We investigate the state of the luxury goods market in South Africa and the top 10 luxury designer brands, based on resale value.

Luxury goods in South Africa are predominantly purchased by a small base of wealthy South Africans and foreign visitors. However, there has been a steady increase in demand from the growing middle class.

South Africa is also emerging as a luxury shopping destination for visitors from African countries that don’t have established luxury markets.

The state of the luxury goods market in South Africa

Even before the pandemic, analysts weren’t predicting a great year for the luxury goods market in 2020.

This was due to the growth in South Africa’s GDP slowing drastically in 2019. It resulted in reduced consumer spending.  Disposable incomes dropped and credit restrictions tightened.

These factors could have spelled bad news for the luxury goods market, especially with a weaker rand. Instead, consumers turned to pre-owned luxury goods.

This market allowed consumers with less disposable income to invest in top designer brands even during the lockdown. The luxury market in South Africa saw double-digit growth.

South Africa’s top 10 designer brands based on search interest

These are currently the top 10 designer brands that South Africans are most interested in, based on search interest (from highest to lowest):

• Louis Vuitton
• Gucci
• Chanel
• Christian Louboutin
• Prada
• Burberry
• Hermès
• Jimmy Choo
• Balenciaga
• Dior
• Fendi.

The top 5 designer brands in SA based on resale value

Globally, the luxury resale market was estimated to top US$41 billion by 2020, with an estimated annual growth of 15%. The South African luxury resale market, while still relatively small, is seeing similar growth.

These are the top five designer brands in South Africa based on resale value. Luxury items from these brands not only retain their value but appreciate over time.

1. Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton reclaims the top spot. The brand enjoys popularity in South Africa for its instantly recognisable handbags and totes. There are two Louis Vuitton standalone stores in South Africa, one in Sandton City and the other at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town.

2. Christian Louboutin

Christian Louboutin makes its first appearance in the top three in 2020 with its consistent resale value over the last three years.

As a luxury brand, Christian Louboutin is a relative newcomer. It was formed in 1992 but quickly became known for its unique and distinctive designs.

3. Gucci

Gucci enjoys huge popularity in South Africa as a glamorous and highly coveted brand.

There are only three standalone stores in Africa. Two are in South Africa. One is in Sandton City and the other is in Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront.

4. Chanel

Despite falling three places in 2020, Chanel remains an excellent choice for luxury investment.

The Chanel Medium Classic Flap bag is considered the gold standard of handbags in terms of resale value. This bag outperforms most stocks. The overall resale value of Chanel saw a 17.7% increase year-on-year in 2020.

5. Hermès

Hermès accessories remain popular in South Africa. The brand’s famous handbags and scarves, in particular, tend to retain high resale value.

Hermès enjoys this top five position in the country despite not having a single standalone shop in South Africa.

Top designer brands with the best resale value by category

If you want to invest in luxury brands that have the best resale value, here are the top designer brands you should be looking at for each item.

For bags, these are currently the top three brands in South Africa:

1. Louis Vuitton
2. Christian Louboutin
3. Chanel.

For shoes, the top brands are:

1. Hermès
2. Tom Ford
3. Christian Louboutin.

For luxury accessories, the top brands in SA are:

1. Christian Louboutin
2. Hermès
3. Bottega Veneta.

Short-term loans against high-value assets

You don’t always need to sell your assets to access their value. Asset-based loans use high-value assets as collateral instead of your income or credit rating. Once the loan is repaid, the asset is returned to you without your ownership or its value being affected.

At Lamna, our asset-based loans have several advantages over other loans options:

• no minimum monthly salary required
• no credit checks and no influence on credit scores
• funds are usually paid out within 24 hours
• application is quick, simple and transparent
• Lamna is fully NCR compliant.

At Lamna, we offer fast, discreet loans against the value of a wide range of assets – such as a high-value item from a top luxury designer brand, vehicles and artwork.

For more information about using an asset to secure a short-term loan, contact us on 086 111 2866 or simply complete and submit our online application form.