Zahrieve found there was a 34% increase in 2024's festive season sales compared to the previous year. Additionally, the Clur Shopping Index reported an 8% rise in luxury trading density in South Africa last year — four times higher than the global average of 2%. Becoming the land of Gucci slides and Louis belts, Vogue found the same uptick in luxury expenditure as more players in the luxury design game scramble to empty the pockets of Mzansi's shoppers.
Whether South Africans can afford to keep up with their new image as fashion high-rollers, the reality is that they are spending lots of money on designer items. But what importance can that play for local designers, who are often forgotten?
“When local designers thrive, they don’t just contribute to GDP; they also export the country’s heritage and craftsmanship to the world. South Africa is at an exciting turning point where homegrown luxury brands are gaining recognition,” says Zahariev.
“Furthermore, a thriving fashion industry creates jobs, fosters skills development, and positions South Africa as a global player in luxury. Supporting local designers isn’t just about buying fashion, it’s about investing in an ecosystem that strengthens the country’s economic resilience and cultural narrative.”
Broke with expensive taste: South Africa’s love for designer clothes
Studies find that SA is becoming a luxury fashion mecca, but with debts at an all-time high, are Mzansi fashionistas fighting to stay broke and beautiful?
Image: 123RF/rawpixel
Last year South Africa's economy improved. According to Bankserv Africa, incomes are on the rise, the International Monetary Fund found economies are stronger and Open Knowledge's research found positive signs in the falling interest rate. This in turn has translated into higher spending power among shoppers.
From shopping the latest in-crowd brands to discriminating against low-quality pieces, Michael Zahariev, Luxity co-founder, believes these trends reflect African shoppers preferring nothing but the best.
However, South Africa's economy might be incongruent with rising luxury trends. In the past year alone a number of both wealthy and poor South Africans have been unable to make monthly salaries last longer than a week and are not handling their debts. Zahariev notes that the luxury environment is dependent on a niche group of buyers, however, he has “observed a significant shift towards pre-owned luxury”.
Image: Supplied / Financial Mail
But not all pre-owned and custom pieces are helping retailers coin in the benefits of today's consumer trends. Brands like Hermès have struggled, with consumers committing to fast fashion dupes that are becoming increasingly difficult to spot. It's no surprise that they no longer run customers through the rigmarole of earning the right to purchase certain bags.
“As counterfeit markets grow, true luxury consumers are opting for pieces that reflect impeccable quality and brand heritage without the need for overt branding. Quiet luxury signals a refined, insider status rather than an attempt to conceal spending,” says Zahariev.
This is where trends like luxury fatigue are born: the exhaustion experienced by the saturation of luxury pieces. As pieces become commonplace due to too many people wearing the same status symbols, consumers grow tired of buying into the same thing, making quiet luxury a great replacement.
This fashion trend is popular among fans of quiet luxury queen Gwyneth Paltrow and the fictional Shiv Roy of Succession fame who embrace a minimal aesthetic with little branding. A mistake made by high-end shoppers is noting younger, poorer fashion brands and identifying them on social media quicker than Shein can pump them out at a much lower price. There's a cry for quality fabrics as fast-fashion carts and hauls deliver low-quality goods that stick around for a few washes before falling apart.
Image: MultiChoice
Image: Netflix
Zahrieve found there was a 34% increase in 2024's festive season sales compared to the previous year. Additionally, the Clur Shopping Index reported an 8% rise in luxury trading density in South Africa last year — four times higher than the global average of 2%. Becoming the land of Gucci slides and Louis belts, Vogue found the same uptick in luxury expenditure as more players in the luxury design game scramble to empty the pockets of Mzansi's shoppers.
Whether South Africans can afford to keep up with their new image as fashion high-rollers, the reality is that they are spending lots of money on designer items. But what importance can that play for local designers, who are often forgotten?
“When local designers thrive, they don’t just contribute to GDP; they also export the country’s heritage and craftsmanship to the world. South Africa is at an exciting turning point where homegrown luxury brands are gaining recognition,” says Zahariev.
“Furthermore, a thriving fashion industry creates jobs, fosters skills development, and positions South Africa as a global player in luxury. Supporting local designers isn’t just about buying fashion, it’s about investing in an ecosystem that strengthens the country’s economic resilience and cultural narrative.”
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