Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Affordable luxury. It might sound like an oxymoron, but in 2026 it’s striking a chord with cautious shoppers looking for value—and expecting more from the brands they buy.
Consumers are exploring resale, investing in wellness, and discovering new ways to shop. Meanwhile, AI is transforming how products are designed, marketed, and discovered.
McKinsey senior partners Gemma D’Auria and Holger Harreis join host Lucia Rahilly to break down findings from The State of Fashion 2026 and examine the forces reshaping the industry.
In this episode:
00:00 – The forces reshaping fashion in 2026
2:50 – How consumers are redefining value
3:55 – The rise of luxury resale
5:55 – Why jewelry is booming
7:15 – Wellness and wearables
9:25 – Where luxury leaders should focus
12:56 – Can AI really enhance creativity?
16:53 – How brands can leverage AI while reducing risk
19:48 – The future of AI shopping
Read McKinsey’s full report, “The State of Fashion 2026” here: mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/state-of-fashion
Any unanswered questions about this episode? Comment or send them our way at: TheMcKinseyPodcast@mckinsey.com
About the guests:
McKinsey Senior Partner Gemma D’Auria: mckinsey.com/our-people/gemma-d-auria
McKinsey Senior Partner Holger Harreis: mckinsey.com/our-people/holger-harreis
About the host:
Lucia Rahilly is McKinsey’s global editorial director and deputy publisher of McKinsey Global Publishing.
Connect with us:
Subscribe to our newsletters for more industry-leading insights: mck.co/Subscribe
Subscribe on YouTube: mck.co/YouTube
Facebook: mck.co/Facebook
Twitter: mck.co/Twitter
LinkedIn: mck.co/LinkedIn
Instagram: mck.co/Instagram
Theme music composed, performed, and produced by Joy Ngiaw.
See mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information.
Affordable luxury. It might sound like an oxymoron, but in 2026 it’s striking a chord with cautious shoppers looking for value—and expecting more from the brands they buy.
Consumers are exploring resale, investing in wellness, and discovering new ways to shop. Meanwhile, AI is transforming how products are designed, marketed, and discovered.
McKinsey senior partners Gemma D’Auria and Holger Harreis join host Lucia Rahilly to break down findings from The State of Fashion 2026 and examine the forces reshaping the industry.
In this episode:
00:00 – The forces reshaping fashion in 2026
2:50 – How consumers are redefining value
3:55 – The rise of luxury resale
5:55 – Why jewelry is booming
7:15 – Wellness and wearables
9:25 – Where luxury leaders should focus
12:56 – Can AI really enhance creativity?
16:53 – How brands can leverage AI while reducing risk
19:48 – The future of AI shopping
Read McKinsey’s full report, “The State of Fashion 2026” here: mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/state-of-fashion
Any unanswered questions about this episode? Comment or send them our way at: TheMcKinseyPodcast@mckinsey.com
About the guests:
McKinsey Senior Partner Gemma D’Auria: mckinsey.com/our-people/gemma-d-auria
McKinsey Senior Partner Holger Harreis: mckinsey.com/our-people/holger-harreis
About the host:
Lucia Rahilly is McKinsey’s global editorial director and deputy publisher of McKinsey Global Publishing.
Connect with us:
Subscribe to our newsletters for more industry-leading insights: mck.co/Subscribe
Subscribe on YouTube: mck.co/YouTube
Facebook: mck.co/Facebook
Twitter: mck.co/Twitter
LinkedIn: mck.co/LinkedIn
Instagram: mck.co/Instagram
Theme music composed, performed, and produced by Joy Ngiaw.
See mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information.
