Published: August 2026 Executive SummaryAccording to Reuters, U.S. consumers are becoming more deliberate about where they spend as economic pressure and elevated gasoline prices affect household budgets. Yet affluent consumers continue to support premium and luxury brands, with companies including Ralph Lauren, Estée Lauder, Tapestry and Birkenstock reporting continued demand for higher-priced products. Reuters notes…
Published: August 16, 2026 A great luxury brand can have an exceptional product, strong awareness, loyal customers, beautiful stores, and decades of carefully built equity, yet still become less valuable. Not because one major decision went wrong. More often, it happens gradually. The business makes a series of decisions that each appear reasonable, but together…
Published: July 2026 Executive SummaryDuring a Harvard Business Review Executive Live discussion, Four Seasons CEO Alejandro Reynal emphasized that scaling a luxury brand does not mean standardizing experiences. Instead, the challenge is maintaining exceptional service while expanding globally. As products become easier to replicate and AI accelerates operational efficiency, personalized service becomes increasingly difficult to…
Published: July 2026 Executive SummaryAs AI shopping assistants become mainstream, many luxury executives are asking how quickly they should embrace agentic commerce. According to new research highlighted by Forbes, AI excels at helping consumers evaluate known needs, compare products, and complete transactions. What AI cannot currently do is create desire. Luxury purchases often begin with…
Published: June 2026 Executive SummaryThe luxury market is entering what many analysts describe as a “meaning economy.” As years of rapid price increases, economic uncertainty, and changing consumer priorities reshape purchasing behavior, affluent buyers are becoming more selective about where they invest their money. Research suggests consumers are increasingly asking a different question before making…
Published: June 2026 Executive SummaryAccording to Reuters, global luxury brands are increasingly concentrating investment in the U.S. luxury market as demand softens in several international markets. Strong household wealth, technology-driven income growth, and expanding affluent populations are encouraging brands to open new flagship stores beyond traditional luxury destinations. North America has become a strategic priority…
Published: April 2026 Executive SummaryA 2026 survey conducted by Vogue Business found that consumers see value in AI when it improves convenience and creativity behind the scenes. However, respondents remain hesitant to replace human interaction during luxury shopping experiences. Most consumers still prefer in-store purchasing, and many believe visible AI diminishes the exclusivity and emotional…
Published: June 2026 Executive SummaryAccenture’s global research reveals that consumers are increasingly willing to delegate purchasing decisions to AI agents. Nearly three-quarters of surveyed consumers said they would trust an AI assistant to make purchases on their behalf. This shift fundamentally changes how brands compete: organizations must earn the confidence of both consumers and the…
Published: January 2026 Executive SummaryDeloitte’s Global Powers of Luxury 2026 finds that industry leaders are shifting away from aggressive expansion toward disciplined growth. Rather than pursuing volume at all costs, executives are prioritizing pricing power, operational excellence, immersive flagship experiences, and long-term brand desirability. Most surveyed leaders expect stable or improving margins despite continued global…
Published: January 2026 Executive SummaryArtificial intelligence is rapidly becoming embedded throughout the luxury value chain, from demand forecasting and inventory optimization to personalized clienteling and creative ideation. Yet Deloitte’s latest research concludes that AI should enhance, not replace, the qualities that make luxury brands distinctive: craftsmanship, exclusivity, authenticity, and human connection. Brands that treat AI…