Lucie Greene on SS27: “The mid-to-high segment is the sweet spot right now” as luxury recalibrates

Luxury in transition, and the mid-high segment ‘a sweet spot’

At the top end of the market, Lucie Greene sees early signs of a revival of the powerhouse luxury brand, albeit in a very different form from recent years.

“Luxury has been in a bit of a maelstrom,” the British trend analyst and founder of Light Years says, describing a period defined by instability rather than creative clarity. A key factor has been the constant churn of creative directors, which has disrupted long-term vision and diluted brand identity.

Greene argues that luxury has been undermined by what she calls “egregious inflation”, driven by a focus on emerging markets and ultra-high-net-worth consumers. A strategy that has priced out a middle group of affluent consumers, including so-called HENRYs (High Earners, Not Rich Yet). “Luxury brands are just overpriced,” she states.

That disconnect has opened space elsewhere. Greene points to a clear elevation across the high street and contemporary segment, citing brands such as COS, Arket and Zara, alongside labels including Aligne, Rixo, ME+EM and Rise & Fall, which are increasingly positioned as premium yet accessible alternatives. The space between high street and luxury, she argues, now represents the strongest opportunity. “That mid-to-high segment is the sweet spot at the moment.”

At the same time, Greene sees early signs of opportunity returning to luxury itself. The sector is entering a period of recalibration. “What I’m seeing now is a real focus on creativity,” she explains, as brands begin to move away from status, logos and price alone.

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Consumers move away from trends and choose brands to identify with

More broadly, Greene believes the way consumers choose fashion has fundamentally changed. “There’s been a real move away from trends,” she says. Rather than buying into seasonal shapes or fleeting aesthetics, consumers increasingly identify with brands that have integrity, a clear philosophy and a strong core product. Trends, Greene adds, have become associated with acceleration and excess, while brands that “do one thing really well” feel more relevant in a more critical consumer climate.

This shift is particularly visible among affluent millennials, now one of fashion’s core consumer groups. Less concerned with traditional brand status, they prioritise perceived integrity—quality materials, thoughtful design and products made to last. “Buy less, but buy better,” Greene summarises.

There are some seasonal hot items, like the neck scarves that are everywhere, she notes. “But these still have a quality of timelessness - more staple than the old ‘in/out’ trends from before.”

Material value: fabric innovation as the new measure of quality

While sustainability remains part of the conversation, Greene argues that it no longer resonates as a headline driver for consumers. “Consumers care that products are responsibly made,” she says, “but it’s really moved toward material value.” The focus has shifted to fabric innovation, performance and quality - particularly well-designed essentials.

The growing demand for knitwear, and especially cashmere - and its expanded presence across both mid-market and high street brands - underscores this shift. Greene also points to brands such as Patagonia, Sweaty Betty, Arcteryx, Acronym and Vollebak, where fabric innovation underpins credibility. Here, performance functions as a core value rather than a marketing claim, with material innovation embedded in the product itself rather than communicated through sustainability messaging.

Looking ahead, Greene sees high-tech and biotech fabrics playing an increasingly important role, particularly as interest in wellness, outdoor lifestyles and performance continues to grow. “I think the innovation is coming from more influence of outdoor pursuits and blurring with sport, but also trying to create clothing that appears formal but has additional comfort and stretch.”

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When retail separates from commerce

Fundamentally, these shifts also changed the function of the store. “I actually don’t think people go to shops to buy a product anymore,” Greene states. Stores function less as points of transaction and more as places where brands are experienced firsthand. Physical retail has become a space for discovery, education and immersion.

Today, brands are positioning themselves more and more as cultural and lifestyle creators. Greene points to Aimé Leon Dore as a telling example: a fashion label that extends its universe through a café and even a streamed radio station. These hybrid concepts, she explains, reflect a more fluid, multidisciplinary approach to retail, where fashion intersects with culture, lifestyle and categories such as home. This shift is increasingly visible across fashion media and retail, with Women’s Wear Daily recently appointing a dedicated home editor, she highlights.

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Other signals shaping the SS27 landscape:

When it comes to inclusivity, Greene believes the industry is at a crossroads. After years in which body inclusivity became a defining value - “closely linked to the rise of direct-to-consumer brands” -she questions whether this momentum will hold amid shifting health narratives and the growing visibility of GLP-1 medication such as Ozempic.

Resale continues to grow, but Greene notes a more critical consumer attitude emerging. Questions around shipping impact, platform margins and who ultimately benefits (read: not the environment, but the companies) are making resale a more mature and less idealised.

In social commerce, the trendwatcher observes a shift in where discovery and shopping are taking place, despite growing consumer efforts to spend less time on their phones. “TikTok and YouTube are gaining ground, while consumer enthusiasm for Meta-owned platforms, including Instagram, appears to be waning.”

Finally, the trendwatcher touches on changing dress codes. Greene confirms that streetwear’s era of dominance is over. “We’re still in a post-pandemic moment,” she says, noting that consumers are moving toward a more elevated, smart-casual style that balances comfort with polish, shaped by remote working and more flexible lifestyles.

Sources:
- Interview Lucie Greene, 28 January 2026.
- AI tools were used for transcribing the interview and writing assistance.