Teens and millennials are fueling a Gucci renaissance - we visited a store and saw why they love the brand so much

Jessica Tyler,Jessica Tyler

May 15, 2018, 19:33 IST

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:

I went to Gucci at Brookfield Place in Manhattan.

Vibrant handbags and sunglasses were the first things I saw on display in the store. Everything had the Gucci logo on it, front and center.

The store displays were simple and elegant, but the merchandise itself was extremely eye-catching and bright.

About one-third of the store was taken up by handbags. There were security guards around every corner.

Gucci's designs were definitely unique compared to more traditional luxury brands, something that millennials — who tend to value experimentation and self-expression — would appreciate.

There were no prices listed anywhere in the store, but handbag prices online start at $780 and go up to $31,000.

The menswear department, like the handbags, had just one of each product on display, and no prices were listed. Everything about the store was very quiet and simple, allowing the bright and colorful designs to speak for themselves. Prices ranged from $380 for a plain t-shirt to over $10,000 for a leather jacket.

All jewelry was displayed on colorful velvet and kept behind locked cases.

The women's section was nearly identical to the men's, with a security guard standing on either side of the doorway that connected the two parts of the store. All of the clothing was bright, with logos and patterns all over.

The women's department was bustling with a crowd of millennials shoe-shopping. There was a one-to-one ratio of employees to shoppers.

On its website, Gucci sells women's, men's, and children's clothing in addition to shoes, jewelry, beauty products, the runway collection, beauty products, and customizable totes and shoes.

Gucci appeals to people who are active on social media, sometimes using the shock factor to get people posting about the brand. An example of this is when it had runway models carry severed heads instead of handbags during its show at Milan Fashion Week in February.

Gucci appeals to people who are active on social media, sometimes using the shock factor to get people posting about the brand. An example of this is when it had runway models carry severed heads instead of handbags during its show at Milan Fashion Week in February.

Source: Business Insider

Gucci also works with celebrities like Harry Styles to promote the brand and appeal to teens and millennials.

Child psychologist Allen Kanner, PhD told Racked that when fans see celebrities who come from modest backgrounds wearing Gucci, they think the brand will help them transcend personal circumstances and feel successful too.

They think, "If I could have this product that's associated with all of this success, then I'm going to be able to join this world," Kanner told Racked.

The amount of young shoppers in Gucci is just further evidence of how excited millennials and teens are about the brand. Despite the high price tags, sales were up 48.7% in the first quarter, and teens name it among their top 10 favorite apparel brands.

The amount of young shoppers in Gucci is just further evidence of how excited millennials and teens are about the brand. Despite the high price tags, sales were up 48.7% in the first quarter, and teens name it among their top 10 favorite apparel brands.

Source: Vice

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