• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 

2

Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'

3

Meet a 21-year-old community college student who's going to China as the first American woman welder in the trades Olympics

1

Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 

2

Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'

3

Meet a 21-year-old community college student who's going to China as the first American woman welder in the trades Olympics
PoliticsLuxury
Europe

Europe’s luxury players face a path-defining twist with Trump’s tariffs. But only a handful of them will suffer the worst impact

Prarthana Prakash
By
Prarthana Prakash
Prarthana Prakash
Europe Business News Reporter
Down Arrow Button Icon
Prarthana Prakash
By
Prarthana Prakash
Prarthana Prakash
Europe Business News Reporter
Down Arrow Button Icon
April 3, 2025, 7:32 AM ET
woman standing in the street with shopping bags
Europe will face a 20% tariff on U.S. imports.Mike Kemp—In Pictures/Getty Images

President Donald Trump’s long-awaited (read: much-dreaded) tariffs have finally been announced, unlocking a new degree of uncertainty in global business. Europe, subject to a 20% blanket tariff, will now have to brace for the aftermath of these measures—as will its most alluring sector: luxury.

Recommended Video

Luxury has an outsized presence in Europe, with its brands accounting for at least 70% of the global luxury goods market and its exports worth €260 billion annually, the European Union estimates. That’s about 10% of all EU exports. 

A hefty levy could mean different things for different luxury companies, depending on various factors, including which type of shopper the brand caters to. Regardless, it will be substantial for the sector.

“The impact from the announced tariffs might not just be on margins, but possibly also on the underlying demand, in both the short term (due to higher level of uncertainty and stock market volatility, usually both impacting consumer confidence) and medium term (due to likely rising inflation),” Chiara Battistini, JPMorgan Chase’s head of European luxury research, wrote in a note Thursday.  

Trump’s qualm is that European exports to the U.S. are far higher than imports, which is hurting American jobs and industry. Tariffs are his idea for fixing that imbalance as they would discourage imports and force companies to move manufacturing to the States. Better yet, they could compel Americans to look inward for alternatives. 

But replicating what European luxury companies offer won’t be a simple plug-and-play in the U.S. 

Take Kering, for instance. Flavio Cereda, an investment director at GAM Investments, expects it to be among those hit hardest by tariffs. The French conglomerate faces a crisis precipitated by the luxury slowdown and its internal struggles, weakening its financial footing and limiting its pricing power against competitors.

Still, Kering’s CEO Francois-Henri Pinault has firmly opposed moving production to the U.S. because everything the company makes represents a “part of our culture.” That’s why everything from Gucci’s luxury apparel to Yves Saint Laurent’s bags is made in Europe—the company currently has no manufacturing in the U.S.

The new tariff wave is set against a backdrop of shaky luxury appetite, leaving the fate of different companies to diverge. While some, like Burberry and LVMH, have been reeling in the pain for a few years, the likes of Bruno Cucinelli and Hermès have outperformed the rest of the sector. Still, the sector’s outlook has been that it will face a drawn-out slump. 

American shoppers represent the second-largest group of personal luxury buyers, accounting for a third of the sector’s demand. They make up a critical mass of the customers luxury brands serve, so alienating them is both difficult to do and to recover from.

Following the tariff news, LVMH and Kering’s shares were down about 4%, while Burberry’s shares slipped 7% as of 12 noon London time.  

How will brands cope?

The bespoke nature of high-end fashion is core to its appeal—and it’s also why brands can command thousands of dollars for the most coveted bags and accessories.

Luxury players frequently hike prices because their customers are willing to pay for the perceived value of their products. In the case of some brands, a higher price tag is coupled with tighter supply, further increasing demand. This trait is what can turn a sought-after luxury article into a Veblen good. 

Higher tariffs would likely prompt luxury giants to rely on this tried-and-tested method even more.

“We would expect most European luxury companies to pass on the tariffs in the form of price increases to end consumers, who tend to be less sensitive to pricing and accustomed to regional price differentials,” UBS equity analyst Zuzanna Pusz wrote in a note. 

She added that, on average, brands would need to hike prices by 6% in the U.S. or face a 7% profit hit. 

Hermès’ executive chair Axel Dumas has already indicated that the bag maker will use this approach to defend itself against tariffs. 

The alternative is for American shoppers to wait to travel to Europe before they splurge on luxury bags and shoes. 

Companies with a manufacturing presence in the U.S. might look into expanding that with the tariffs in place. 

“LVMH will be hit [because of tariffs], but LV has U.S. manufacturing so could ramp that up (don’t forget three members of the Arnault family at Trump’s inauguration…it matters),” Cereda told Fortune in an email.

A less desirable consequence of all the price hikes and luxury feeling more out of reach than usual is the rise of low-cost dupes of luxury brands. They’ve recently found a following in young consumers with limited disposable income, who find identifying and owning real-looking knock-offs somewhat of a skill.

There’s no question that the luxury loyalists will continue flocking to it as they always have. But the shifts in where they shop from and how much they satisfy their luxury whims are already afoot—and it won’t stop anytime soon.

Subscribe to Fortune Gulf Brief. Every Tuesday, this new newsletter will deliver clear-eyed, authoritative intelligence on the deals, decisions, policies, and power shifts shaping one of the world’s most consequential regions, written for the people who need to act on it. Sign up here.
About the Author
Prarthana Prakash
By Prarthana PrakashEurope Business News Reporter
LinkedIn icon

Prarthana Prakash was a Europe business reporter at Fortune.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Politics

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Politics

Vice President JD Vance rebuffs question about President Trump’s stock investments, says Trump is so wealthy he doesn’t trade stocks himself
PoliticsDonald Trump
Vice President JD Vance rebuffs question about President Trump’s stock investments, says Trump is so wealthy he doesn’t trade stocks himself
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMay 21, 2026
2 hours ago
frank
PoliticsObituary
Barney Frank, legendary liberal who ripped into left-wing dysfunction on his death bed, dies at 86
By Steven Sloan and The Associated PressMay 20, 2026
13 hours ago
bezos
Personal FinanceNew York City
Jeff Bezos on Zohran Mamdani’s big mistake: ‘When you don’t know how to solve a problem, create a villain, blame them’
By Nick LichtenbergMay 20, 2026
14 hours ago
electrical transmission lines hang over a housing development on March 24, 2026 in Sylmar, California.
EnergyElectricity
2025 was a turning point for your electricity bill and it’s just getting more expensive from here. It’s not just data centers
By Tristan BoveMay 20, 2026
15 hours ago
cassidy
PoliticsElections
Anti-Trump Republicans are dead pols walking. Call them the ‘YOLO caucus’
By Steven Sloan, Joey Cappelletti and The Associated PressMay 20, 2026
16 hours ago
soros
Politicsphilanthropy
‘We will not be intimidated into silence’: George Soros foundation pledges $300 million toward democratic rights
By Thalia Beaty and The Associated PressMay 20, 2026
17 hours ago

Most Popular

Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
Workplace Culture
Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
By Preston ForeMay 19, 2026
1 day ago
Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'
Success
Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'
By Preston ForeMay 20, 2026
17 hours ago
Meet a 21-year-old community college student who's going to China as the first American woman welder in the trades Olympics
Future of Work
Meet a 21-year-old community college student who's going to China as the first American woman welder in the trades Olympics
By Mike Householder and The Associated PressMay 17, 2026
4 days ago
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
Politics
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
By Jake AngeloMay 12, 2026
9 days ago
Dr. Bernice King on why companies that walked back DEI were never truly committed: 'If you retreat that quick…that reveals who you really are'
Workplace Culture
Dr. Bernice King on why companies that walked back DEI were never truly committed: 'If you retreat that quick…that reveals who you really are'
By Preston ForeMay 19, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of May 20, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 20, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 20, 2026
19 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.