Business Insider/Jessica Tyler Handbags on display at Gucci's boutique in Downtown Manhattan.
- Young people love Gucci.
- In the first three quarters of 2017, roughly 55% of Gucci's sales were made to consumers under 35, according to a report done by consultancy firm Bain & Company last October.
- Same-store sales at Gucci grew 48.7% in the first quarter of 2018.
- We visited a Gucci store to see why the brand is so popular.
Teens and millennials love Gucci.
In the first three quarters of 2017, around 55% of Gucci's sales were made to consumers under 35, according to a report done by consultancy firm Bain & Company last October. In April, research analysts at Piper Jaffray conducted a survey of 6,000 teens across the US and found that Gucci was No. 10 on the list of teens' favorite apparel brands. In the first quarter of 2018 alone, the brand's comparable sales grew a whopping 48.7%.
Gucci's success comes in part from the creative direction of Alessandro Michele, who has led the brand since 2015. Michele seems to have a keen awareness of what young people want, including bright, eclectic colors and patterns that are engaging, eye-catching, and look good on Instagram.
The brand is also benefitting from the revival of '90s style. Logos are back in fashion with younger shoppers, and brands like Gucci, Calvin Klein, Champion, and Tommy Hilfiger are benefiting.
Another reason luxury brands are becoming more popular among teens - even though they may not be able to afford the products - is the star factor. Young people often see celebrities like Lil Pump and Harry Styles wearing designer brands like Gucci and want to emulate them.
Celebrity stylist Jayneoni Moore told Racked that when teens see entertainers in high fashion, "They may say, 'Let me save up enough money for a Gucci belt, even if I'm putting on my Target jeans."
To see what the hype is all about, we headed to a Gucci store in Manhattan. Here's what it was like:
