Fashion's Littlest Victims

Brandweek, July 17, 2000 by Becky Ebenkamp

The girl who appears to be 14 and carrying a $500 Kate Spade purse could very well be 14 and carrying a $500 Kate Spade purse, not the Chinatown knockoff version. Lately, kid marketing consultant Big Blue Dot observes, teens and even tweens have begun taking a luxury approach to apparel and accessories.

Teens have long been billboards for the everyman logos of Gap and Hilfiger, but their motives for showcasing designer duds are unabashedly '80s: these are flashy status symbols that signify one's affluence and taste.

While teenagers haven't gone out of their way to seek out designer duds, luxury shops and brands have delivered the trend to their doorsteps. Upscale stores have recently surfaced in malls and downtown locations where kids hang out.

The Web plays its part of course, and so does the entertainment industry. Fashion runways debut a younger crop of models each year, and gold-swathed hip-hop videos have taken on a rich look that teen tracker Irma Zandl refers to "Pimpin' Out." The flashy, over-the-top style can currently be viewed in Puff Daddy's runway fashions and the wardrobes of divas Lil' Kim and Mary J. Blige, who sport clothing carrying Vuitton, Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana tags.

The robust economy, naturally is allowing Americans to wear affluence on their sleeves. Parents are able to spend more--the number of millionaire families has grown from 1.3 million in 1989 to about 5 million last year. If that seems like a leap, that figure is projected to reach 20 million over the next decade.

And we can't discount the trickle-down theory: Kids have a median allowance of $50 a week, which easily allows one to save for those $100 shoes. Even teens without the means are shelling out bucks for a little luxe: They're scouring thrift shops for cheap designer castoffs and copycats.