Welcome to The Business of Luxury, where we break down the world’s most desirable brands—the branding, the marketing, and the psychology that makes them impossible to ignore.
This week, we’re pulling back the curtain on a truth luxury houses don’t like to admit: the logo isn’t the star — the person is. And how you can use this to your advantage in your personal brand.
Let’s see if you’re building on logo power… or personal gravity.
You Are Bigger Than Your Business
Luxury brands love to talk about heritage, logos, and timeless icons. But the real magic? It’s the person behind the curtain.
When Tom Ford walked into Gucci in the ’90s, he didn’t just revive fashion — he resuscitated a dying maison with his impeccable taste and boldness.
Phoebe Philo made Céline a cult because she did the opposite of what the market wanted with her radical minimalism.
Karl Lagerfeld made Chanel feel alive every single season.
And Volkswagen’s leap into luxury wasn’t VW at all — it was Ferdinand Piëch’s audacity and his obsession with engineering.
Here’s the part luxury houses won’t admit: remove the visionary, and the aura fades.
The same applies to you. Your taste, your point of view, your magnetism — that is the voltage behind your business. Hide it, and your brand becomes a showroom dummy: dressed up, but lifeless. Step in fully, and the whole brand wakes up.
Without your full presence, your business may look polished… but it won’t magnetise.
When the Creative Outshines the Logo
One person with a powerful point of view can change the entire gravitational pull of a brand.
Tom Ford at Gucci
Gucci was nearly irrelevant. Then Tom Ford walked in: sunglasses, sex, maximalism. Sales skyrocketed. For ten years, Gucci was Tom Ford. When he left? Still Gucci. But not the same heat.
Phoebe Philo at Céline
Philo created a quiet revolution. The Philophiles didn’t follow a label — they followed her. Slimane rebooted the logo, but the spirit? Gone. Most just waited for Phoebe’s next move.
Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel
For 30 years, Karl was the theatre and wit that kept Chanel fresh. After he passed, the house stayed strong, but the charisma dimmed. Not a logo issue. A presence issue.
Ferdinand Piëch at Volkswagen Group
He was an engineer with mad ambition. Turned VW into a luxury empire. The Bugatti Veyron? Pure Piëch madness. Audi’s quattro tech? Him. After he left, the empire stayed. But the wildness dimmed.
Remove the visionary, and even billion-dollar brands start to feel flat.
The Lesson for Today’s Personal Brands
Let’s be real. Your brand doesn’t need another “I help” statement. It needs a Creative Director. And that Creative Director is you.
When Tom was at Gucci, it was electric. When Phoebe was at Céline, it had a soul. When Karl was at Chanel, it had edge. When you show up in your business fully—with your taste, your opinion, your fingerprints—it becomes unforgettable.
People don’t build loyalty to logos. They build it with faces, energy, and voice. You already have that. Use it.
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And The Data Doesn’t Lie
Daniel Priestley said it best: a personal brand gets 20,000 obsessives while a business brand might claw its way to 1,000 followers.
Why? People want to follow people. Not polished logos. Not soulless posts.
- One sharp point of view can do more for your credibility than months of “professional” content.
- One unfiltered insight can do more than five flawless funnels.
Tom Ford. Phoebe Philo. Karl Lagerfeld. Ferdinand Piëch. They weren’t just leading brands — they were the brand.
Same goes for you.
The Creative Gravity Mini-Scorecard
Test your brand’s gravitational pull. Are you magnetic… or hiding behind the logo?
| Brand Example | What Happened | The Lesson for You |
|---|---|---|
| Gucci + Tom Ford | Near-bankrupt → cultural obsession. When Ford left, Gucci kept selling bags, but lost its heat. | One strong POV can turn obscurity into obsession. Don’t downplay yours. |
| Céline + Phoebe Philo | Built a cult of “Philophiles.” After she left, loyalty fractured; fans followed her, not the logo. | People are following you, not your logo. Make sure they can see you. |
| Chanel + Karl Lagerfeld | Karl embodied wit, theatre, and timeless relevance for 30+ years. Without him, Chanel feels stable but muted. | Your taste and charisma can hold a brand for decades. Don’t underestimate your presence. |
| Volkswagen Group + Ferdinand Piëch | Turned VW into a luxury empire: Audi breakthroughs, Bugatti Veyron, Bentley, Lamborghini. After he left, the empire ran, but the audacity dimmed. | Audacity is contagious. If you pull back, your brand’s daring dims too. |
Your Turn
What are you building: a faceless business brand or a magnetic personal brand?
You already have the voltage. Now’s the time to flip the switch.
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