“ Once upon a time, there was an orphan girl living under the thumb of a vile stepmother obsessed with her own image.”

Every day, the poor teenager dutifully fulfilled her endless list of chores, catering to the whims of her two ghastly stepsisters whose world extended no further than the edge of their iPhones. Cleaning, ironing, cooking, online shopping — Cinderella did it all. The bathroom was her only haven. Hidden away in her tiny sanctuary, she would sigh and dream of a life as picture-perfect as the Insta feeds she scrolled through with a bitten-down nail.

One day, the prince returned to his palace, fresh from a digital detox — and he was ready to party! Sipping on a matcha latte, he proclaimed via TikTok, his modern-day town crier:

“Ready to vibe and maybe find THE perfect match 😏?
Party of the year loading… Link in bio to RSVP!”

Cinderella clicked, then panicked: she had nothing to wear! At that very moment, her fairy godmother appeared, and with a magic online order, conjured up a brand-new but painfully basic dress. Cinderella pulled a face. « Thank you, but I’m not wearing that. I may be poor, but I’ve been following trends for years… And anyway, I’m all about the fitting room experience », she snapped, shoving photos of perfect influencers under her fairy godmother’s nose. « Lena Mahfouf, Emma Cakecup, these are my style icons! And now », she said, « we hit the stores. It’s the dress of a lifetime! You’ve gotta feel it and try it on! And ditch your lame pumpkin that’s not even organic, I’m taking a scooter! » Baffled, the fairy godmother sighed. That evening, Cinderella shone bright in her pre-loved Jacquemus outfit and MoEa sneakers crafted from apple fiber. The prince only had eyes for her. Soon, social media was ablaze with selfies of the new couple. What to think? Well, at twenty years old, they were still very young — but chances are, they’ll live happily ever after… at least on Instagram, kids or no kids, together or not.

So, cliché, Gen Z Cinderella?

Sure, but what does she actually tell us about this generation that’s not as complicated as it seems? « Gen Z » refers to those born between 1995 and 2009, the first true digital natives.

In 2024, Zoomers, Zappers or Zillennials made up about 20 to 25% of the global luxury market, according to Baines, despite a sharp drop this year.

Why? Mostly because of price hikes that weren’t well justified. Interesting, right? When Gen Z’ers don’t vibe with something, they don’t just sulk, they boycott, says Eric Briones, author of La génération Z et le luxe. One dodgy move, or a whiff of greenwashing? You’re cancelled. With them, it’s all about radical transparency. Hold on to your vegan britches, because Zoomers — who spam ChatGPT like there’s no tomorrow — want to know exactly how their stuff is made. It’s a fact: Gen Z buyers worship craftsmanship, focusing not only on know- how but also on the « how », itself. Some brands have clocked it: De Beers is now pushing synthetic diamonds, Chopard is all about 100% ethical gold, and even Tesla’s ditched animal leather.

Chopard announces that by July 2018, it will use 100% responsibly sourced gold
across all luxury jewellery and watches.

Gen Z’s energy is loud and clear: « It’s beautiful… but could it be better made? » And Gen Zen uses their access to information like a weapon. The days of selling a Louis Vuitton Speedy in two minutes to rushed tourists? Long gone. Gen Z stretches the luxury experience like a piece of gum: they start on their phones, check it out in-store, and flex it later on TikTok. Online shopping doesn’t quite cut it: 74% of Gen Z prefer shopping in person. But before they walk into a store, they’ll spend hours digging and asking questions — not to their parents, obvs, but influencers, the brands themselves, and checking out random reviews. And once they’re ready? They want everything now. Luxury has been « appified », says Kapferer, a leading expert in the field. In the past, only Bentley owners could enjoy the in-house experience. Today, he adds, anyone can experience it at home via their mobile phone. Gen Z is a community: everyone deserves to glow up, not just a lucky few. To hook them in? Communicate, share, co-create. Social media isn’t a side hustle anymore, it’s the main event. But these stories only make sense if they are tailor-made within the shop. Experience comes first. As a VIC. And for everyone.

Last but not least: STATUS, is essential to luxury. Buying luxury starts and ends online, for the flex. Gen Z is flaunting its status and its pretty face and wants its money’s worth. It’s time to show off. They want value that screams louder than the price tag, Briones insists. As a result, they dive into luxury young but often start through second-hand… or gulp fakes — a risky move for brands that’s almost seen as a statement nowadays.

Back to Cinderella.

She strolls into your store. Now what? First step: master your authenticity and sustainability pitch. Show her the beauty, highlight the craftsmanship, the backstory, the origins. Level with her, she’s clued-in. Be tech-savvy. Snap a pic of her trying on that jacket. Then, go hyper-personal. Forget stiff brand storytelling. It’s story-making time, weave her personal fairytale into the experience. Tailor your words and your products. Make it one-of-a-kind. Co-create. Give value — to the item and to her. Treat her like a queen. Give her a fairytale so magical she’ll post it all over Insta and dream about it for weeks. Because, at the end of the day, it’s always about one thing: emotion.

And you — what are your hacks for catering to Gen Z?