Dior and cosmetics lead French luxury market since start of pandemic

By

Matthieu Guinebault

Published
Jun 15, 2021

French luxury shoppers have favoured Dior, Chanel and Saint Laurent since the end of May 2020, according to a YouGov study, and have opted more for fragrances and cosmetics than for fashion categories.

Conducted between 27 May 2020 and 2021, the study examined the behaviour of 660,000 respondents concerning 1,300 brands. The result is a ranking of perceived brand quality that is dominated by Dior, Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton and Hermès. The top 10 is rounded out by Cartier, Ray-ban, Hugo Boss, Longchamp and Montblanc. 

The study further highlighted that 57% of luxury shoppers over the last 12 months were men. 21% of the luxury consumers involved in the study were aged between 45 and 54, while 33% lived in a large city. When asked about their motivation for purchasing luxury products, 80% mentioned the quality of the product, 53% spoke about the brand itself, and 41% highlighted product design. 

The study also showed that luxury consumers were above all interested in cosmetics during the year in question. Some 73% of shoppers bought perfume, while 35% purchased beauty products. Chanel, which offers fragrances including Bleu, Allure and the iconic N°5,  was the leader in the cosmetics segment in terms of positive impressions, boasting an average score of 50%. At Dior, whose fragrances include Dior Homme, Eau Sauvage and Miss Dior, the average was 48%, while at L'Oréal Paris it was 47%, with Yves Saint Laurent and Clarins achieving scores of 44% and 33%, respectively. 

Luxury fashion received less attention from consumers. Accessories were purchased by 33% of survey respondents, footwear by 30% and watches by 21%. Looking to the media channels which successfully maintained the link between luxury brands and their customers over the last year, TV advertisements came in first place, followed by online content and print. 

As for future purchasing plans, 50% of those surveyed said that they expected to maintain the same level of spending on luxury products over the next year, while 11% expect to spend more. Luxury will also play a role in the social life of shoppers. 52% of survey respondents said that they will only watch events organised by brands that they like, with 27% claiming to be searching for experiences that will allow them to produce quality content that will make them stand out on social media.