Designer clothing brands offer high-quality clothing at a very high price point, but that isn't always the case. Some designer brands also sell clothes at a more affordable price point while maintaining the luxury part of the deal.
This opens up designer clothing to a wider audience, which is still good for the brand and doesn't detract from exclusivity. The big appeal of designer clothes, aside from the quality, is that not everyone will own the same thing as you do.
Is it still a designer brand if it's affordable?
Yes! The fact that some designer brands make affordable clothing doesn't take away from the skill, artistry, high-quality materials, and reputation that the brand has.
12 Best Affordable Designer Brands
Whether you're looking for timeless classics, bold prints or something made from sustainable materials, the fashion world has something to meet your needs.
Most of these are well-known brands, but some people miss that they sell affordable luxury clothing. These days, you don't have to break the bank to get quality pieces for yourself.
So, why not dip your toe into the big pond that is the fashion world and get yourself a nice pair of shoes or jeans at an affordable price?
Here are some affordable luxury brands that might appeal to you:
1. Ted Baker London
Ted Baker London began as a menswear company in 1987 in Glasgow and was known for selling the best contemporary men's shirts. Now, this brand has evolved from men's clothing into an overall lifestyle brand.
Ted Baker makes clothes and accessories for men and women, fragrances, shoes, eyewear, and watches!
This designer brand is most famous for its menswear, but they've amassed quite a female following over the decades. Give this brand a try by buying a bag like the Allicon Mock Croc Icon Tote Bag for £65, or a men's watch like the Lther Leather Strap Multifunction Watch for £140.
2. Lucky Brand
Lucky Brand was founded in Los Angeles in 1990 with the goal of creating jeans inspired by vintage fashion with a great fit.
The Lucky Brand is best known for having high-quality denim, but aside from denim wear, they also sell clothing and accessories for men and women.
This designer brand is inspired by Southern California and its heritage and culture. In the brand's words, their clothes are inspired by "Americana and self-expression" and appeal more to a bohemian style.
Music, art and vintage styles inspire their designer clothing. Everyone needs a good denim jacket in their wardrobe, so why not get the Faux Shearling Lined Denim Trucker Jacket for £125 or a pair of their famous jeans?
3. Lacoste
Lacoste was founded in 1933 and is famed for its preppy and classic style. Most people know Lacoste for its polo shirts with the signature green crocodile logo. A Lacoste polo is a staple in many wardrobes, and its iconic logo is known worldwide.
While Lacoste is very popular, it remains an affordable luxury brand. They make clothing, shoes, bags, accessories, and shoes for men and women.
If you don't already own one, why not add the Lacoste Classic Polo Shirt to your wardrobe, or invest in a fragrance or pair of shoes?
4. Kate Spade New York
Kate and Andy Spade founded this brand in 1993 and struggled a little until they opened a SoHo store in 1996 after being awarded the New Fashion Talent in Accessories Prize by the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America).
From there, this brand became a staple in the fashion industry, appearing on the pages of magazines like Vogue and receiving celebrity endorsements.
Kate Spade New York is a world-renowned designer brand that is best known for selling luxury handbags as well as luxury shoes. When you buy a Kate Spade handbag, you can rest assured knowing that you've bought something; stylish, high-quality and long-lasting.
There's such a focus on Kate Spade handbags and shoes many don't notice they also sell clothes for women. Their collections have something suitable for any occasion, from going to bed to attending something fancy and black tie.
Some of the most popular Kate Spade bags are the All Day Tote Bag and the Knott collection.
5. Tory Burch
Tory Burch is one of the younger affordable luxury brands on this list. Founded in 2004 by designer Tory Burch, the brand sold out most of its inventory on its very first day, and the success has only continued. This luxury fashion house has been a regular at New York Fashion Week since 2011.
Tory Burch is another affordable luxury brand best known for its handbags. The designs are chic, minimalistic, and some of the most affordable offerings from a designer brand.
They only offer products for women that include clothing, shoes, handbags and accessories. This family-owned company believes in empowering female entrepreneurs, and their Tory Burch Foundation supports women globally with various projects and programs.
Two of the most popular handbags from this fashion designer are the Perry Bombe Mini Bag and the Fleming Matte Convertible Shoulder Bag.
6. Michael Kors
Michael Kors is an award-winning designer and eponymous luxury brand. The designer sold his first women's bag at Bergdorf Goodman in 1981 before officially launching his brand in 1990.
This brand and designer are best known for their ready-to-wear clothing and luxury accessories.
Initially, this luxury brand focused on sportswear for women, but they've expanded their clothing collections to include men's and women's clothing for every occasion. They also sell bags, accessories, jewellery, eyewear, fragrances, shoes and watches.
This one goes on the list of affordable designer brands because they offer high-end and affordable options that cater to every budget. Proceeds from their "LOVE" collection go towards the Michael Kors cause of feeding hungry children worldwide through the United Nations World Food Programme.
Two popular items sold by Michael Kors are the Bedford Travel Extra-Large Logo Stripe Weekender Bag and the Bedford Legacy Signature Extra-Small Crossbody Bag.
7. Coach
Coach is a celebrity favourite but also one of the most affordable luxury brands in the world. The brand started in 1941 as "Manhattan Leather Bags"; a family-run business in an apartment, handmaking leather wallets and billfolds.
Over the years the brand expanded to include handbags, and now they also sell accessories, jewellery, leather goods, shoes, and ready-to-wear luxury clothing. They cater to both men and women.
Two of the most popular items to buy from Coach are the Willow Saddle Bag and the Scout Hobo in Pebble Leather.
8. Guess
Guess is one of the luxury brands that needs little to no introduction. The well-known American brand is famous for its jeans and logo t-shirts.
This is another one of the affordable luxury fashion brands that were founded by the Marciano Brothers in 1981. The brother pair started by designing jeans with a European influence. The first two dozen pairs of jeans to be stocked by Bloomingdales sold out in just a few hours!
Guess has long been associated with the young, sexy and adventurous. The brand now sells clothing for men, women and children for all occasions. They also sell jewellery, handbags, watches, fragrances, shoes, apparel and purses.
Join the Guess family by purchasing a signature Guess logo t-shirt, a signature fragrance or pair of jeans.
9. Off-White
Off-White was founded by Virgil Abloh in 2012 and is a regular at Fashion Week worldwide. Virgil Abloh had an interesting start as a designer. He earned a civil engineering degree and a Master's degree in architecture before jumping into fashion.
He rose to prominence as, first, Kanye West's merchandise designer in 2022 before becoming his creative director in 2010. In 2018, Abloh was appointed the artistic director of Louis Vuitton menswear.
As far as luxury fashion brands go, this one is known for some unorthodox pieces, collaborations, and styles. It's basically high-end streetwear based on the iconography of American cities. The merchandise includes clothing, shoes, accessories and furniture.
The brand is known for selling outrageous things like $1000 hoodies and sweatshirts. Despite the cult following the brand has amassed and the crazy resale value of some items like sneakers, they're pretty affordable for a high-end brand like Off-White Sliders.
10. Rebecca Minkoff
This is one of the best affordable luxury brands on the market if you're looking for handbags and shoes. Founded in 2005 by a brother and sister duo, Uri and Rebecca Minkoff, this brand now boasts over 900 retail stores stocking their merchandise worldwide.
The designs offered by this fashion house are feminine, flirty, bohemian and just a little rock'n' roll! In 2009, this brand expanded its line to include ready-to-wear clothing, and it also stocks and sells; apparel, jewellery, fragrances, and accessories.
If you're looking to start your Rebecca Minkoff collection, look no further than the iconic handbag that started it all. The Morning After Bag collection has a bag for every mood and every woman.
11. Stuart Weitzman
This is one of the designer brands when it comes to women's high-end shoes. Stuart Weitzman trained at his father's shoe factory and then took it over in 1965. He launched his own brand in 1986, turning it into a household name.
Stuart Weitzman was inspired by women and took on the task of helping them feel bold and confident. Something that remains a core goal of the brand even though Weitzman himself retired in 2018.
Most of the shoe collections by this brand are manufactured in a small Spanish city, Elda, known for artisanal shoemaking. The shoes the brand sells are famous for being both fashionable and functional.
Lately, this brand is best known for its beautiful thigh-high and knee-high boots, often modelled by Gigi Hadid, Kim Kardashian, and Giselle Bundchen.
Some of the brand's best-sellers are boots from the 5050 Collection as well as the Ultrastuart collection.
12. Ralph Lauren
Ralph Lauren has become a household name since it was founded in 1967 by Ralph Lauren. He started by launching his first Polo collection, which consisted of wide ties and expanded as his brand grew.
The aesthetic is trendy but family-friendly and features the kind of clothing you'd expect to see at a luxury country club. This brand doesn't concern itself with keeping up with trends and offers staple pieces to build a wardrobe that'll never go out of style.
While it might be surprising to have this brand on a list of the top affordable luxury brands, they do offer options that are more affordable than the high-end fare that celebrities buy.
This is one of the fashion houses that have become more of a lifestyle brand, and they offer home goods, accessories, fragrances, apparel, and clothing for men, women, children, and babies.
If you're interested in other luxury items, check out the Slingo Lifestyle blog for the best inspiration.
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