Let’s not pretend the shift hasn’t been coming. TikTok didn’t just disrupt style inspo — it cracked open the luxury market and rewired how people shop at the top. A new UK study confirms what the timeline’s been telling us for a while now: we’ve officially entered the era of discovery commerce.

Luxury isn’t being sold by billboards or celebrity campaigns anymore — it’s being explained, styled, and sometimes side-eyed by creators in their bedrooms. The study reveals that 38% of users now discover brands through user-generated content, while 32% are turning to creator videos for their research. It’s no longer just about showing off a product — it’s about breaking it down: the price point, the fit, the real-life utility, and whether or not it holds a water bottle and clout.

And it’s not just first-hand buys. TikTok’s rapid trend cycles are also boosting resale. One in four luxury shoppers say the app nudged them toward second-hand purchases — a direct result of seeing pre-loved pieces go viral or get recontextualized by someone relatable.

With Gen Z and Millennials projected to control 60% of luxury spending by 2026, the influence here isn’t hype — it’s market reality. TikTok is no longer just influencing what’s popular. It’s rewriting the entire sales funnel, from discovery to decision-making. Which means the next It Bag might still show up in a campaign, sure — but you’ll probably believe it’s worth it after a 23-year-old shows you how to style it five ways while giving you the backstory on why it’s sold out everywhere.