Affordable luxury accessories are towing fashion market growth

According to “The State of Fashion 2017” report, the observatory purposefully created to provide a complete overview of the fashion industry, with the “value” and “affordable luxury” segments towing it along, two brackets that benefit from customer shifts, the fashion and accessory industry could increase its growth rates significantly this year. Mid-price in particular seems to be the new frontier of luxury and where leading brands are playing the market.

There is, in fact, a big empty space between the mass market and ready-to-wear brands, a space that, up until now, was filled by the so-called sub-brands, young or diffusion lines. Jewellery and watch companies have been the first to intercept the new trend. One example among many is Bulgari, which, with designs and new materials, has managed to invent lines at more affordable prices without, however, losing the brand's stylistic code.

The same goes for Rolex with its Tudor range, a "new entry" brand that aims to attract a different type of customer. In the fashion world, new important names, like Michael Kors, have followed suit by immediately targeting their sights on mid-price, rapidly conquering large-scale consent and opening new stores in the main international metropolises. So far, the very big brands, with the one exception of Hugo Boss, have not opened up to affordable luxury. It is, however, an enormous opportunity that fashion has not taken advantage of, especially for Lvmh, which could develop the potential of Marc Jabocs affordable luxury in fashion and leather goods, and Burberry, which could boost its London, Brit and Black and Blue brands. Great mid-price potential can also be glimpsed for Prada.