Louis Vuitton is still number one in luxury. According to the BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands 2018 report, the French fashion house increased 41% in brand value, which is measured by a parent company’s total financial value and brand equity, to an astounding $41.1 billion value for the year.
Hermès follows Louis Vuitton with a brand value of $28.1 billion and Gucci with $22.4 billion and the highest brand value change of 66% (and a 414% 12-year value change). Chanel, Rolex, Cartier, and Burberry also grace the list, as well as Prada, the only label to post a negative brand value change, Dior with the second highest brand value change of 54%, and Saint Laurent, which is new to the top 10 and placed in 10th.
BrandZ states that the luxury market’s top 10 most valuable brands found recent success by taking innovative approaches to sharing their respective stories, such as Louis Vuitton’s Volez, Voguez, Voyagez exhibition, Hermès launching its new website in North America, and Gucci partnering with influential avatar Lil Miquela.
The report also says that Chinese consumers had a positive impact on luxury spending, which benefitted Dior, which has been promoting its jewelry collection in the country, and Saint Laurent, which launched online sales in China with Farfetch and JD.com.
On the apparel side, Nike is seeing similar success with a $38.5 billion brand value, followed by Zara with $26.9 billion value, and Adidas with a $12.5 billion value and a 50% brand value increase, the highest in the top ten. Victoria’s Secret received a 32% decrease in brand value, possibly due to increased competition in the lingerie market from Aerie and Lane Bryant, and Under Armour dropped 46% possibly due to the firestorm the company received following Chairman and CEO Kevin Plank’s positive comments about Donald Trump.