How to Combine Sustainability and Authenticity in Luxury Brands: An Insight into the Case of La Milanesa

This chapter addresses the relationship between sustainability and authenticity in luxury brands. Both have been identified as the cornerstones on which luxury fashion is rebuilding its future development following the post-pandemic recovery. We propose a review of the complexity of sustainability and luxury. Three forms of sustainability – environmental, social, and cultural – will be analyzed alongside the two perspectives of authenticity – individual and collective. Following this, insights on the interface between sustainability and luxury are gathered through the emblematic case study of La Milanesa, an Italian luxury start-up, the business model of which is focused on preserving a valuable cultural heritage through sustainable actions, thus creating value both for its customers and society. We finally discuss the implications emerging from the authenticity-sustainability interaction, providing guidance for practitioners in building a consistent authentic and sustainable brand image and identifying new directions for future research.