Does the "Dolce Vita" aesthetic only belong to luxury? How mid-market brands are taking the Italian vacation market by storm

For entire decades, resort locations such as Capri, Taormina or Portofino were unchallenged domains of pure luxury, settings in which the Hermès or Prada boutique seemed almost part of the landscape, as natural as the sea or the jasmine. That image still exists today (perhaps more so for American and Asian tourists in perennial search of the Dolce Vita) but luxury brands with historic boutiques in Mediterranean holiday destinations are beginning to find themselves with a new kind of neighbour.

Over the past two years, a wave of premium and middle market brands have opened stores in the same resort locations where luxury once reigned unchallenged. Alo has arrived in Cannes and Saint-Tropez. In Taormina, following the arrival of Guess, forte_forte and Sephora Playa have also landed, alongside the takeover projects of Liu Jo and Tommy Hilfiger. Farm Rio has brought seasonal stores to Marbella, Capri, Saint-Tropez, Ibiza and Mykonos. Also in Capri, Orlebar Brown and LaDouble J have opened. Staud has arrived in Positano and Autry has signed a resort collaboration in Mallorca. But why?