Need to Know
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This year, we have witnessed shifting dynamics between luxury brands and their clients, giving rise to what The Future Laboratory calls Guilded Luxury. In this macrotrend, we have explored new ways in which brands create bespoke experiences for different kinds of consumers, offering personalised services that nurture a deeper sense of involvement and belonging.

Luxury houses will be providing exceptional access to rare moments and niche communities for their most prized clients – a white- glove service that spans every aspect of their lives. For younger or digitally orientated audiences, virtual collectibles and tokens will provide new paths to luxury while building online communities of luxury consumers of tomorrow.

In many ways, luxury brands are morphing into members’ clubs, with tiered levels of access offering different benefits and services, be they private boutiques for the highest spenders or NFTs for the digitally driven that deliver early access to new or bespoke products. Indeed, Bain & Co reports that by the end of 2030, digital assets and the metaverse will comprise 5–10% of the luxury market.

Brands will also become facilitators to satisfy the needs of individual luxurians and assist them in their pursuit of self-growth. ‘For VIP clients, the luxury brand is transforming into a travel agent, hotelier and cultural compass, always providing a five-star concierge service,’ says Christopher Sanderson, co-founder of The Future Laboratory.

Luxury houses are further blurring the lines between retail and hospitality to unlock new exclusive branded experiences. One such example is Gucci’s collaboration with The Savoy for the opening of a pop-up luggage boutique in the famous hotel.

The Gucci Valigeria offered diverse travel leather goods – including trunks, suitcases, holdalls and handbags – but also board games, travel pet accessories and skateboards, most of which are part of the exclusive Gucci Savoy collection. Guests who booked the hotel’s Royal suite, decorated by Gucci in 2021, could enjoy additional perks including a dedicated butler and use of The Savoy’s Rolls-Royce.

‘The Savoy is constantly evolving to accommodate the changing desires of sophisticated global travellers; the suite caters for the needs of a style-driven high-net-worth guest while the Valigeria can provide a taste of luxury to a much wider audience,’ says Franck Arnold, managing director of The Savoy.

The partnership reflects long-standing ties between the two companies, which originated when Guccio Gucci first came to London in the late 1890s and was hired as a porter by the hotel, and caters for HNWI consumers’ appetite for Gated Retail concepts.

At LS:N Global, we have been monitoring new developments in luxury real estate in 2022. Following the rise of Automotive Accommodation, in which premium car brands enter the residential market, a new trend is catching on: wellness real estate. Life Time Living is 'an athletic country club' offering semi-furnished flats for fitness fanatics.

The all-inclusive wellness village is a 16.5-acre property located in Henderson, Nevada. Its biggest draw is an extensive list of wellness amenities. In addition to a gym, pool, spa, pickleball courts and concierge services, residents also have access to weekly meal plans, personal chefs and aestheticians.

The facility, which was designed to foster community and social interaction, also has a private pool, a work lounge with a coffee bar, and dining room and bar spaces that can be reserved.

Although this is Life Time Living’s first residential complex, the company already has plans to expand the concept to Dallas and Miami, turning itself into a fully-fledged Brandlord.

Now that you know what shaped 2022, discover what’s on the horizon. Download our Future Forecast 2023 report comprising 50 new trends across 10 key consumer sectors, insights from our analysts and interviews with global innovators.