“Fashion is not luxury” the renowned author and luxury expert Jean-Noel Kapferer said to me over lunch one day in Monaco. He would know, Monsier Kapferer has written multiple books on the luxury industry, including “Kapferer on Luxury: How Luxury Brands Can Grow Yet Remain Rare” (KoganPage). He also leads seminars on luxury at HEC Paris, Tsinghua … Read more
With every significant passing holiday, including Christmas, New Year’s and now, nearly Valentine’s Day, the most marked method of, well, making a mark, is by bestowing fine jewelry shopping. One need look no further than the iconic Elizabeth Taylor who wrote an entire book about her love affair with jewelry, saying, “I’ve never thought of … Read more
One of the reasons I enjoy tongue in cheek writing about the luxury industry is that I also enjoy participating in the Experience Economy. The Experience Economy has emerged as a result of the commoditization of goods. As life has become increasingly busy, the goods used in the service industry became commoditized, and a new … Read more
We live in interesting times. Technology has changed the way virtually every industry and major player conducts business. Airbnb has caused disruption in the luxury industry related to the hotel economy. Uber has shaken up the taxi industry. Social media has changed the way we engage online. Mobile wallets are eliminating the need for brick-and-mortar … Read more
It is a bright, beautiful day on the terrace at Le Meridien Beach Plaza, an upscale hotel on a private beach overlooking the Mediterranean sea. Inside, the second annual Monaco Symposium on Luxury has adjourned for lunch and attendees are seating themselves at immaculately set linen-covered tables to network and regroup after a series of … Read more
I was considering holding back on my enthusiasm for the ribbon cutting at Saks Fifth Avenue(launches in Toronto). You know, it’s such a ‘girl’ thing to be excited about shiny things and beautiful clothes. But when I arrived at the sea of people who clearly got the memo about the official opening, I was taken … Read more