Luxury Brands have been around since the dawn of the fashion industry, often spoken on for their exclusivity and unattainable prices for most of the world. Haute Couture's influence on fashion trends has always been apparent, with one of the earliest examples being Hubert De Givenchy's influence, after making the
perfect 'little black dress' for Audrey Hepburn in "Breakfast at Tiffany's". Before this monumental fashion history moment a little black dress was unheard of and now it is a staple in every woman's wardrobe. Louis Vuitton having a heavy obsession with their own logo is another key example here, as Vuitton's house logo is so deeply imbedded within our subconscious that they have become recognisable through two letters alone. Whilst luxury brands still abide by the rules, the standard of the industry has slowly changed over the years.
Exclusivity can be achieved in numerous ways, with the most well known marketing tactic being Hermes' exclusive distribution network. Limiting the range of consumers has been proven to generate a larger demand for brands, as the idea of a product being slightly unattainable makes it even more intriguing. The power houses most sort out items would include their Birkin and Kelly bags, in which the limited production of these two items are what fuel the increasing demand for a Hermes piece. This tactic works hand in hand with their infamous waitlist, in which clients must wait for a salesperson to personally invite them into the store for purchase.
Surprisingly during uncertain times in 2020 it was an influential time for the luxury industry. Amidst mass unemployment and economic hardship, luxury brands saw an increase in sales, Hermes managed to increase sales by 38% from 2021. Whilst we may be able to excuse this through the importance on their silk scarves and Birkin bags, there is clearly an increase in the demand for luxury products. Social 
media has an immense impact on the growth of luxury products and niche brands. With many brands centering their attention on celebrity endorsed deals, releasing collections as limited drops and even collaborating with innovative designers and artists. One of the most influential niche luxury brands to see growth with these marketing tactics would be the beloved Supreme. Founded in 1994 when they opened their first store in Downtown Manhattan, creating a community for local skaters. Their following increased to different groups including punks, hip hop lovers, and anyone who wanted to be part of this exclusive community. Their main marketing tactic was to release their collections with limited stock, as their cult following increased it became almost impossible to order stock from their websites. Prior to their limited collection drops, Supreme would release their full catalogue on social media, ultimately increasing the demand for their product before releasing. Many clients would lose their purchases due to not entering their account information quick enough before stock ran out completely. Their retail stores were no different, during their collection releases, Supreme lovers would camp outside to ensure they were able to purchase these highly anticipated pieces.
media has an immense impact on the growth of luxury products and niche brands. With many brands centering their attention on celebrity endorsed deals, releasing collections as limited drops and even collaborating with innovative designers and artists. One of the most influential niche luxury brands to see growth with these marketing tactics would be the beloved Supreme. Founded in 1994 when they opened their first store in Downtown Manhattan, creating a community for local skaters. Their following increased to different groups including punks, hip hop lovers, and anyone who wanted to be part of this exclusive community. Their main marketing tactic was to release their collections with limited stock, as their cult following increased it became almost impossible to order stock from their websites. Prior to their limited collection drops, Supreme would release their full catalogue on social media, ultimately increasing the demand for their product before releasing. Many clients would lose their purchases due to not entering their account information quick enough before stock ran out completely. Their retail stores were no different, during their collection releases, Supreme lovers would camp outside to ensure they were able to purchase these highly anticipated pieces.Bluebell is widely known as the leading omni brand curator, operator and distributor in Asia. Luxury Brands cult followers have expanded within the Asian market, making it extremely important to study the movement of Asian youth in regards to their luxury shopping habits. Bluebell's 2022 Asia Lifestyle Consumer Profile discusses the rise of niche luxury brands and how Asian consumers were more inclined to purchase from luxury brands that less people knew of. Quality and style were still extremely important in the process of purchasing, with the demand for niche luxury brands increasing from 16% to 34% across countries in Asia from the previous year, in 2021. The figure below is a graph that shows the percentage of people who voted Slightly/Strongly agree when asked "Luxury is now more about the niche brands that fewer people know about, but that offer great style and quality". 
Whilst culture plays a big part in fashion trends, so does the demand from younger generations. Heritage has always been at the forefront of what makes a brand luxury, yet identity seems to be the new definer for what makes a luxury brand desirable. The CEO of RTG Group Asia, Angelito Perez Tan, states that "To Them (Gen Z & Millennials), luxury is less about the status symbol, and increasingly more about identity, individuality, distinctiveness, and values that are best encapsulated with niche brands". The strong desire to be the first to know of up and coming trends is the biggest factor of the increasing demand for niche brands.
It goes to show that a combination of exclusivity and strong brand identity helps with luxury sales. With this year commencing 20 strong years of Elliot Rhodes, it is clear that our brand identity stays true. Bespoke belts tailored for any aesthetic, made for all different clients, without compromising on quality. As a brand we continue to strive for belts that are made to last, whilst offering a customer experience that is personalised, an art that you may argue has been lost in the fashion industry.