How Gen Alpha Is Rewriting The Rules Of Luxury Fashion

Just when it seems like the world has finally figured out the inner worlds of Gen-Zers‭, ‬along comes Gen Alpha‭.‬

Born roughly between 2010‭ ‬and 2024‭, ‬Gen Alpha is the first cohort to be raised entirely in the digital age‭, ‬by tech-savvy‭, ‬hyper‭-‬connected parents‭. ‬Although a sizeable chunk of this group may not be earning their own money yet‭, ‬they influence‭ ‬-‭ ‬and are influenced by‭ ‬-‭ ‬their millennial parents'‭ ‬shopping decisions‭, ‬giving them early exposure to luxury brands‭. ‬According to data by US-based media company Razorfish‭, ‬'Older Gen Alpha consumers between the ages of 9‭ ‬and 13‭ ‬like to shop and influence purchases‭, ‬with 68‭ ‬per cent owning a luxury product by the age of 10'‭.‬

And luxury brands are taking note‭.‬

Maire‭ (‬Mo‭) ‬Morris‭, ‬CEO‭, ‬Morris Global Consulting‭ - ‬Fashion‭ & ‬Lifestyle Experts‭, ‬says that from her experience of working with luxury clients across the GCC and Europe‭, ‬she's seen‭ ‬“a clear strategic pivot in 2024–25‭ ‬where Gen Alpha are almost the co-creators and brand storytellers in a way‭.‬”

She adds‭: ‬“In the UAE market‭, ‬Gen Alpha is not just influencing‭, ‬it's driving luxury purchase decisions‭, ‬especially in affluent families‭. ‬Take Harvey Nichols new‭ ‬'Luxury Family Lounge'‭ ‬for instance‭, ‬which offers styling services to parents and their kids as a luxury family experience‭ ‬-‭ ‬complete with branded snacks‭, ‬game tablets and a mini catwalk‭, ‬turning shopping into a luxury experience for the whole family‭.‬”

Digital natives explore virtual luxury

Gen Alpha and Gen-Z are both children of the Internet‭, ‬but there is a distinct difference in the way they consume it‭. ‬Fashion pundits point out that while the latter tends to prefer platforms like TikTok‭, ‬Snapchat and Instagram‭, ‬the former's favourite haunts online are Roblox‭, ‬Minecraft‭, ‬Zepeto‭, ‬and Fortnite‭. ‬They create digital avatars and engage in everything from‭ ‬trying on virtual luxury fashion items to something slightly more mundane like completing school assignments‭. ‬They are also more likely to choose brands that invest in new-age technology like augmented reality‭, ‬virtual reality and artificial intelligence‭.‬

Hence‭, ‬it's no surprise that brands like Gucci‭, ‬Burberry‭, ‬Prada and Balenciaga have explored in-game marketing or partnered with such popular platforms to deliver interactive‭, ‬virtual experiences like‭ ‬'virtual fitting rooms and fashion shows'‭. ‬Luxury marketing is undergoing a‭ ‬'radical transformation'‭, ‬points out Morris‭, ‬as it moves away from celebrity-driven campaigns to‭ ‬'immersive‭, ‬co-creative‭, ‬and gamified engagement'‭.‬

“Prada's collaboration with Minecraft this year is a great example of gamified luxury targeting Gen Alpha where in-game achievements were rewarded with discounts‭. ‬And Moncler's 2025‭ ‬tie-up with Pokémon was a strategic hit across the GCC and Asia‭, ‬blending nostalgia for millennial parents and cool-factor appeal for kids‭,‬”‭ ‬she says‭. ‬“And from a consulting perspective‭, ‬my team is now developing content pipelines for YouTube Kids and Roblox integrations as part‭ ‬of the 2025-26‭ ‬strategy roadmap for our GCC luxury brands‭.‬”

“Brands are very aware of the importance of these games and technologies‭, ‬if they want to engage with the younger cohorts‭,‬”‭ ‬explains Marguerite Le Rolland‭, ‬Global Insight Manager‭ ‬-‭ ‬Fashion‭, ‬at the market research company Euromonitor International‭.‬

Rolland authored an article titled‭ ‬Generation Alpha‭: ‬How Fashion Players Can Target Tomorrow's Consumers‭, ‬where she cites other examples of fashion brands experimenting with virtual stores‭ ‬–‭ ‬like‭, ‬Spanish retailer Mango's Mango Teen products in Roblox's Outfit Shopping Mall‭, ‬where‭ ‬'the platform's users can try on and purchase digital garments'‭. ‬“When I look at all the metaverses and gamification experiences‭, ‬it seems to speak more to the Gen Alphas who are much more into‭ ‬these platforms‭,‬”‭ ‬she adds‭.‬

Amit Keswani‭, ‬Chief Omni-channel Officer‭, ‬Chalhoub Group‭, ‬explains‭: ‬“Brands are prioritising personalisation‭, ‬exclusive events and purpose-driven storytelling to build deeper‭, ‬more authentic connections with younger‭, ‬values-driven audiences‭. ‬On our side‭, ‬we have prioritised these exclusive viewings with styling lounges where we invite customers behind closed doors and offer them a variety of brands‭, ‬all done in an intimate setting to understand customers better‭.‬”

“Gen Alpha's affinity for gamified e-commerce‭, ‬virtual try-ons‭, ‬and AI-curated content is pushing brands to innovate far beyond traditional‭ ‬touchpoints‭,‬”‭ ‬he adds‭.‬

Blurring the line between real and virtual

When we speak‭, ‬Rolland points out that although Gen Alpha likes such virtual experiences‭, ‬they also want their online world to spill over into the real world as seen in the case of the Minecraft franchise‭, ‬which now includes a movie‭, ‬merchandise and an immersive experience in cities like London and Dallas‭. ‬“So‭, ‬in fashion‭, ‬experiential shopping is super important and it needs to be visually stunning‭, ‬engaging and easy to share on social media‭. ‬We'll see more investments in these real-life experiences which Gen Alpha typically responds well to‭,‬”‭ ‬she adds‭.‬

It might be unfair to generalise an entire generation‭, ‬but Gen Alpha generally gravitates toward brands that are seen as cool‭, ‬sustainable and inclusive of diverse body shapes‭, ‬sizes and skin tones‭. ‬And as Rolland points out‭, ‬they do not hesitate to express their disappointment online if they feel like brands don't represent them well enough‭.‬

Breeding brand loyalty

Morris explains that luxury companies understand that‭ ‬“early exposure to a brand's world builds long-term loyalty”‭. ‬“Balenciaga's Fall 2024‭ ‬activation with Fortnite‭, ‬where they launched a real-life capsule collection that mirrored the in-game items‭, ‬wasn't just about selling skins‭ (‬or‭, ‬virtual outfits or costumes‭) ‬-‭ ‬it was about embedding the brand into the cultural memory of an 11-year-old who'll make their first designer sneaker purchase by 16‭.‬”

Rolland also points out that more luxury fashion brands will transform into lifestyle brands by branching out into sectors like hospitality‭, ‬food service and bespoke travel‭. ‬This strategy is not targeted at Gen Alpha and is more of a‭ ‬“short-term decision to boost revenue streams‭, ‬to diversify‭, ‬and limit risks”‭, ‬but it will nevertheless influence younger customers by delivering brand-driven experiences that have great recall value‭. ‬For‭ ‬instance‭, ‬a 10-year-old might be too young to buy Tiffany jewellery‭, ‬but she will definitely remember having a lovely time at Tiffany's Blue Box Cafe as a child‭.‬

Sarah Silsbury‭, ‬a Dubai-based stylist‭, ‬personal shopper and image consultant who has curated looks for leading brands in the UK‭ ‬and UAE‭, ‬too‭, ‬agrees‭. ‬“Tiffany‭ & ‬Co‭.‬'s‭ ‬'Return to Tiffany'‭ ‬silver range acts as a gateway collection‭, ‬designed to capture a younger audience early in their luxury journey‭, ‬giving them that first taste of the Tiffany magic without the hefty price tag‭,‬”‭ ‬she explains‭. ‬“It still feels special‭, ‬still carries that iconic blue-box moment‭, ‬but it's more within reach‭. ‬The hope‭, ‬of course‭, ‬is that once they're in‭, ‬they'll stick with the brand as they grow up and eventually come back when they're shopping for engagement rings and proper grown-up jewellery‭.‬”

Silsbury also explains that most of her clients have Gen Alpha kids‭, ‬who they end up shopping for‭. ‬“Gen Alpha is younger and often exposed to luxury through their family's purchasing habits‭. ‬There are lots of‭ ‬'mini-me'‭ ‬collections now‭ ‬-‭ ‬brands like Gucci‭, ‬Dior and Balenciaga have all launched kidswear that mirrors‭ ‬adult collection‭,‬”‭ ‬she says‭.‬

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