Between invitations served on egg plates, luxury coffees, and dessert-scented makeup, food has become the key ingredient in fashion and beauty campaigns.
An increasing number of brands are turning to marketing strategies that use food as a creative tool. The aim is not only to whet consumers’ appetites but also to invest in sensory branding, making fashion and beauty more than just visual by engaging all the senses.
In 2021, Fendi sent invitations in packets of Italian pasta; in 2023, Jacquemus set the tone for a pop-up event with its logo toasted in butter; and more recently, Dior marked Jonathan Anderson’s debut with an invitation in the form of a ceramic boiled-egg plate.
But it’s not only the invitations and garments that win over our taste buds. Also in 2023, Prada opened a café in Harrods, London, while Burberry took over Norman’s Café during that year’s fashion week, serving typical English breakfasts.
The glazed donut skin trend, popularised by Hailey Bieber, is evoked directly through images overloaded with glossy sweets that reflect the luminous, hydrating finish of Rhode skincare products, a brand sold to e.l.f. Beauty for a billion dollars.
Linking food and drink to clothing and beauty brands is a playful, nostalgic, and highly “Instagramable” way for them to connect with their audience. These “edible actions” become instant social media content, extending the impact of campaigns far beyond the original event.
The aesthetics of appetite: consumers with big appetites
It’s no secret that brands have always wanted us to buy what they sell. But lately, it seems they also want us to eat it. Anyone buying clothes, accessories or cosmetics has likely encountered images like these: a Rhode blush stacked on a mound of marshmallows, Jacquemus earrings paired with a stick of butter, or a Chanel watch curled around a martini glass. Sometimes, there is no product for sale, just a logo sculpted in an aubergine, moulded into a biscuit, or piped onto a cake. Nowadays, brands don’t just produce campaigns – they plate them!
From lipsticks to cakes: food as emotional strategy
The use of food in advertising and fashion isn’t new (who could forget Schiaparelli’s lobster dress from 1937?), but since the pandemic it has become dominant. Since 2020, we’ve seen food‑inspired pieces: tomato‑shaped handbags, banana‑print dresses, or t‑shirts featuring famous ketchup logos. Instagram‑favourite brands sell fruity‑flavoured lip balms, and gourmand perfumes are back, featuring smoothie and decadent dessert notes. This phenomenon represents a cultural shift: food has moved from inspiration to a central element in design and marketing strategies. An ice‑cream cone next to a handbag in a photo isn’t there to suggest you eat it, but to give context and evoke emotion. The joy and sweetness of the ice cream symbolically transfer to the handbag.
Small luxuries, big messages: the symbolic power of food
Perhaps this obsession is the new “lipstick index”, a theory suggesting that in times of crisis, people opt for small, affordable luxuries. And what’s more universal than a tasty snack? Even when travel or a new outfit are beyond budget, we all have to eat. Food is the quintessential accessible pleasure, and regardless of income, any food can feel indulgent.
What we eat also speaks volumes about who we are: caviar is sophisticated; raisin‑studded apple pie is nostalgic. Like clothing, food conveys cultural and social messages. But meanings change over time, and as social values shift towards health and sustainability, so do luxury symbols. It’s true that tomatoes have never been a pinnacle of elegance, but in 2025, having the time and money to buy organic, aesthetically imperfect produce at the local market is undoubtedly the new quiet luxury. Fresh, healthy food has become a luxury.
By Madalena Alçada Baptista
