{"id":535764,"date":"2025-11-11T12:59:10","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T01:59:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/?p=535764"},"modified":"2025-11-11T19:34:27","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T08:34:27","slug":"gen-z-spending-habits-are-changing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/luxury-lifestyle\/gen-z-spending-habits-are-changing","title":{"rendered":"Gen Z Spending Habits Are Changing The Rules Of Luxury&#8230; Brands Need To Listen"},"content":{"rendered":"<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Gen Z are cutting back on daily indulgences to fund statement luxury pieces with emotional and social currency.<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Visibility now outweighs ownership. If it can\u2019t trend online, it\u2019s not luxury.<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Australia\u2019s luxury scene is already shifting, with younger, content-driven shoppers reshaping what value looks like.<\/strong><\/li><\/ul><p>These days, you can\u2019t open your feed without seeing another <a href=\"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/luxury-lifestyle\" target=\"_blank\"  rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">luxury brand<\/a> supposedly weathering \u201cturbulent headwinds\u201d or \u201cmacro headwinds\u201d or whatever the term of the week is.<\/p><p>And yet, the luxury market is still selling. Not at the giddy pace of the pandemic years that saw billionaire CEOs presumably running out of champagne to celebrate another record quarter. But still, selling. <\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1400\" height=\"933\" src=\"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/luxury-boutiques-sydney-airport-1400x933.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-535792\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/luxury-boutiques-sydney-airport-1400x933.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/luxury-boutiques-sydney-airport-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/luxury-boutiques-sydney-airport-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/luxury-boutiques-sydney-airport-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/luxury-boutiques-sydney-airport-480x320.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 400px, (max-width: 640px) 600px, (max-width: 768px) 700px, (max-width: 1024px) 800px, (min-width: 1025px) 1000px, 2048px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Luxury brands are still standing strong despite slower post-pandemic growth, adapting to shifting spending habits and a new generation of digital-first shoppers. Image: Sydney Airport<\/figcaption><\/figure><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bain.com\/about\/media-center\/press-releases\/20252\/luxury-confronts-slowdown-amid-economic-headwinds-and-market-disruptions-while-industry-resilience-and-strong-fundamentals-underpin-future-prospects\/\" target=\"_blank\"  rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bain\u2019s mid-year outlook<\/a> calls 2025 the choppiest year in over a decade, with a mild contraction in personal luxury goods, and spending shifting by region rather than collapsing outright.<\/p><p>The long game still looks healthy; the players are seemingly adding items of value to their niche collections, rather than reacting to an unpredictable market that could see their investment disappear quicker than the next Instagram story.<\/p>    <div class=\"content-subscribe\">\n        <div class=\"subscribe-box\">\n            <p class=\"subscribe-title\">Curated news for men, <br\/>delivered to your inbox.<\/p>\n            <form class=\"subscribe-form\" method=\"POST\">\n                <div class=\"subscribe-input\">\n                    <label class=\"screen-reader-text\" for=\"subscribe-email\">Email:<\/label>\n                    <input type=\"email\" name=\"email\" id=\"subscribe-email\" placeholder=\"Enter your email\" required class=\"form-control\" autocomplete=\"on\" \/>\n                    <button type=\"submit\" class=\"button button-primary subscribe-button\">Sign Up<\/button>\n                    <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"source\" value=\"article\" \/>\n                    <input type=\"hidden\" id=\"_wpnonce\" name=\"_wpnonce\" value=\"e2df992756\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wp_http_referer\" value=\"\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/535764\" \/>                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"form-result\"><\/div>\n            <\/form>\n            <p class=\"subscribe-copy\">Join the DMARGE newsletter \u2014 Be the first to receive the latest news and exclusive stories on style, travel, luxury, cars, and watches. Straight to your inbox.<\/p>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <p>Even LVMH, after months of awkward footing, has bounced back, adding <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DP5hYq_jwOK\/\" target=\"_blank\"  rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">another $29 billion to Bernard Arnault\u2019s net worth overnight<\/a>. But beneath those headlines lies a quieter, far more disruptive story: <a href=\"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/watches\/future-of-luxury-watch-market\" target=\"_blank\"  rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Generation Z are changing the rules<\/a>, and brands need to adapt to the new tempo.<\/p>                <div class=\"row row-center collapse\">\n                    <div class=\"column\">\n                        <div class=\"dmg-ad\"><div id=\"incontent-429109787\" class=\"ad-container\"><script type=\"text\/javascript\">var load_1096574634 = function () {googletag.cmd.push(function () {var slot_1096574634 = googletag.defineSlot(\"\/1017963\/DMarge\/incontent\",[[250,250],[300,100],[300,250],[320,100],[336,280]],\"incontent-429109787\").addService(googletag.pubads()).setTargeting('refresh', 'true');if (gamData && gamData.sizeMap && gamData.sizeMap.hasOwnProperty('incontent')) {slot_1096574634.defineSizeMapping(gamData.sizeMap['incontent']);}googletag.display(\"incontent-429109787\");});};adsQueue.push(load_1096574634);<\/script><\/div><\/div>                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1400\" height=\"1400\" src=\"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/MOET-Champagne-pop-1400x1400.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-535793\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/MOET-Champagne-pop-1400x1400.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/MOET-Champagne-pop-960x960.jpg 960w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/MOET-Champagne-pop-640x640.jpg 640w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/MOET-Champagne-pop-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/MOET-Champagne-pop-480x480.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 400px, (max-width: 640px) 600px, (max-width: 768px) 700px, (max-width: 1024px) 800px, (min-width: 1025px) 1000px, 2048px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The pandemic boom was a champagne-soaked anomaly; today\u2019s market favours discipline and smarter forms of indulgence. Image: MOET<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>Now I should preface this by confirming these are not the high-spending legacy clients or the mid-career professionals looking to pick up a <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/watches\/rolex-gmt-master-buying-guide\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rolex GMT-Master<\/a> to <a href=\"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/watches\/entry-level-rolex-oyster-perpetual\" target=\"_blank\"  rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">keep their OP company<\/a>.<\/p><p>This is the impressionable cohort of digital natives redefining what luxury looks like, how it\u2019s purchased, how it\u2019s enjoyed, how it\u2019s appreciated, how it\u2019s shared. Experts are making out that Gen Z aren\u2019t spending anymore. <a href=\"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/luxury-lifestyle\/the-biggest-winners-and-losers-in-the-2025-luxury-slowdown\" target=\"_blank\"  rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Luxury is dead<\/a>. Wrap it up. But the numbers paint a slightly different picture.<\/p>                <div class=\"row row-center collapse\">\n                    <div class=\"column\">\n                        <div class=\"dmg-ad\"><div id=\"incontent-1622061461\" class=\"ad-container\"><script type=\"text\/javascript\">var load_409865284 = function () {googletag.cmd.push(function () {var slot_409865284 = googletag.defineSlot(\"\/1017963\/DMarge\/incontent\",[[250,250],[300,100],[300,250],[320,100],[336,280]],\"incontent-1622061461\").addService(googletag.pubads()).setTargeting('refresh', 'true');if (gamData && gamData.sizeMap && gamData.sizeMap.hasOwnProperty('incontent')) {slot_409865284.defineSizeMapping(gamData.sizeMap['incontent']);}googletag.display(\"incontent-1622061461\");});};adsQueue.push(load_409865284);<\/script><\/div><\/div>                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                <p>This generation, whilst not directly rebelling against opulence, are certainly more pragmatic in its approach to indulgence in the new luxury market. <\/p><p>The small stuff, avacado toasts, another streaming service, the second coffee of the day, is out, replaced by packed lunches, reduced subscriptions, and a cup of tea in the office. It\u2019s allowed the savvy Gen Zers to pick up more meaningful purchases, rooted in research and proof of taste, seemingly insulated from trends. <\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1400\" height=\"933\" src=\"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Cartier-Tank-Lifestyle-1400x933.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-535794\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Cartier-Tank-Lifestyle-1400x933.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Cartier-Tank-Lifestyle-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Cartier-Tank-Lifestyle-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Cartier-Tank-Lifestyle-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Cartier-Tank-Lifestyle-480x320.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 400px, (max-width: 640px) 600px, (max-width: 768px) 700px, (max-width: 1024px) 800px, (min-width: 1025px) 1000px, 2048px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Cartier has quietly become the watch brand for Gen Z, dominating resale charts and flipping the script on what luxury looks like for a younger crowd. \u2060Image: Cartier<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>That $1000 Coach bag, the limited-edition sneaker, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DQNuzY2E9ah\/\" target=\"_blank\"  rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">and Cartier watch<\/a> filmed in portrait mode with impeccable lighting are all digital currency, meant to be seen. It\u2019s a farcry from the habits of older generations, where subtlety and \u201cquiet luxury\u201d would be able to tell you everything about the wearer\u2019s status.<\/p><p>Yet, for Gen Z, owning a luxury piece means nothing if it can\u2019t live online. A bag may carry your keys and a lighter but not before it\u2019s spent an hour in hair and makeup, getting ready for it\u2019s 15 minutes of TikTok fame, where it\u2019s captured, edited, filtered, looped, shared and liked. <\/p><p>The camera has replaced the shop window, and brands that still design for the boutique instead of the screen are falling behind.<\/p>                <div class=\"row row-center collapse\">\n                    <div class=\"column\">\n                        <div class=\"dmg-ad\"><div id=\"incontent-314930776\" class=\"ad-container\"><script type=\"text\/javascript\">var load_115924480 = function () {googletag.cmd.push(function () {var slot_115924480 = googletag.defineSlot(\"\/1017963\/DMarge\/incontent\",[[250,250],[300,100],[300,250],[320,100],[336,280]],\"incontent-314930776\").addService(googletag.pubads()).setTargeting('refresh', 'true');if (gamData && gamData.sizeMap && gamData.sizeMap.hasOwnProperty('incontent')) {slot_115924480.defineSizeMapping(gamData.sizeMap['incontent']);}googletag.display(\"incontent-314930776\");});};adsQueue.push(load_115924480);<\/script><\/div><\/div>                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1400\" height=\"933\" src=\"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Coach-Melbourne-1400x933.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-535797\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Coach-Melbourne-1400x933.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Coach-Melbourne-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Coach-Melbourne-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Coach-Melbourne-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Coach-Melbourne-480x320.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 400px, (max-width: 640px) 600px, (max-width: 768px) 700px, (max-width: 1024px) 800px, (min-width: 1025px) 1000px, 2048px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A $1000 Coach bag or limited-edition sneaker have become more than just a purchase for Gen Z. Instead, it\u2019s a piece of content waiting to perform online. Image: Coach<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>Of course, decades (sometimes centuries) of craftsmanship are impressive, but what really sells is credibility in the algorithm. A short-form video from the right creator can outsell a six-figure print campaign. Gen Z buy because they saw it, not because they were told about it.<\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/newsroom.tiktok.com\/the-next-era-of-luxury-how-tiktok-is-redefining-taste-discovery-and-purchase-behaviour?lang=en-GB\" target=\"_blank\"  rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">New TikTok research<\/a> shows the platform has become one of the fastest-growing channels for luxury discovery, decision-making and even direct purchase, with two-thirds of first-time luxury buyers now citing social media as their entry point.<\/p>                <div class=\"row row-center collapse\">\n                    <div class=\"column\">\n                        <div class=\"dmg-ad\"><div id=\"incontent-1754620624\" class=\"ad-container\"><script type=\"text\/javascript\">var load_1575332739 = function () {googletag.cmd.push(function () {var slot_1575332739 = googletag.defineSlot(\"\/1017963\/DMarge\/incontent\",[[250,250],[300,100],[300,250],[320,100],[336,280]],\"incontent-1754620624\").addService(googletag.pubads()).setTargeting('refresh', 'true');if (gamData && gamData.sizeMap && gamData.sizeMap.hasOwnProperty('incontent')) {slot_1575332739.defineSizeMapping(gamData.sizeMap['incontent']);}googletag.display(\"incontent-1754620624\");});};adsQueue.push(load_1575332739);<\/script><\/div><\/div>                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                <p>That\u2019s not to say the younger luxury buyer is head to toe in Hermes and Prada. More often than not, that statement piece is paired with thrifted Ralph Lauren sweaters or Uniqlo basics. They\u2019re still chasing prestige, but they do it so with efficiency. It\u2019s really that simple.<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1400\" height=\"933\" src=\"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Gen-Z-TIkTok-Jimmy-Choo-1400x933.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-535798\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Gen-Z-TIkTok-Jimmy-Choo-1400x933.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Gen-Z-TIkTok-Jimmy-Choo-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Gen-Z-TIkTok-Jimmy-Choo-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Gen-Z-TIkTok-Jimmy-Choo-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Gen-Z-TIkTok-Jimmy-Choo-480x320.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 400px, (max-width: 640px) 600px, (max-width: 768px) 700px, (max-width: 1024px) 800px, (min-width: 1025px) 1000px, 2048px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jimmy Choo, reposting Gen Z creators to its audience of half a million on TikTok. Welcome to modern luxury. Image: TikTok \/ @jimmychoo<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>In Australia, these shifts are already visible on city streets with international tourism climbing, especially from younger Chinese travellers who blend content creation with consumption. <\/p>                <div class=\"row row-center collapse\">\n                    <div class=\"column\">\n                        <div class=\"dmg-ad\"><div id=\"incontent-302477432\" class=\"ad-container\"><script type=\"text\/javascript\">var load_1907854091 = function () {googletag.cmd.push(function () {var slot_1907854091 = googletag.defineSlot(\"\/1017963\/DMarge\/incontent\",[[250,250],[300,100],[300,250],[320,100],[336,280]],\"incontent-302477432\").addService(googletag.pubads()).setTargeting('refresh', 'true');if (gamData && gamData.sizeMap && gamData.sizeMap.hasOwnProperty('incontent')) {slot_1907854091.defineSizeMapping(gamData.sizeMap['incontent']);}googletag.display(\"incontent-302477432\");});};adsQueue.push(load_1907854091);<\/script><\/div><\/div>                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                <p>Sydney and Melbourne boutiques are seeing the return of high-intent Gen Z shoppers who know exactly what they want to film and how they want the final edit to look before they\u2019ve even crossed the high street threshold. <\/p><p>Against this backdrop, <a href=\"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/watches\/us-tariffs-rolex-cartier-patek-philippe-countries\" target=\"_blank\"  rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the macro story of Trump\u2019s tariffs<\/a> and China\u2019s slower rebound offer some context, but feel slightly divorced from this trend. <\/p><p>Gen Z is no longer scouring the web for an age-old brand story that has perhaps started to lose its cultural relevance. This younger generation of consumers want value from their brands and validation from their followers. If the market fails to adapt to that reality, the next generation of luxury will simply move on without them.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Gen Z are changing the way we shop, cutting back on small comforts to fund shareable statement pieces. It&#8217;s rewriting the rulebook on what status means. And brands are catching up. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":101107,"featured_media":535807,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_stopmodifiedupdate":false,"_modified_date":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[146501],"tags":[],"coauthors":[146353],"class_list":{"0":"post-535764","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-luxury-lifestyle"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/535764","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/101107"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=535764"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/535764\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":535806,"href":"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/535764\/revisions\/535806"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/535807"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=535764"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=535764"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=535764"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=535764"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}