HAS GUCCI GONE TOO PREMIUM MEDIOCRE? An analytical discussion about the Florentine fashion house’s seemingly bottomless consumer range

Sammanfattning: This thesis sets out to give an insight in why Gucci’s entry level products are doing increasingly well nowadays and clarifies how it is connected to Gucci’s global presence in the digital world. It also stresses that millennials feel entitled to luxury, and therefore shop more of what they believe to be luxurious and fashionable products than what previous generations have done. Additionally, the thesis analyzes the concept of premium mediocre and discusses whether the phenomenon, and the fact that Gucci has become less exclusive than earlier because of it, might be a blessing or a curse for the brand. Furthermore, the thesis categorizes Gucci as a historical brand, and looks at the importance of the brands heritage in Florence, Italy. With the help of interviews conducted in Florence with premium mediocre shoppers at Gucci, the thesis also explains that people purchasing affordable luxury at Gucci do so believing that the items articulate high fashion simply because the items are from Gucci.