Counterfeiting in Luxury: Authenticity, Blockchain and a New Relationship with the Brand

Counterfeiting has been part of the luxury landscape for decades, yet its current impact extends far beyond copying a shape or a logo.

The constant circulation of images across social media has accelerated the spread of aesthetic references. This dynamic has reshaped the perception of luxury and encouraged the presence of fabrications that replicate the appearance of high-end pieces, detached from the materials, development processes and production conditions that give them meaning.

Brand legitimacy is built over time through multiple factors, including the coherence of its vision and the ability to maintain a recognisable identity.

Contemporary luxury therefore faces a cultural challenge: building authenticity at a time when appearance alone is no longer sufficient.

The issue of counterfeiting in luxury

Addressing counterfeiting in luxury requires acknowledging a profound transformation in today’s landscape. The ease with which designs are reproduced and disseminated has normalised the presence of copies, integrating them into everyday consumption.

Within this reality, counterfeits do more than replicate forms; they weaken the cultural meaning and symbolic value that brands cultivate over time.

In response, brands have come to understand that the legitimacy of a creation is shaped by a broader set of values and decisions that extend beyond form: a clear vision, well-defined processes, a consistent narrative and an honest relationship with those who choose the brand.

Today’s consumer—particularly one approaching luxury from an informed and discerning perspective—seeks more than recognisable aesthetics. They look for values and a deeper sense of belonging. They want to understand where a piece comes from, how it is made and under what conditions.

Authenticity and blockchain in contemporary luxury

Within this framework, blockchain emerges as an infrastructure that supports authenticity in a solid and credible way, without turning it into a defensive narrative.

Rather than foregrounding technology, it provides a framework of trust in which relevant information remains accessible, intact and coherent. In luxury, this technology supports the brand narrative while preserving the primacy of design and creative vision.

Qosmic has explored this approach in depth through its reflections on the role of blockchain in luxury brands and the Digital Product Passport, highlighting how these tools reinforce credibility without resorting to exaggerated messaging.

Authenticity is consolidated through consistent and coherent practice over time.

Transparency as a contemporary luxury code

Transparency now occupies a central position within contemporary luxury, closely linked to the coherence with which brands shape their vision and translate it into every decision they make.

Sharing how things are made and the reasoning behind each choice adds value and strengthens trust. In this sense, clarity naturally becomes associated with brand authenticity.

The DPP as a space of legitimacy

For many years, the product page served a purely informational purpose. Today, through the DPP, it evolves into a space where brands communicate identity, explain decisions and reinforce the coherence of their proposition.

Here, information gains context, allowing for a deeper understanding of what lies behind each creation.

Information that endures beyond the moment of choice

When the story of a piece remains accessible, coherent and easy to understand, the relationship with the brand extends over time. 

This approach strengthens consumer trust. The solidity of the narrative leaves little room for counterfeiting, as each product is supported by a verified story behind its production.

Community and a new relationship with the brand

Today, the relationship between a luxury brand and its community has become a defining element of brand identity. 

An informed community—aligned with brand values and able to recognise its coherence—plays a direct role in reinforcing brand legitimacy.

Shared authenticity

Counterfeiting loses relevance when a brand’s value extends beyond appearance. That value is built through a defined vision, an ongoing relationship and a community that understands and shares those same criteria.

This approach frames luxury as a construction rooted in authenticity and coherence. Brands that embrace this shift do not need to raise their voice. They build through consistency, information and respect for those who choose with awareness. Authenticity is reflected in the way they operate and in how that coherence is sustained over time.