The Dupe Effect: Gen Z and the Transformation of Luxury Perception

The rise of “dupe culture” among Gen Z has transformed luxury knockoffs into symbols of savvy shopping. Once a source of shame, young consumers embrace #dupes, eager to achieve luxury looks for less. This shift is driven by TikTok’s viral trends, influencer endorsements, and economic uncertainty, with 71% of Gen Z saying that they often choose inexpensive alternatives to name-brand products.

Dupes are closely related to fakes but exist within legal parameters. At the time of writing, viral luxury dupes include The Row mesh flats and Bottega Veneta bags, duped by Amazon sellers. However, the high cost of low consumer prices is paid by exploiting workers, the environment, and the creatives who came up with the idea in the first place—a fact perhaps lost on a climate-conscious generation.

In 2023, premium activewear brand @lululemon entered the conversation with a “dupe swap” that allowed customers to exchange budget leggings for the real thing. “Part of why we had total confidence doing that is because if you try [our products], we felt folks would have that sensory ‘Aha’ moment”, said Lululemon chief brand officer Nikki Neuburger. The experiment worked. 50% of the 1,000 people who came to the swap were new customers – and half were under 30.

Although giving away products is not luxury behaviour, Lululemon’s virtuous bid to counter the problems caused by dupes engenders luxury-like brand loyalty. While they may be young, Gen Z has become the largest generation, constituting 32% of the global population. So, if brands want to stay relevant to the digital-first generation, responding to online trends like “dupe” is increasingly essential for survival.

#Dupe #TrendWatch #Luxury #PotlatchAgency

Image credits: Lyst, Amazon, Bottega Veneta, Amazon, Amazon, Lululemon