Season time is here, and in luxury retail, it’s more than just high sales—it’s a heightened moment of connection. Globally, brands are buzzing with gifting, celebrations, VIP events, new launches, cocktail hours… the calendar is packed. But amid all this activity, one truth remains clear:   the human touch is what truly differentiates a luxury experience . And that’s where VIP clienteling becomes not just a tactic, but a core strategy. Over the years, I’ve seen luxury brands

A Conversation That Stuck With Me Not long ago, I had coffee with a friend who is global luxury client. She described her latest luxury escapade with these words, “The boutique was beautiful, the service was polite, …but honestly, it all felt so transactional.” That stayed with me. Because this wasn’t about product knowledge or the efficiency of the sales process—the store had ticked every box .  What was missing was something harder to measure : an emotional connection . And

“The store was busy, so I couldn’t spend much time with the customer” If you're a luxury brand or store manager you have probably heard your client advisors justify service gap during busy periods. Managing peak hours is a real operational challenge for luxury retailers, especially in iconic shopping destinations. But does high footfall have to mean compromised customer experience? Why Crowds Undermine the Luxury Experience The luxury shopping experience is built on personali

Defining a signature brand experience seems to be the call of the day for luxury brands. When market conditions are competitive and sales are in decline, and customers are skeptical and increasingly discerning, it becomes essential to revisit the brand’s value proposition. Most luxury leaders now recognise that customer experience is not just an extension of the product—it is the product. Values like emotional connection, hyper-personalisation, seamlessness, sustainability, a

When clients face the same challenge and you find yourself conducting the same workshop on repeat, it calls for deeper insight. The ability to connect with luxury customers, has become a glaring gap in most luxury retail interactions. Luxury brands recognise this as a key issue in their overall customer experience, especially in growing markets like India and the Middle East with their diverse clientele . Sales advisors struggle to forge an emotional bond with clients, and t

The luxury slowdown can be attributed to several factors, such as the commercialization of luxury brands, lack of product innovation, sharp price increases, and questionable product quality. According to Business of Fashion and McKinsey’s report on the state of luxury, one-third of luxury customers feel in-store experiences have worsened in 2024 . Not only have aspirational luxury customers become increasingly skeptical of post-pandemic price increases, but they feel let down