Prada tops BofA luxury brand ranking in first half of 2026

Industry
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Summary · why it matters

Prada, Michael Kors, and Alaïa recorded the strongest combined digital brand rankings among soft-luxury names in the second quarter, according to Bank of America's latest Brand Leading Indicator. The indicator ranks 43 soft-luxury brands based on social media followers, online searches, and website traffic, with momentum weighted at 60% and digital presence at 40%. Prada ranked first overall, followed by Michael Kors and Alaïa, while Michael Kors led three-month momentum after Google searches surged from a low base, lifting it from 33rd place in the first quarter. Prada and Alaïa were identified as the strongest brands in the first half of 2026, maintaining consistently high positions across both quarters. Chanel showed the biggest improvement late in the period, climbing from 10th in April to first in June as interest grew around Matthieu Blazy's collection, with Alaïa and Coach ranking second and third for June. Gucci's quarterly momentum ranking improved by 20 places to sixth, supported by stronger US website traffic, online searches, and promotional events, while Saint Laurent rose five positions to 16th, though fellow Kering brand Balenciaga dropped from 13th to 35th. Among LVMH brands, Loro Piana returned to the top 10 at seventh, Louis Vuitton climbed to 10th from 28th, and Dior finished 31st after Chinese search activity weakened. Swatch led hard luxury, helped by online interest surrounding its Royal Pop pocket watch collaboration with Audemars Piguet, with Jaeger-LeCoultre and Tissot placing second and third. Digital engagement across the soft-luxury sector increased 18% year over year, marking a fifth consecutive quarter of acceleration, as Google searches rose 47%, website traffic grew 39%, and Chinese Baidu activity remained down 18%. Excluding unusually strong Google search figures, overall online activity still improved by 7 percentage points from the first quarter, supporting expectations for continued luxury demand recovery led by the US and South Korea.

Impact on stocks 8

Consumer Discretionary± Mixed · 8 stocks
Prada SpA
1913
▲ PositiveDemandrelevance

Prada ranked first overall in BofA's brand ranking, indicating strong digital engagement and consumer interest.

The Swatch Group AG
UHR
▲ PositiveDemandrelevance

Swatch leads hard luxury ranking, driven by online interest in Royal Pop pocket watch collaboration with Audemars Piguet.

Christian Dior SE
CDI
▼ NegativeDemandrelevance

Dior finished 31st in soft-luxury ranking, with Chinese search activity weakening.

Kering SA
KER
± MixedDemandrelevance

Kering brands Gucci improved (up 20 places) and Saint Laurent rose 5, but Balenciaga dropped from 13th to 35th.

Off-coverage companies 1

Audemars PiguetPrivate▲ Positive
Demandrelevance

Audemars Piguet's collaboration with Swatch on Royal Pop pocket watch boosts its brand visibility and digital engagement.

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