For Five Fashion Buyers, the Ultimate Pleasure Is Experience

By the Editorial Team · Saturday, October 17, 2026

Five leading luxury fashion buyers from major U.S. cities agreed that luxury is defined by personal and sensory experiences rather than price or brand name. This shift in perspective is reshaping their purchasing decisions and signals a broader industry move toward authenticity and meaningful consumer connections.

In conversations with five luxury fashion buyers from leading concept stores in Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco, a clear consensus emerged: true luxury is rooted not in price or brand recognition, but in personal experience. These buyers, who play a pivotal role in determining which products reach store shelves, emphasized that their conception of luxury extends beyond material wealth to encompass meaningful and authentic moments.

The buyers—Margaret Austin, Bo Carney, Anthony Cataldo, Sherri McMullen, and Sarah Stewart—described luxury as an intimate and sensory experience. For them, luxury might mean the tactile pleasure of knitting with fine cashmere, the thrill of driving a vintage car along iconic Sunset Boulevard, or the simple joy of observing everyday life while people-watching in Paris. These experiences, they agreed, represent beauty in practical, lived reality rather than curated online imagery.

This perspective stands in contrast to a traditional view that equates luxury primarily with exclusive brands or high price tags. Instead, the buyers suggest luxury is accessible through moments that are meaningful and personal. Their reflections echo the late André Leon Talley’s characterization of American fashion as suffering from a "famine of beauty," yet they argue that luxury in 2026 remains present for those who seek it through experience rather than consumerism.

The collective insight from these industry professionals highlights a shift in how luxury is defined in today’s fashion landscape—where authenticity and sensory engagement take precedence over superficial markers of status. This emphasis on experience influences their buying decisions, steering them toward products and concepts that evoke a deeper connection with consumers.

As the luxury market continues to evolve, these buyers’ views suggest that success may increasingly depend on curating offerings that resonate with personal narratives and real-world beauty, challenging the notion that luxury is solely the domain of high prices and labels.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.