Fashion label Louis Vuitton has been rated the top luxury brand by a sample of African millionaires.
The survey was conducted by New World Wealth, with the sample comprising wealthy individuals from South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Zambia, Angola and Mozambique. Criteria for rating the brands included exclusivity, quality and reputation. Semi-luxury brands – such Lacoste, Mercedes and Jaguar – were excluded from the study.
Overall luxury ratings (men and women) 2015
| RANK | BRAND | FOCUS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louis Vuitton | Handbags |
| 2 | Zegna | Mens clothing |
| 3 | Paul Smith | Mens clothing |
| 4 | L’Occitane en Provence | Bath and shower products |
| 5 | Porsche | Sports cars |
The leading clothing and accessory brand among men is Ermenegildo Zegna, the Italian fashion house. In 2013 Zegna opened its first sub-Saharan Africa outlet in Lagos, Nigeria; it has since also expanded to South Africa. Women selected Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Prada as some of their favourite clothing and accessories labels.
Top rated clothing & accessory brands for men 2015
| RANK | BRAND | FOCUS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zegna | Mens clothing |
| 2 | Paul Smith | Mens clothing |
| 3 | Hugo Boss | Mens clothing |
| 4 | Dunhill | Mens clothing and accessories |
| 5 | Canali | Mens clothing |
Top rated clothing & accessory brands for women 2015
| RANK | BRAND | FOCUS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louis Vuitton | Handbags |
| 2 | Gucci | Clothing & accessories |
| 3 | Prada | Clothing & accessories |
| 4 | Dolce & Gabbana | Clothing & accessories |
| 5 | Hermès | Clothing & accessories |
Porsche was picked as the top car brand, followed by Ferrari, Aston Martin, Rolls-Royce and Range Rover. In 2013 Porsche announced it is planning to expand its presence across sub-Saharan Africa. It launched an online platform for investors to apply to become Porsche importers.
Top rated luxury car brands (men and women) 2015
| RANK | BRAND | FOCUS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Porsche | Sports cars |
| 2 | Ferrari | Sports cars |
| 3 | Aston Martin | Sports cars |
| 4 | Rolls-Royce | Luxury sedans |
| 5 | Range Rover | SUVs |
In recent years the super-luxury watch market has seen significant growth in Africa, according to New World Wealth, with popular brands including Patek Philippe, Breguet and Ulysse Nardin. Prices for these super-luxury watches start at around US$10,000.
New World Wealth says watches are a status symbol for men. “Watches have become to men what diamonds are to women,” commented one retailer. Other reasons for the popularity of super-luxury watches are their portability and the fact that top-end timepieces hold their value reasonably well.
Overall super-luxury watch ratings (men only) 2015
| RANK | BRAND |
|---|---|
| 1 | Patek Philippe |
| 2 | Breguet |
| 3 | Ulysse Nardin |
| 4 | A. Lange & Söhne |
| 5 | Franck Muller |
Credit: howwemadeitinafrica