25 Most Expensive Clothing Brands In The World
The luxury fashion world is truly a sight to behold. Here are the 25 most expensive clothing brands in the world that you should know.
There are lots of expensive clothing brands in the world, but some of them truly rise to the top.
Whether they have a long, rich history or they’re fast-rising companies, chances are you’ve seen clothes and accessories from these luxury brands, modeled by some of the most famous people in the world on the red carpet, on huge billboards, or even on your Instagram feed.
The fashion industry is a mix of different clothing and jewelry brands, and a lot of them are household names too. These expensive fashion brands are truly iconic with a rich history, and there’s absolutely no sign of stopping.
So, without further ado, let’s jump into the list of the 25 most expensive clothing brands in the world, listed in no particular order – each brand has multiple expensive items in their catalog!
The Most Expensive Clothing Brands
1. Louis Vuitton
Of course, we had to start with one of the most iconic luxury fashion houses that there are. Louis Vuitton has shaped up to be one of the most recognizable (and most valued) brands in the world and continues to innovate as years go by.
Travel is at the heart of the company, alongside its RTW lines and luxury goods, and the brand is best known for its bags and luggage. The cheapest Louis Vuitton bag you can buy is made from canvas and still retails at about $1,100.
2. Chanel
The Chanel brand, famously established by Coco Chanel in 1909, has been a staple of women’s high fashion for more than a century.
Chanel No. 5, the brand’s signature perfume, is both a historic pioneer and a modern icon.
Chanel now offers a wide range of products, including haute couture apparel and fine jewelry, as well as makeup, perfume, and other cosmetics.
Although the brand is most famous for its handbags and their ever-increasing price, Chanel also offers beautiful ready-to-wear pieces with a pretty steep price tag.
3. Hermes
Hermès is a French high-fashion business that first opened its doors in 1837 with a premium products line.
It now offers a diverse range of products, including leather goods and lifestyle accessories, as well as its high-end brand perfume, clothing, and home furnishings.
Their leather items, most famously the Birkin and the Kelly bags, followed by their ready-to-wear line, provide the most to the company’s revenues out of all of their products.
Fun fact: In the world of luxury fashion, Hermès, Chanel and Louis Vuitton are often referred to as the holy trinity, as purchases from these brands are most likely to hold their resale value on the secondhand market.
These three brands are no doubt the most expensive clothing brands in the world, especially if you take leather goods into consideration.
4. Dior
Christian Dior, one of the most well-known French luxury labels, has been around since 1946. The fashion house is popular with celebrities such as Charlize Theron and Natalie Portman and was frequently worn by Jacqueline Kennedy and Princess Diana.
Dior’s stylish, contemporary, and self-assured style is formal and simple. Under the creative supervision of Hedi Slimane, Dior Homme has established a signature lean silhouette, but the brand continues to defy convention.
5. Saint Laurent
Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé founded YSL, now known as Saint Laurent in 1961, and the brand came to prominence in the 1960s by popularizing designs that are now considered iconic, such as the “naked look” dresses with mesh material around the chest.
The company now offers a complete line of ready-to-wear clothing for men and women, as well as shoes, jewelry, and leather items. If you’re looking for an extremely sleek line of women’s clothing, Saint Laurent is your brand.
6. Balenciaga
Cristóbal Balenciaga founded this luxury fashion brand in 1917 in Spain. Balenciaga was such a meticulous designer that Christian Dior reportedly referred to him as “the master of us all.”
The company went bankrupt in 1972 but was resurrected and relaunched by new owners in 1986 and has since rated among the world’s most opulent and expensive brands with their high-quality products.
Despite the fact that Kering, a French global corporation, now owns the label, it has managed to maintain its high-end prestige as well as its on-trend style, which can only be described as imaginative, expensive, flamboyant and at times, downright bizarre. (Remember those croc heels or the t-shirt on a t-shirt? Yeah, that’s Balenciaga for you!)
7. Fendi
Fendi is one of Italy’s few long-standing family-run fashion firms, still committed to artisanal craftsmanship and inventive furriery thanks to its founders, Adele and Edoardo Fendi.
The company was founded in 1925 in Rome and to this day, the label is the only one with an in-house fur atelier, staying true to its heritage. Bags, shoes, accessories, eyeglasses, fragrances, leather products, and ready-to-wear apparel are all part of their product line.
8. Prada
Prada is known for thinking outside the box and creating designs that are not dependent on predetermined styles or fashion trends. As a result, the label takes pride in its uncompromising quality and artistic flexibility.
Mario Prada launched this iconic Italian fashion house in 1913, making it one of the most well-known in the industry. The company has stood the test of time by specializing in leather purses, shoes, travel items, ready-to-wear, perfumes, and other fashion accessories. If you’re shopping for a little black dress, you might want to check out Prada!
9. Versace
Versace is an Italian fashion house, founded by Gianni Versace in 1978, that creates garments using revolutionary textiles such as metal mesh.
The company started off by selling high-end Italian ready-to-wear clothing before branching out into accessories, jewelry, and even home furnishings.
Elizabeth Taylor, Jennifer Lopez, and Princess Diana have all worn Gianni Versace. Donatella Versace, Gianni’s sister, became the brand’s Creative Director after the founder’s tragic death.
10. Armani
Giorgio Armani, an Italian-born fashion legend, founded his empire in 1974 with an immaculate menswear collection rooted in classic elegance and sophisticated taste.
A beautiful feminine collection quickly followed, starting with perfectly made, classic suits, jackets, and shirts in the best fabrics.
The Armani name is a beacon of natural elegance and sartorial refinement thanks to its inimitable style, craftsmanship, and attention to detail.
11. Gucci
Looking at Gucci’s clothing you might be surprised that this fashion house has made it to the list of the most expensive clothing brands in the world, but don’t be fooled by its street style clothing.
Gucci is an Italian design house founded by Guccio Gucci in 1921, making it one of the oldest fashion houses in the world. The company began as a bag manufacturer, producing luxury travel products for Italy’s wealthy upper classes, as well as horse equipment, like many traditional fashion houses.
Gucci is currently owned by Kering, a French luxury group, and has strayed rather far from its original equestrian beginnings. Even though Gucci is nowadays more known for their streetwear-inspired outfits, they offer sophisticated and elegant clothing as well, paying homage to their heritage.
12. Tom Ford
Speaking of Gucci, one of the most famous designers who got their start at this big fashion house is Tom Ford. Before starting his own successful label, he was best known for turning Gucci into a billion-dollar brand, saving it from bankruptcy.
His namesake label is now one of the most expensive and sought-after American clothing brands in the world.
Whereas some of the businesses on this list specialize in a single type of apparel or a single-gender, Ford offers a complete line of clothing and accessories for men and women that includes just about everything.
In addition to this, Tom Ford’s perfumes have also garnered a cult-like following, especially from men. We can’t blame them, the design of the bottles is timelessly chic, and the scents manly and empowering.
13. Oscar de la Renta
Oscar de la Renta is a New York-based fashion house created in 1965 by Oscar de la Renta, a Dominican designer. He first gained notoriety as one of the haute couture designers that dressed Jacqueline Kennedy in the 1960s.
De la Renta’s dresses were noted for their sophistication and elegance. The brand moved on to produce garments, accessories, shoes, and jewelry over the years.
14. Givenchy
Givenchy is a French fashion house that specializes in high couture garments, perfumes, accessories, and cosmetics. It was founded in 1952 by French designer Hubert de Givenchy.
Although the brand’s legendary history began with various stunning women’s clothing collections, worn by the likes of Jacqueline Kennedy and Audrey Hepburn, it has since expanded to include a men’s line, introduced first in 1969.
Givenchy continues to make bold decisions that cement its place in fashion history. More recently, Megan Markle picked a Givenchy couture bridal gown for her wedding to Prince Harry, demonstrating once again the brand’s dominance in the fashion world.
15. Alexander McQueen
Designer Alexander McQueen, dubbed the “bad boy” of British fashion, started his own label in 1992 and succeeded John Galliano as main designer of Givenchy in 1996.
While working at Givenchy, McQueen continued to manage his own label, turning it into a powerhouse before selling a 51 percent ownership to Gucci in 2000.
Despite the fact that McQueen tragically passed away in 2010, the brand is still going strong thanks to creative director Sarah Burton, who infuses the brand with McQueen’s signature rebelliousness.
16. Burberry
The history of Burberry started in 1856, with Thomas Burberry creating garments to protect people from the cold, severe British weather by sourcing hardwearing textiles that revolutionized waterproof outerwear.
Burberry has maintained its distinct British identity to this day, and it’s best known for its classic outerwear designs made with traditional woven patterns and smart tailoring.
17. DKNY
Donna Karen established her diffusion line DKNY in 1984, but DKNY Men didn’t come out until 1992. The company quickly gained a reputation for its sporting elements, casual style, and creative branding.
With many of their shirts and jumpers showcasing the cityscape, it has a distinct sense of New York. The simplistic and laid-back aesthetic of DKNY is based on its design ethos.
18. Valentino
Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani, an Italian fashion designer, launched the brand in Rome in 1959. Valentino was one of the first international fashion pioneers, and he remains so today. The label creates edgy and unique footwear, eyeglasses, handbags, ties, scarves, fragrances, and clothing.
The Valentino red color, or “Valentino rosso” in Italian, is the brand’s most well-known feature. Aside from that particular shade of red, this company is known for its lovely lace, white pleats, silk chiffon, animal designs, and feminine embellishments on clothing like exquisite embroidery, pearl beading, and ruffles.
19. Hugo Boss
Hugo Boss, also known as simply Boss, is a German fashion house that was founded in Metzingen, Germany, in 1924 by (you guessed it), Hugo Boss.
Hugo Boss began as a manufacturer of all-purpose garments and being German, the company has an unfortunate history of producing uniforms for the German military during the Second World War.
Since then, the company has shed its history and transformed into a significant global fashion brand with its own collections of women’s and children’s items. Since 1985, Boss has also started producing perfumes.
20. Lacoste
Lacoste has long been linked with elegance, sophistication, and class, having been founded in 1933 by tennis player René Lacoste and André Gillie.
Its renowned crocodile logo comes from Lacoste’s on-court moniker, “Killer Croc,” which he earned because of his tenacity on the court.
While still connected with athletics, the brand is now owned by Swiss holding company Maus Frères and provides a wide range of garments and accessories, including anything from their renowned polo shirts to fragrances and even watches.
21. Stella McCartney
Along with Burberry and Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney is one of the most expensive clothing brands hailing from the UK.
You might have guessed by her name that Stella McCartney is the daughter of Sir Paul McCartney (from the Beatles) and his late wife, animal rights campaigner Linda McCartney. Her mom has had a great influence on her work in fashion: Stella’s clothing, handbags and shoes have famously always been vegan and animal friendly.
McCartney began her career in fashion as the creative director of Chloe before founding her own line in 2001, initially focusing solely on women’s clothes.
She debuted her first menswear line in 2016, and more recently, she designed Meghan Markle’s reception dress for her royal wedding to Prince Harry in 2018.
24. Ralph Lauren
Ralph Lauren is one of America’s most famous designers, along with Tommy Hilfiger and Tom Ford.
The brand was founded in 1967 and focused exclusively on men’s ties at first, but has since expanded to include several luxury lines.
The two most famous ones of them are Ralph Lauren’s mainline that caters to a sophisticated clientele, and the Polo by Ralph Lauren subline, which focuses on more athletic, preppy looks, catering to a younger crowd of shoppers.
23. Berluti
Since its inception in 1895, Berluti has been synonymous with style, elegance, and unsurpassed craftsmanship. Founded by Alessandro Berluti, the French company is famous for its deep awareness of the mastery of footwear, continually producing beautiful shoes for the well-shod gentleman.
To this day, the French company makes no apologies for their extremely luxury garments and accessories, which are manufactured with the best fabrics and in the most immaculate of fashions.
24. Dolce & Gabbana
Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana launched the luxury Italian design business Dolce & Gabbana in 1985. The two designers, who had less than US$2,000 between them in 1985, are now regarded as some of “the most powerful designers of our time” and among Italy’s wealthiest men.
While they began by selling women’s wear, swimwear and underwear, they have expanded to include clothes, purses, footwear, sunglasses, jewelry, watches, and fragrances, for which they have received numerous accolades.
Unfortunately, the brand has gone downhill in the last couple of years, mostly due to Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana’s bizarre comments about celebrities’ appearances, racist remarks and other completely unnecessary declarations from the two designers.
We recommend opting for a different brand on the list and avoiding them altogether.
25. Salvatore Ferragamo
Since its inception in 1927, the Florentine company Salvatore Ferragamo has crafted immaculate footwear, elegant leather accessories, and a slew of sophisticated finishing-touch extras with a distinct Italian flair.
Salvatore Ferragamo, the shoemaker to the stars, rose to prominence in the 1950s as the favored footwear couturier for celebrities such as Audrey Hepburn. The Italian label’s exceptional craftsmanship and attention to detail are still unrivaled today.
We hope you enjoyed this list of the most expensive clothing brands in the world! Let us know, did we miss a brand from the list? If so, which brand deserves to be mentioned?
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