Gen X Is Quietly Dominating Luxury. Here’s How to Approach Them

Born between the 1960s and 1980, Generation X represents “a powerful yet underexplored demographic”, according to a new study by Paris-based market research firm OpinionWay, commissioned by creative agency Publicis Luxe. A survey was conducted across 1,150 respondents between April and June 2025, all of whom are aged 45 to 65, and fall in the top 10% income brackets in France, the US, the UAE and China.

Publicis Luxe chief strategy officer Deborah Marino, who led the study, shares what brands should know about Gen X and how to approach them.

Vogue: Why did you decide to lead a study on Gen X?

We are inundated with studies about millennials and Gen Zs.  We needed to carry out an in-depth survey on Gen X, which is of great interest to our clients. Fifty million consumers — mostly younger consumers — have vanished from the luxury market over the last two years. Suddenly, brands were saying: ‘We actually need to refocus on our core audience — the people who are our most loyal customers and our VICs, Gen X.’ They are the top spenders across different brands, because the other groups today are either smaller in numbers — boomers — or less affluent.

Vogue: What are the key findings?

We often say that Gen Xs are cynical, sad, listening to Radiohead while being a bit gloomy. In reality, the first thing that characterizes them is optimism. Optimism is the top descriptor among 55% of Chinese respondents, 40% in the United Arab Emirates, 36% in the US, and even the French score 24%.

This is also the generation most connected to everyone around them. Gen Xs describe themselves as the ‘sandwich generation’, because they are caught between their parents and their children. It’s especially true in China and the UAE, where families often live under the same roof. Ninety-five percent of Chinese respondents and 94% in the UAE see themselves as an essential link between their parents and their children. But it remains extremely strong worldwide, at 81% in France and 79% in the US.

Vogue: What does this optimism and connectedness mean for brands?

These traits can show up in campaigns featuring multiple generations of children, parents and grandparents to highlight this connection and bond. The portrayal of a family is something that will absolutely resonate with Gen X. It can also show up in product portfolios. We can propose products that are either very traditional or very new, since we know Gen X will buy for themselves as well as others.