Wisdom Kaye exposes Miu Miu: The Decline of Modern Luxury

Whenever quality in fashion comes up, fast fashion is almost always at the center of the conversation. But what many people fail to realize is that the quality in new age luxury fashion has declined and could even be comparable to other fast fashion brands. 

Just earlier this month, fashion influencer Wisdom Kaye, bought a sweater and vest from Miu Miu and both pieces arrived broken. Miu Miu quickly sent him a replacement for both pieces; Kaye filmed himself doing an unboxing for the replacements, and the button on the vest broke on camera. Truly a PR nightmare, even for such a renowned designer brand like Miu Miu. But Miu Miu is not the only fashion house where quality and craftsmanship have worsened over the years. Many consumers report that designer clothing is less durable or well-made than ever before, even as prices increase. In a Vogue Business survey, a large proportion of respondents said that luxury “no longer means long-lasting quality product.”

“You [the consumer] are no longer paying for the design or craftsmanship, but just the brand label.”

Yet it wasn't always this way. Luxury was once aligned with artistry and detail, which is why buying second-hand luxury has seen such a resurgence this year. The contrast between the craftsmanship of a 2006 Miu Miu Matelassé and its 2025 edition highlights just how much quality has shifted over the years.

A major factor behind this decline in quality is scale. Luxury brands are no longer small ateliers creating and designing exclusive pieces. They’re now global businesses scaling out thousands of pieces every week. Quality control becomes harder when garments are now mass-produced. 

Everyone is buying their vintage designer on Depop now for a fraction of the price and the quality is miles better. Shoppers are turning to e-commerce platforms like Depop, TheRealReal, and Vestiare Collective. I personally bought my 2004 Miu Miu Vitello bag from TheRealReal for $230 in 2023, and she is still pristine. And if it’s not vintage designer, people are favoring buying clothing from smaller, independent designers with more ethical ways of production. 

Survey from Amy Odell's Substack

I think there’s a magic behind scrolling through TheRealReal and just scrolling through the vintage pieces they have. This also applies to thrifting IRL. I was literally able to find an Issey Miyake Pleats Please top for $4 at my local EcoThrift.  The hunt itself becomes a part of the experience, and I always get extra excited when I see a piece that resembles something I have on my wishlist or Cosmos board. It’s also how I discovered other smaller brands and just pieces I won’t be able to find today. 

Also, the fact that everyone is thrifting now rather than going to the mall is a recession indicator…but it’s also great because it’s a sustainable way of shopping (which we love). The amount of grails I have found thrifting has been insane, and it has made me feel much more connected to fashion as a whole. As someone who has been going to Goodwill with my dad as a child, I love that vintage and buying secondhand has become such a big shopping trend. It’s important to note that in the U.S. alone, about 11.3 million tons of textiles end up in landfills annually. Shopping second-hand is not only a fun way to shop for good quality vintage at low price points but it also reduces waste and extends the life of clothing. 

Even though there is a quality decline in modern luxury, it has opened the door to more sustainable shopping habits and an appreciation for vintage luxury. More and more people are choosing to shop on Depop or supporting slow fashion brands rather than buying new, which is great for both the planet and curating personal style!