rough handling required. He demonstrated this casually, saying he simply opened it normally. Then came a brown sweater with a shattered silver zipper, leaving him stunned and vocal about the unacceptable situation: 'I've never bought multiple items from a store and had them fail right out of the box. This is downright appalling.'
Just three days later, Kaye updated his audience with another video. Miu Miu had stepped in, offering either a refund or replacements, and he opted for the latter, eager to show off the new items. But the drama continued – as he unbuttoned the vest, yet another button detached, his face a mask of disbelief. 'No way! This can't be happening,' he exclaimed, highlighting a repeat issue that many viewers found hard to believe.
Kaye's ordeal isn't isolated. In October, Tiffany Kim, a US-based dental hygienist, posted an Instagram video showcasing her gray fleece jacket from Miu Miu. She pointed out that a drawstring had slipped out from one sleeve, which might sound like normal wear, but Kim emphasized she'd only owned it for a month. While the brand provides repair services, some locations charge fees, and Kim wasn't upset about the cost – she could afford it. Her real grievance? 'It's not the fee; I shelled out $2,000 for this jacket and wore it just twice. That shouldn't require fixes so soon.'
Across platforms, similar complaints echo. On X (formerly Twitter), designer Elena Qiu from Seattle shared a video in November demonstrating the hollow interior of her $1,000 Maison Margiela leather split-toe tabi boots – those distinctive Japanese-inspired shoes with a toe split, often seen as avant-garde fashion statements. Qiu revealed the heel wasn't the expected stacked leather but filled with plastic, expressing deep disappointment. 'I felt heartbroken when the cap came loose,' she told CNN via email. As a fellow designer, she appreciates the effort behind handmade items and doesn't expect perfection after heavy use, but these boots hadn't seen excessive wear – maybe once a month for special events. She ended up taking them to a cobbler for repairs but now wears them sparingly to avoid more damage, defeating her original purpose for buying them.
But here's where it gets controversial: Are these just rare slip-ups, or signs of a deeper rot in the luxury world? These stories have ignited fury online, with users questioning if sky-high prices justify themselves, especially as costs keep climbing (check out this CNN link for more on why luxury brands are so pricey). Critics slam the industry for prioritizing flashy marketing and fleeting trends over sturdy construction. Fashion content creator Odunayo Ojo, known as Fashion Roadman, reposted Kim's video and urged: 'As fashion lovers, we must stand firm and boycott Miu Miu until they master durable clothing.' Another commenter chimed in: 'Expensive doesn't equal luxury if the craftsmanship is lacking!'
When CNN reached out to Prada Group, owner of Miu Miu, they downplayed the incidents as 'two unique cases not reflective of broader quality problems.' They noted handling them through customer service as usual and pointed out Miu Miu's low global return rate of 0.2% to 0.3%, among the best in luxury. Maison Margiela didn't respond to inquiries.
These anecdotes align with a wider trend in high fashion: experts argue that inflated prices no longer guarantee top-notch workmanship. They draw parallels to affordable fast-fashion labels, known for trend-focused pieces that don't last. Veteran journalist Dana Thomas, who covered luxury for decades at outlets like the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, spotted this decline back in the 2000s while researching her book 'Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster,' hinting at a long-standing issue.
In a phone chat from Paris, Thomas reminisced about budget-friendly shopping sprees in Milan: 'For about $1,176, I'd snag pants, sweaters, shoes, even a handbag from top Italian houses. It stretched far.' But quality deteriorated season by season. 'What were once seamless knits became stitched parts; buttons detached easily; colors faded quickly.' She wondered aloud: 'What's happening? Prices rose steadily while I reported on brands' booms.' Sales ticked up modestly, yet profits soared. 'As a consumer, I noticed the drop-off,' she said, fueling her book on brands chasing profits over products.
Leather expert Volkan Yilmaz, aka Tanner Leatherstein on social media with 1.3 million TikTok followers and more elsewhere, echoes this sentiment. From Dallas, Texas, he dissects bags from brands like Louis Vuitton and Chanel to assess value. In a video call, he noted social media amplifies complaints, making them seem more common, yet he believes quality has genuinely slipped. Without naming names, he contrasted recent pieces with older ones: 'Vintage designs used more refined techniques and handcrafted materials, but they're slow to produce at scale.' Big companies, he says, turn to mass-production tactics to meet demand.
And this is the part most people miss: What compromises are brands making, and what's driving them?
Production often mixes traditional hubs like Italy with outsourced work in cheaper regions. Investigations in 2024 and 2025 by Italian authorities uncovered labor abuses in luxury supply chains (see this CNN report), revealing subcontracting to Chinese firms using undocumented workers in exploitative conditions for bigger margins. Yilmaz adds that price surges amid market dips and rising costs worsen things. 'It's not all bad, but higher prices don't always mean better quality.'
Thomas sees clear cost-cutting: 'Brands ditched linings in pants because they're pricey.' She recalled raw-edged hems, cheaper to cut than fold and press, as shared by late designer Alber Elbaz. 'He explained it's four or five steps saved, not just style – pure economics.'
Sometimes, luxury and high-street brands share factories. Thomas visited one where workers assembled bags for both: 'Mall brands sold theirs for $100, luxury for $1,200, differing mainly in materials.' Now, even elites cut corners, using blends like 30% wool with 70% polyester, as Diana Kakkar of MAES London notes: 'They label it wool but sneak in synthetics.'
For Maison Margiela's boots, plastic heels are common. Bespoke shoemaker Caroline Groves explains: 'Traditional heels stack leather; since the 17th century, wood was used, then plastic for speed and low cost.' It provides strength, she adds. But Kakkar warns of a downward spiral: 'Brands ask for silk camisoles at £250 ($335), but pure silk costs £50-£60 per meter, so they opt for cheaper viscose or blends.'
So, what's next for luxury houses and shoppers?
Yilmaz views the industry's fast-paced cycles – new drops, endless content, sales pushes – as abandoning scarcity and skill. Cynically, he says items break faster 'to keep consumption going; corporations need quarterly gains, not eternal durability.'
That's why Hermès stands out, overtaking LVMH as the world's top luxury firm earlier this year (per this CNN piece), though LVMH has since regained the lead. Since going public in 1993, the founding family retains control, prioritizing craft and exclusivity over 200 years.
Publicly traded firms, Thomas says, are contradictions: 'If shareholders demand profits, you're making money, not luxury.'
Others call for change. Groves collaborated with John Galliano for Maison Margiela but parted ways: 'He needed 70 pairs in weeks; I make 40 yearly. Fashion and craft don't mesh.' She's turned down retail deals to uphold standards, fearing buyers lose touch with true luxury.
Yet, backlash opens doors. McKinsey's 2026 'State of Fashion' report (with Business of Fashion) spots mid-market growth, with brands like Polene offering quality at appealing prices, challenging traditional luxury.
For Yilmaz, this criticism is a reality check: 'Marketing can't sell subpar goods if they fall apart. New brands fill the gap affordably. It's a golden era for consumers – quality must improve, or why bother?'
What do you think? Is luxury doomed to cheapen out, or can brands reclaim their heritage? Do you agree these stories expose a betrayal of trust, or is it overhyped? Share your views in the comments – let's debate!
