Euphoria's grown-up glow-up: luxury and lore collide
Forget the angst-ridden hallways of East Highland High. When Euphoria returns next week, the familiar faces are navigating a world steeped in Hollywood ambition and designer labels, a shift that's already sparking fervent online debate. The series, a cultural phenomenon since its 2019 debut, is trading teenage drama for a more mature, and decidedly more luxurious, narrative.
Bottega on a building site: nate’s unexpected style statement
The most immediate point of contention? Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi), now sporting a full Bottega Veneta leather ensemble—a look originally showcased by Kate Moss on the Spring/Summer 2023 runway—while seemingly working on a construction site. The incongruity is, according to showrunner Sam Levinson, entirely deliberate. “If someone is dressed up in a space that is dressed down, there’s humor to it,” he told Vogue, hinting at a deeper exploration of character and class dissonance.
The price tag alone—over $12,000 for the ensemble—raises eyebrows. But the extravagance speaks to a larger trend: Euphoria is leaning into luxury, a far cry from the more organically styled wardrobes of the earlier seasons. Heidi Bivens, the costume designer for the first two seasons (who notably did not return for season three), meticulously documented this evolution in the 2023 book, Euphoria Fashion, dissecting the characters’ aesthetics and their role in the show’s storytelling.
Beyond the labels: a cultural conversation
The show’s fashion has always been a conversation starter. Lexi Howard’s Miu Miu-laden looks, for example, subtly echoed the brand’s intellectual aesthetic, mirroring Lexi’s own personality. Maddy’s wardrobe, previously a parade of Dior and Chanel, continues to evolve, while Rue’s vintage finds have given way to more curated pieces. The show's influence extends beyond the screen; Balenciaga’s Fall/Winter 2026 collection even incorporated a video collaboration with Levinson, blurring the lines between television and high fashion.
Louise Yems, strategy director at The Digital Fairy, emphasizes that Euphoria’s success isn't solely driven by its star power. “It’s powered by its social lore,” she notes. “Fandoms and creator communities present a mostly untapped opportunity for brands to show up at the heart of the cultural heat.” With a staggering 16.3 million average views per episode in season two and nearly 100 million views for the season three trailer in just two days, the show’s cultural cachet is undeniable.
The business of aspiration: more than just product placement
While some critics argue that the overt luxury feels inauthentic, others point to the strategic nature of these collaborations. It's less about explicit product placement and more about leveraging the aspirational power of the show. As Katie Devlin, fashion trends editor at Stylus, puts it, “The aspirational and exaggerated nature of Euphoria’s styling has been one of its selling points.” And according to Launchmetrics, Jacob Elordi’s Bottega Veneta looks alone generated $949,000 in media impact value in the first three days after the trailer's release—a testament to the show’s ability to ignite online discourse.
The shift towards luxury isn’t merely about clothes; it’s about reflecting the characters’ growth and the evolving landscape of youth culture. As the Euphoria generation matures, so too does the show's aesthetic, proving that sometimes, the most compelling narrative is woven not just with words, but with exquisitely chosen threads.