Why celebrities are swapping luxury labels for accessible fashion brands

For decades, celebrity style was defined by exclusivity. Stars turned to Savile Row tailors and luxury fashion houses to achieve a high-end look. The biggest names wore labels that most people could only admire from afar, creating an image that felt aspirational but increasingly unattainable for many.

Now that picture is changing. As households become more selective about where they spend their spare money, shoppers are questioning whether luxury prices are worth it. This is reflected in celebrity fashion, which often mirrors the mood of the general populus.  From television presenters and musicians to Hollywood stars, celebrities are turning to more affordable options that still offer high quality without the price tag.

The figures reflect this changing mood. Deloitte’s latest Consumer Tracker1 found that spending on clothing and footwear fell by 10 percentage points year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, the largest quarterly reduction in non-essential spending since the Pandemic. Barclays2 has also identified a renewed focus on value among UK shoppers, while Mintel3 says economic pressure has led consumers to become increasingly tired of luxury price increases and are seeking more affordable alternatives.

Rather than dressing to signal wealth, celebrities are choosing clothes real people can access. Rylan Clark and rapper Yung Gravy have tapped into the trend, wearing affordable men’s suit brand Dobell to Ascot in June, Hailey Bieber and Daisy Edgar Jones have been spotted wearing Mango and even the Princess of Wales is among the high-profile names choosing to wear ‘everyday’ brands.

Celebrity stylist and fashion lecturer Sarah Nash who has dressed the likes of Joanna Lumley, Alan Cumming and Jessica Ennis-Hill, says she’s noticed a fundamental change in the way celebrities dress:

“In recent years, we've seen a subtle shift in how celebrities and their stylists approach fashion. Increasingly, high street brands are appearing alongside luxury labels, both on and off the red carpet. Whether it's Kendall Jenner wearing Topshop at the Met Gala or Bad Bunny collaborating with Zara on bespoke looks for his Super Bowl performance and red-carpet appearances, the distinction between designer fashion and the high street has become increasingly blurred.”

Sarah, also added that celebrities are making intentional sartorial choices that tap into the hi-lo trend: “There's a growing trend towards mixing designer pieces with more accessible brands. Brad Pitt, for example, has paired Gucci tailoring with Adidas trainers on the red carpet, demonstrating that great style is about the overall look rather than the price tag. Choosing to wear accessible brands is a conscious sartorial decision, projecting authenticity and relatability.

British menswear brand Dobell, founded in an Eastbourne basement by entrepreneur Mike Dobell and has since grown into an affordable international suit brand. They say they’re now receiving an increasing number of enquiries from celebrity stylists looking to dress high profile clients in accessible formalwear.

CEO of Dobell, Mike Dobell, said: “When Dobell began in a basement, we never imagined we would one day be approached by stylists wanting to dress household names and internationally recognised artists.

“We are seeing more celebrities and their teams looking beyond traditional luxury labels for clothes that still look and feel premium. It is important for people to see influential figures wearing fashion they can genuinely afford, because great style should not be reserved for those with big budgets.”