The GCC personal luxury goods market is stable with recovery from last year driven by tourism spend and online spend which now represents almost 5 per cent of the regional luxury market, i.e., about $400 million, an industry expert said.

Cyrille Fabre, partner and leader of Retail at Bain & Company Middle East, a leading advisor to the global luxury goods industry, was commenting the company’s new report titled “Bain & Company Luxury Study 2018 Spring Update” released today (June 20) in collaboration with Fondazione Altagamma, the Italian luxury goods manufacturers’ industry foundation.

A positive trend across all regions is set to drive this market higher by 6-8 per cent this year to reach €276-281 billion ($320-326 billion), according to the report.

 “China” and “millennial state of mind” remain the buzzwords in an industry that could reach €390 billion globally in sales by 2025, the report said.

“2018 is off to a strong start,” said Claudia D’Arpizio, a Bain & Company partner and lead author of the study. “Currency fluctuations will have an impact, but we expect the healthy trend to continue across all regions and customer segments. Chinese consumers continue to stand out as a growth-driver for the industry, and are more fashion-savvy and digitally advanced than ever before, accelerating the shift of the industry to the millennial state of mind.”

Regional dynamics in the luxury market

In the Americas, the US luxury market benefitted from a weaker dollar during the crucial holiday season. Tourists from Asia and Europe boosted key cities while local consumers were drawn to luxury again. Canada is growing while performance in Latin America is mixed. The region as a whole is expected to grow between 3 to 5 per cent (at constant exchange rates) in 2018.

Europe was negatively impacted by a stronger euro, which had an impact on purchases by tourists. Some countries benefited from stronger consumption (Russia, France, Switzerland) while the UK and Germany experienced a slowdown. Bain & Company forecasts growth of 2-4 per cent (at constant exchange rates) for the region.

Mainland China is expected to account for the lion’s share of growth in 2018. We forecast this market to grow by 20-22 per cent (at constant exchange rates). Brands are learning how to cater to local consumers, often young and heavily influenced by social media.

Purchases by tourists boosted spending in Japan, especially Tokyo and Osaka, though it was partially redirected towards experiences. Local influencers and social media are also key decision influences for younger local customers. Bain & Company forecasts growth of 6-8 per cent (at constant exchange rates).

Across the rest of Asia, Hong Kong and Macau continue on their recovery trajectory. South Korea benefits from visitors from China, but political tensions in the region could have a crucial impact on 2018 growth trends. Bain & Company believes this region could grow by 9-11 per cent (at constant exchange rates).

The rest of the world is expected to be flat or see only slight growth of 2 per cent (at constant exchange rates). Dubai remains stable and supported by international tourists, while Australia is set to benefit from a larger store footprint.

Four trends shaping personal luxury goods in 2018

Bain & Company’s research identifies four trends that will drive the luxury market in 2018 and beyond:  

Chinese customers in first place: Chinese consumers will be a key nationality driving the growth of the luxury market. Buyers of luxury in China are young, increasingly fashion-savvy and well aware of the price-value equation.

Click, Click, Click: Online continues to gain ground as boundaries blur with traditional physical channels. Social media continues to influence purchases especially for younger consumers.

Casual and streetwear: Streetwear categories experienced standout growth in 2017, driven by casualization of workplace attire and younger buyers of luxury goods. This segment remains a key lever to attract new customers.

Consolidating new normal: Volume is driving market growth, not just price increases. Exchange rate fluctuations are redistributing spend among regions but not impacting global growth.

Growth expected to pick up and drive industry to new heights

Looking ahead to 2025, Bain & Company expects growth to pick up to 4-5 per cent per year (at constant exchange rates) increasing the market size to €366-390 billion.

“Luxury brands should view themselves as the masters of their own destiny,” said Bain & Company partner and report co-author Federica Levato. “Customers are responding to targeted strategies, and top performing brands are already winning over the customers of tomorrow.” – TradeArabia News Service