Often making purchases after watching peer-led content, 70 percent of TikTok’s luxury audience have spent over 1,000 pounds on a single fashion item, per new research from the platform. Image credit: Rebag
TikTok has quickly become a key discovery platform for luxury consumers worldwide.
Often making purchases after watching peer-led content, 70 percent of its luxury audience have spent over 1,000 pounds on a single fashion item, per new research from the platform. TikTok’s “Re-defining Luxury: May 2025 | TikTok Marketing Science EUI + US Luxury on TikTok Research 2025” study was conducted in partnership with cloud-based market research platform AYTM.
“This research shows that what drives luxury purchases today isn’t polish – it’s proof. People want to hear from peers, not just brands,” said Cassandra Russell, GBS at TikTok U.K., in a statement.
“TiikTok has become a place where credibility is built in the comments section and the path to purchase now runs through creators, conversations and community insight,” Ms. Russell said. “It’s the spark that luxury brands can’t afford to ignore.”
Discovery commerce driving luxury
The study, based on a survey of more than 3,000 luxury consumers in the U.K., U.S., France and Italy, found that nearly half of TikTok users now define luxury as a form of self-expression, rather than a traditional status symbol.
In practice, 59 percent of luxury shoppers on the platform said they purchase luxury goods primarily to reward themselves, with hashtags such as #selfgifting seeing a 110 percent surge in video views.
In addition, discovery commerce is driving new behaviors across the luxury market.
A Balenciaga TikTok campaign. Image credit: Balenciaga
One in four luxury users told TikTok they have purchased a second-hand luxury item after seeing a related TikTok trend, while 15 percent have bought a luxury fashion item directly after discovering it on the platform.
The platform’s average luxury user is now over 30, as, according to global consulting firm Bain & Company, millennial and Gen Z (see story) audiences move towards controlling a greater share – 60 percent – of global luxury spend by 2026.
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