New search data from MediaVision reveals ‘bridge fashion brands’ such as Phase Eight, Cos and Birkenstock are overtaking the likes of Chanel and Prada in internet searches as luxury shoppers look for cheaper alternatives.
The data shows that Phase Eight – the bridge brand with the most searches at 5.29 million – saw a year-on-year increase of 5.6 per cent, whereas the most searched for luxury brand, Louis Vuitton, saw a decrease of 4.1 per cent with 4.62 million searches.
The brands with the largest increase in year-on-year (YoY) searches were Birkenstock (up by 60 per cent) and Cos, (up by 32.7 per cent). The only brand to match that figure in the luxury category was Coach, which saw an increase of 30 per cent.
Overall, MediaVision’s top ten luxury brands by search volume saw a collective decrease in YoY searches. Gucci saw a decline of 6 per cent with searches totalling 4.16 million compared to 4.43 million in 2021, and search numbers dropped by 4 per cent for the front-runner Louis Vuitton.
MediaVision CEO Louis Venter comments: “At a time when every penny counts, consumers who have traditionally bought designer labels are rethinking their fashion purchases, demanding aspiration plus value. Search data shows that the brands that are benefiting most from this new mood and behaviour are those that operate at the intersection between aspiration, quality and affordability, effectively tapping into a growing desire for ‘affordable luxury’.
“There has never been a better time to be a fashion brand operating in this part of the market as a cohort of luxury consumers faced with the reality of growing financial demands either abandon or buy fewer designer labels and look for alternatives.”