According to the retail industry on the 28th, there has recently been a growing trend—particularly among the wealthy overseas—of using eco-bags and merchandise from luxury hotels and resorts such as Aman and Four Seasons in everyday life. This is a so-called “quiet flex,” where individuals reveal their taste and lifestyle through hotel logos recognizable only to those in the know, rather than flashy luxury brand logos.
A prime example is Aman, the ultra-luxury hotel and resort chain. Beyond accommodations, Aman operates a separate brand called Aman Essentials, which sells fashion, beauty, and lifestyle products. Currently, Aman Essentials’ Classic Monogram Tote is priced at $2,700 (approximately 3.7 million won), while the Mini Monogram Tote retails for $2,300 (approximately 3.2 million won). In particular, Aman’s recognition in South Korea has grown significantly after it was revealed that Blackpink’s Jennie had visited one of its resorts.
Merchandise sold at the hotels is also popular. The official price of Aman Tokyo’s original tote bag is 9,900 yen (approximately 100,000 won). Items associated with the hotel experience—such as yukatas, bathrobes, bath salts, and teacups used in guest rooms—are sold as separate lifestyle products.
It’s also noteworthy that even souvenirs received at the hotel have become items for resale. Recently, a logo-branded fan—said to have been provided during a stay at Aman Tokyo—appeared for sale on a secondhand marketplace for 100,000 won. The seller described it, saying, “Since a stay at Aman costs several million won per night, treat yourself to some merchandise to get a taste of the experience.” In essence, it is the Aman brand and the experience of staying there—rather than the fan’s basic functionality—that drives the product’s value.
Such hotel merchandise is also making its way into the domestic secondhand market. Recently, a logo fan—allegedly provided to guests staying at Aman Tokyo—appeared for sale on a secondhand trading platform for 100,000 won. The seller described it, saying, “Since a stay at Aman costs several million won per night, treat yourself to this merchandise to get a taste of the experience.” In essence, the symbolic value of “having experienced Aman” is what creates the product’s value, rather than the fan’s simple function or price.
A similar trend can be observed in Korea as well. Shilla Hotel eco-bags are listed on secondhand trading platforms for between 30,000 and 60,000 won, primarily for unopened items or keychain sets. Merchandise that was once considered merely a souvenir bought at a hotel is now expanding its role into a fashion item carried in daily life to showcase personal taste and experiences.
Behind the rise of hotel eco-bags as symbols of wealth lies a shift in the standards of luxury consumption. While in the past, owning expensive and hard-to-find items—such as Chanel or Hermès—was the primary way to display wealth, the top tier of consumers now increasingly tends to spend money on experiences—such as travel, hotels, and wellness—that others cannot easily replicate.
Hotel spending, in particular, differs significantly from luxury goods. A Chanel bag costing over 10 million won can be resold on the secondhand market after use, allowing the owner to recoup a significant portion of the cost; in fact, prices for some popular models have risen so much that the term “Chatech” has even emerged. In contrast, when you spend 10 million won at a top-tier hotel and check out, the only thing that remains is the experience.
Aman Tokyo, too, emphasizes the stay and the experience within the hotel over mere accommodation—so much so that it currently offers special packages for guests staying three nights or longer. It provides not just the guest room, but also food and beverage, spa, and wellness programs as a single, integrated experience.
Ultimately, the ability to purchase luxury goods costing tens of millions of won is a different dimension of spending power compared to the ability to spend that same amount entirely on a few days of relaxation—a time that cannot be resold. This is why a small eco-bag from a hotel is sometimes perceived as a symbol of true wealth more so than an expensive designer handbag.
For this reason, experts believe that recent changes in the luxury market go beyond a mere trend of “carrying a hotel eco-bag instead of a designer handbag.” Amid economic conditions and income polarization, while luxury consumption among the middle class is shrinking, the top tier of consumers is spending more on experiences—such as services, travel, health, and comfort—rather than material goods, leading to a “hourglass-shaped” restructuring of the luxury consumption market itself.
Dr. Lee Soo-jin of Seoul National University’s Consumer Trend Analysis Center explained, “As the aspirational consumption of the middle class—which was once the main consumer base of the luxury market—weakens, the polarization of the luxury market is becoming even more pronounced,” adding, “Consumers now perceive those who can routinely enjoy ultra-luxury hotels or services as the truly wealthy, rather than those who own a single expensive handbag.”
She continued, “This does not mean that consumers who find it difficult to enjoy such experiences firsthand have lost their desire for them,” adding, “This can be seen as a form of consumption where people seek to own—even indirectly—the experience of a ultra-luxury hotel by purchasing items such as hotel tote bags or souvenirs.”
