Luxury once ruled the mic. From rap to pop, name-dropping Gucci, Rolex, and Prada was common and cool. But now, the vibe is shifting. Since 2023, those high-end shoutouts are fading fast, and that says a lot about what is happening behind the scenes.
This is a window into how people feel about luxury right now. Songs are used to boost a brand’s image, giving it street cred and cultural weight. But when those shoutouts stop, it means something is off. And for brands like Gucci and Rolex, the silence is getting loud.
Gucci Lost Its Edge
Luxury felt fresh again when Gucci reinvented itself under Alessandro Michele. His quirky, bold designs hit hard in 2016, and suddenly Gucci was everywhere. Hip-hop embraced it. Lyrics loved it. Michele gave Gucci a clear identity, and fans bought in.
But after he left in 2022, the momentum cracked. The look got confused, the buzz faded, and music stopped caring. Without Michele’s vision, Gucci just became another expensive label with nothing new to say. The fall-off in lyrics mirrors its shaky grip on the culture.
We bet, you have heard the lyrics “You know my style and I love Christian Dior” at a recent party.
Rolex Used to Be the Gold Standard
Luxury watches used to mean one thing: Rolex. You couldn’t go three verses without someone flexing one. In 2014, the brand peaked in song mentions. Owning a Rolex was a symbol: you made it. But symbols change.
Now, artists name-drop Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe more often. They feel fresher, rarer. Rolex feels expected. Meanwhile, Cartier is still holding on, thanks to clever marketing and celebrity love. Taylor Swift flashing her Cartier Panthere doesn’t hurt. Rolex, on the other hand, hasn’t kept up the cool factor.
Dan / Unsplash / Just when luxury mentions were fading, Dior pulled off a surprise. The 2025 summer anthem "Dior" lit up the charts and brought the brand back into focus.
The lyric “You know my style and I love Christian Dior” felt natural, not forced. What changed? LVMH brought in designer Jonathan Anderson, and the energy shifted. Fresh vision, better collaborations, and smart timing. Dior didn’t chase trends. It made one. And, of course, music responded.
Prada Stays in Its Lane
Luxury isn’t one-size-fits-all. Prada proved that. While it didn’t take over hip-hop like Gucci, it carved out a space in dance and pop. Between 2021 and 2022, it had a quiet revival, riding fashion-forward energy rather than loud flexes.
Prada's appeal is niche, but strong. It didn’t try to dominate the charts. But it stayed smart and selective. That helped it stay relevant without burning out. It may not be the loudest brand in music, but it is one of the more consistent.
Behind the music drops, real-world money problems are adding pressure. Trump’s tariffs, 20% on EU luxury imports and up to 49% on goods from Asia, hit hard. That means brands like Louis Vuitton, which depend on Europe, and Lululemon, tied to Asian factories, are both hurting.
Dior / IG / Luxury prices have gone wild. Since pre-pandemic days, prices have been up 60%. At the same time, people say the quality is dropping.
Bad combo. Customers are paying more but getting less, and they are noticing.
That disconnect is breaking trust. You can only charge top dollar if you are giving top value. Once that balance tips, loyalty goes out the window. Consumers are smarter, pickier, and less impressed by logos alone. They want meaning, not just a brand name.
