Luxury fashion quietly changed the rules of influence years ago. Once, brands sought celebrities with audiences. Then came influencers with reach. Today, the world’s biggest luxury houses increasingly look for something far more valuable: cultural authorities.Louis Vuitton didn’t appoint Pharrell Williams because of his formal design expertise. Virgil Abloh isn’t remembered because he drafted the perfect pattern, and Nigo didn’t become one of fashion’s most sought-after collaborators simply because he designs clothes. They have become cultural arbiters – trusted interpreters of culture – multidisciplinary visionaries whose ideas shape taste across music, film, design, art, fashion and more.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles