Well, my dears, put the kettle on, because the fanciest family feud in town has a winner. You young people were asked which luxury fashion house feels most iconic today, judged on cultural influence, how recognisable it is and how long its legacy lasts. Six grand old names were in the running. That is like asking which of your aunties wears the best brooch to a wedding, and somehow you all agreed on one.

The crown goes to Hermès. It sits at 27% consensus on Morfi, where people back their opinions with real money. Chanel comes second at 18%, and 4 other sides complete the guest list. So far 30 traders have put $101,514 behind their opinions, and the market opened less than a day ago. That is quicker than I can hem a skirt.

Where the crowd stands
  • Hermès27%
  • Chanel18%
  • Gucci16%
  • Louis Vuitton15%
  • Dior13%
  • Prada12%

Remember that these numbers are the crowd's conviction for each house, not a show of hands. Still, it says something that the house people associate with saddles, scarves and the Birkin bag has edged out the house of the little black jacket. Chanel is close enough to feel the draught when Hermès sweeps past, though, so nobody should be sending out the thank-you cards just yet.

Pixel art of six handbags on a kitchen table, one wearing a small golden crown beside a teapot.
The village fair has spoken, and the best-in-show rosette goes to the bag with the crown.

Now, my own opinion, and that is all it is. I think the crowd has chosen the way my mother chose her good china. You don't pick the plate that shouts the loudest. You pick the one you would never dare put in the dishwasher. Hermès feels a bit like a bank vault that also sells scarves. You can't simply walk in and have one, and in an age when everything turns up the next morning in a cardboard box, being hard to get is the fanciest thing of all. Chanel may still have more style per square inch, but Hermès has mystery, and mystery keeps longer than jam.

Keep an eye on whether Chanel can close the gap while the market is still young, and on whether any of the rest of the family, all logos and ambition, can stage a late entrance. If you think the crowd has its hemline wrong, come and join the market on Morfi and put your money where your handbag is. Grandma will be here, polishing the clasp on her old church purse and wondering whether it counts as vintage yet.

Consensus over time
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  • Hermès 26.5%
  • Chanel 18.3%
  • Gucci 15.9%
  • Louis Vuitton 14.6%