Luxury’s luster fades in 2025 as consumer appetite declines
Luxury fashion brands in the U.S. are seeing fewer people interested in buying their products in 2025. After a strong year in 2024, new data from YouGov BrandIndex shows that consumer interest in top luxury names like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Dior has dropped noticeably this year.
Between January 1 and April 16, the mean Consideration score for a group of eight major luxury brands (Burberry, Dior, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, Louboutin, Louis Vuitton, Prada, and Versace) fell from 10.1% to 7.6%. That’s a drop of nearly 25%. Meanwhile, interest in non-luxury fashion brands held steady, falling only slightly from 12.4% to 11.9% over the same period.
This decline marks a shift from the optimism of 2024, when a YouGov study described a “luxury boom” driven by growing interest in high-end goods.
The slowdown in interest is also reflected in how many Americans plan to buy luxury goods of any kind in the near future. According to data in YouGov Profiles, in late March and early April of 2025, 16.3% said they were likely to buy luxury items in the next 12 months. That’s down from 18.3% for the full year before.
A closer look at brand performance
While all tracked brands saw declines, some stood out more than others. Gucci remains the most considered luxury fashion brand in the U.S., but its score fell from 13.4% in late 2024 to 11.9% in early 2025. Dior experienced a more pronounced drop, from 12.9% to 11.1%, while Versace also saw a notable decrease, from 9.3% to 7.9%.
These shifts suggest that even well-established luxury names are feeling the pressure as consumer enthusiasm cools. The pattern is consistent across both high-profile and more niche brands, pointing to broader softness in the category.
Who is still buying—and why
Even with overall demand falling, some consumers are still drawn to luxury fashion—and their reasons go beyond style or status. The below chart shows responses from American consumers who bought luxury products in the past 12 months and plan to again in the coming year.
Most say quality is the main reason: 61% believe luxury goods are simply made better. Others say these purchases make them feel good (56%) or serve as a personal reward (41%). Some see luxury as a smart buy, with 32% viewing it as an investment. For others, it’s about self-expression (26%) or collecting (23%). A smaller group buys luxury to feel more valued (21%) or to give as a gift (18%). Just 10% say they buy luxury to show off.
How luxury brands can respond
As interest slows, luxury brands may need to refocus their message. Today’s buyers care most about quality, emotional satisfaction, and long-term value. Brands that speak to those needs—rather than just prestige—may be better positioned to hold on to their audience in 2025.
Methodology:
YouGov BrandIndex tracks consumer perceptions of brands on a daily basis. “Consideration” reflects the percentage of U.S. adults who say they would consider purchasing from a brand when next in the market for clothing, shoes, or accessories. This article draws on daily tracking data for eight luxury brands from January 1 to April 16, 2025, and compares them with data from September 17 to December 31, 2024.
Additional insights are from YouGov Profiles, which is based on continuously collected data and rolling surveys, rather than from a single limited questionnaire. Profiles data for the US is nationally representative of the online population and weighted by age, gender, education, region, and race. Learn more about Profiles.