Data Revealing Who Has The Most Expensive Taste - with New York Crowned Top

• A new ranking has named the states with the most expensive taste when it comes to luxury brands - and where is happy with a cheaper dupe  

• New York came out as the state that has the bougiest preferences, based on Google data, while Montana is least interested in designer brands 

• Hawaii is the least open to getting a knock-off version of a high-end product, while Kentucky is the stingiest when it comes to engagement rings

• TikTok videos tagged ‘#dupe’ have racked up 4.9 billion views, with copies of Bottega drop earrings named the most in-demand dupe right now

A new ranking has named the states with the most bougie taste, based on Google data - and it turns out that New Yorkers are the biggest fans of a designer label.

The data, pulled together by gold and silver experts SD Bullion, looked at the volume behind 50 keywords relating to expensive tastes - including brands, products, and precious metals - and those for dupes or cheaper alternatives to reveal where has the priciest preferences.

When the volume was scaled against each state's population, New York came out with the highest level of interest in designer brands and products per capita.

By far, the most popular brand in the state is Louis Vuitton - with Google Trends showing that most New Yorkers have been drawn to the brand by collaborator Yayoi Kasuma, with searches for the Japanese contemporary artist rising by a huge 2,400% over the last year. 

Other states with a particular predilection for luxury brands came out as California, Hawaii, and New Jersey, while the least bougie states included Alaska, North Dakota, and Maine.

As well as New York taking the top spot as the state with the most expensive taste, the data shows it’s among the least receptive to a dupe, discount, or copycat product.

The term ‘dupe’ has risen in popularity - increasing in interest by 27% in the US over the last year on Google Trends - after exploding onto the TikTok scene and refers to when a cheaper item is just as good or almost as good as a hugely popular luxury product.

Creators are particularly keen to highlight dupes for celebrity-endorsed or -founded items, while videos under #dupe on the platform have amassed over 4.9 billion views.

Yet, when the number of searches for popular dupes - including Skims dress dupes, fake Cartier bracelets, and dupe designer bags - are compared to those made for the ‘real deals’, New York’s demand for high-end products far outweighs their interest in imitation versions.

However, the state is more open to cheaper alternatives than Hawaii, which was generally only receptive to the Shark Flexstyle as a substitute for the pricier Dyson Airwrap.

Other parts of the US are more on board with the money-saving trend than others - particularly West Virginia, which is almost equally as interested in dupes as the original high-end products. Wyoming, Kentucky, and South Dakota are also big dupe fans.

Top 10 states most interested in dupes, ranked 

How open people are to cheaper alternatives also differs by product type, the data reveals, with clothing coming out as the easiest to dupe, followed by jewelry, skincare, and bags. Conversely, consumers are least keen to swap out their high-end tech and perfumes.

Interestingly, this openness to dupe jewelry pieces also extends to engagement rings - despite the popular conception that a suitor should spend at least two months' salary on one.

That likely doesn’t apply to couples in Kentucky, as the state reports the highest volume behind discount or dupe engagement rings, particularly those from Walmart or those made from vermeil gold - a cheaper yet high-quality alternative to solid gold jewelry.

This eagerness to procure cheaper versions of high-end jewelry is also reflected in the interest behind current trending dupes, as nationwide searches for ‘Bottega drop earrings dupe’ have skyrocketed by 376% in the last 30 days as consumers seek a cheaper version.

Speaking on the jump in popularity around dupes, a spokesperson at SD Bullion said: “Given the current climate, it’s no surprise that young people are showing an interest in cheaper alternatives of popular products, as they want more accessible but still desirable products. 

“While there’s nothing wrong with prioritizing quality and showing support for a designer brand, it’s becoming trendier to endorse small businesses that produce less-prestigious but still high-quality versions of mass-produced products - which is exciting for consumers. 

“It remains to be seen whether designer brands will offer lower-priced products to attract this demographic or if we’ll have to continue turning to social media to get desirable dupes.”

Data is gathered from Google Keywords Explorer and Google Trends.

Total state breakdown: Most expensive taste

Total State Breakdown: Biggest Dupe Receptiveness