Luxury brands have been making their foray into the food arena and launching standalone cafes and restaurants that capitalise on the parallels between food and fashion. As both are celebrated for their craft or artisanal element, the amalgamation of cuisine and couture is brilliant for consumers who are concerned about provenance, quality of ingredients and exclusivity (Morris). The food we consume is becoming a form of self-expression, much like a pair of Christian Louboutins or the classic little black dress, that reflects one’s values and identity. Degustatory expertise here is “a signifier of social status”, which significantly appeals to millennials who glory in flaunting their exquisite taste in an environment that they can literally consume (Johnson). 

Eating, as a social practice, provides an incentive to drive more footfall and increase dwell time in stores, which tempts customers to purchase. This strategy also caters to millennials who lack financial capabilities as an alternative experience to the brand, thus influencing them to buy into a lifestyle that resonates with a certain persona that they want to portray. It is especially important to them, as social creatures who esteem ranks and statuses, to feel a sense of belonging as part of a group to reinforce their social standing. Apart from status symbols, food can also be used to indicate one’s social status. Despite the difficulty in “[squaring] fashion’s rush to the dinner table with the persistently alarming thinness of models in campaign imagery,” big brands like Burberry, Prada, Gucci, Armani, Ralph Lauren and Dior are at it to bring a taste sensation to the cafe and restaurant world (Johnson). The establishment of these luxury brand cafes has created excitement and given customers another reason to visit, at a time when online shopping is all the rage.

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