This year, more than ever before, the online popularity of the world’s high end fashion brands is a solid predictor of future sales as well as a lifeline for many of these firms. Even the most digitally averse companies are now using internet platforms to connect with and engage their wealthy customers.

All of the high end fashion brands on our list are getting a lot of attention from customers. They each generate a significant amount of online discourse through social media and search. They are at the heart of what current wealthy consumers and influencers care about.

In 2021, the digital transformation of high end fashion brands is accelerating. Deep transformations in consumption and customer preferences, which were already underway, are now at the forefront of every brand’s strategy.

1) Gucci

Gucci is an Italian luxury fashion house founded in 1921 in Tuscany by Guccio Gucci.

The brand’s appeal dwindled in 2021, with online searches for Gucci falling by 13% year over year.

Gucci weariness was evident in the brand’s most recent sales results, which showed a 22.7 percent decline in revenue in 2020. Online sales, on the other hand, continued to expand at a rapid pace, increasing by over 70%.

Gucci continues to be one of the best high end fashion brands in the business, thanks to its use of digital storytelling, enhanced ecommerce, and a continual desire to experiment and develop online. The company is always experimenting online, from digital gifts with split payments to AR-powered try-on capabilities on Snapchat and the Gucci App.

2) Chanel

Chanel S.A. is a premium fashion business based in Paris, France, that specialises in haute couture and ready-to-wear apparel, handbags, sunglasses, footwear, cosmetics, fragrances, jewellery, belts, and small leather items.

Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, a former singer and fashion designer, created Chanel in Paris in 1909 as “House of Chanel.” It is one of the biggest high end fashion brands. 

Coco Chanel created exquisite, simple clothing for women, which increased in favour as women moved away from the 19th century’s extravagant, maximalist styles. 

In 2021, Chanel’s social media following grew  fast, reaching 81.4 million followers across Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. As a result, Chanel is the premium brand with the most social media followers across all platforms.

With addition to social media, Chanel will continue to dabble in digital adoption in 2021. Last year, the company debuted a digital-only presentation of its summer collection for the first time. The seven-minute film, titled ‘Balade en Méditerranée’ (A journey around the Mediterranean), was posted exclusively online after the offline event was cancelled.

3) Louis Vuitton

One of the biggest high end fashion brands, Louis Vuitton Malletier, better known as Louis Vuitton, is a French fashion business founded in Paris in 1854 by creative designer Louis Vuitton.

The company is recognised for its characteristic LV monogram, which appears on nearly all of its items, especially handbags, for which it is best known.

Last year, Louis Vuitton’s revenues grew by 18%, making it LVMH’s largest income generator. With a brand worth of $47.2 billion, the fashion company also ranks first in Forbes’ most valuable luxury brands index.

In 2020, an estimated 12% of sales were made online (up from 6 per cent in 2019).

On China’s prominent social platforms like WeChat and Weibo, as well as the burgeoning RED (Xiaohongshu, lit. ‘Little Red Book,’) Louis Vuitton continues to gain traction and create brand devotion. For Valentine’s Day, Louis Vuitton used the WeChat Mini Program to establish a unique pop-up store, permitting staff to help shoppers through live chat and tripling online sales compared to 2019.

4) Prada

Prada is one of the biggest Italian high end fashion brands that was founded in 1913 by Mario Prada and has since evolved to become one of the most well-known high end fashion brands in the industry.

Prada, which is part of the Prada Group, has demonstrated tremendous worldwide momentum by growing its online relevance and appealing to younger wealthy clients. 

Prada stepped up its digital approach, with online revenues more than tripling in 2020 compared to 2019. To further defend its brand positioning, Prada made the strategic choice to control all distribution channels. Prada redesigned their website, prada.com, and expanded its e-commerce offerings to new areas (Brazil, Singapore and Korea).

5) Versace

Versace, the flamboyant Italian luxury brand founded by Gianni Versace in 1978, one of the best high end fashion brands. 

With one of the best interaction rates in the business, the brand is particularly adept at building social media buzz online. It has the most active 34.5 million followers. 

Versace collaborated with Jennifer Lopez to custom-design her dress for the Super Bowl half-time performance, which received widespread attention online. Gigi Hadid, a supermodel and Instagram influencer, also contributed to the brand’s increased visibility. 

It is said that 2021 will be another successful year for Donatella Versace as customers seek release and amusement, with the Italian luxury designer continuing to push the brand towards rich splendour and complex baroque designs.

6)  Hermes

Hermes International S.A. is a luxury goods firm based in France with a long history.

Offline, Hermès has a solid China strategy and continues to enjoy top popularity of its timeless classics, like the highly sought-after Birkin bag, which has extensive waiting lines. This might explain why the Hermès secondhand market on resale sites like Fashionphile and The RealReal is growing.

Hermès surprised the world with record sales of US $2.7 million on the reopening day of its flagship shop in Guangzhou’s Taikoo Hui retail district.

The fashion business is also putting a greater emphasis on the internet realm. Except for its most famous goods, Hermès stated that it will progressively increase its online business. The “digital flagship” Hermès web shop, which was conceived and created with an omnichannel strategy, combines information and commerce.

The most successful high end fashion brands have all spent in improving their online shopping channels and providing a consistent experience across devices and locations. Even the most cautious heritage luxury businesses are accelerating their digital transformation efforts to embrace e-commerce this year. Leading luxury businesses are shifting their focus to omnichannel buying habits. To increase their exposure and facilitate (online) purchasing, they are all experimenting with new technologies and marketing formats.

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