Luxury and designer houses

This directory lists 243 luxury and designer houses. Italy and France account for the largest numbers, followed by the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan and Germany. The segment brings together historic maisons, couture houses and designer labels at the top of the price scale, covering ready-to-wear, leather goods, shoes and accessories. Milan and Paris are the traditional centres, supported by their fashion weeks and long-standing ateliers.

Luxury houses use all channels intensively. Most sell through selected wholesale partners and department stores, most operate their own boutiques, and most also run their own e-commerce. Many brands belong to large groups. Examples in this directory include Louis Vuitton, Dior, Fendi, Celine, Loewe, Givenchy, Loro Piana, Berluti, Kenzo and Marc Jacobs. Brand image, craftsmanship and control over distribution are central to how these houses operate.