High net-worth consumers rated Gucci the fashion brand that offers the best customer experience, according to a Luxury Institute survey. Louis Vuitton and Faconnable ranked second and third, respectively.

Respondents to the in the 2008 Luxury Customer Experience Index survey commented that Gucci has “leading edge style,” “immediate recognition,” “beautiful handbags,” and it is “one of the top designer brands.” Others commented, “The name says it all!”

“It is no accident that Gucci rated first in customer experience since it is run by executives who feel very comfortable in their customer-centric skins and who fly the plane with measuring instruments, not intuition,” said Milton Pedraza, chief executive officer of the New York-based research institute. “In a luxury world that is being commoditized by me-too competition, an extraordinary customer experience is the most critical determinant of luxury prestige. Our impartial surveys are designed to measure the voice of the high net-worth consumers and are conducted with independent panels weighted to reflect national results. Results are tabulated by external analytical experts to ensure a level of transparency and objectivity that has earned us the trust of consumers, the industry and the media.”

Following are the 23 fashion brands that were rated (in alphabetical order):

1. Armani
2. Burberry
3. Calvin Klein
4. Christian Dior
5. Coach
6. Dana Buchman
7. Dolce & Gabbana
8. Donna Karan (DKNY)
9. Faconnable
10. Ferragamo
11. Gucci
12. Hugo Boss
13. Lacoste
14. Louis Vuitton
15. Marc Jacobs
16. Michael Kors
17. Oscar de la Renta
18. Polo Ralph Lauren
19. Prada
20. Tommy Bahama
21. Vera Wang
22. Versace
23. Yves Saint Laurent

The proprietary Luxury Customer Experience Index survey measures the customer experience of leading brands among wealthy Americans. A national sample of 1,613 wealthy American consumers, with an average income of $350,000 and average net worth of $3.7 million, was surveyed online.

JCK