Why the story is much more than marketing for retail today
By Marco Passoni I saw a comment this week in a recent Future of Luxury blog which shocked me. Speaking to a brand ambassador, the author, luxury expert Daniel Langer, asked about brand storytelling and was told: Only marketing believes in the story. For the rest of the organization, it is irrelevant. We focus on […]
Promoting excellence: How to engage the modern luxury consumer
By Vittoria Passoni Luxury is, at its best, timeless and constant. That is one of the appeals of this market. But luxury must also be current, engaging and innovative, that is what makes it special and gives it its longevity. Last week, I attended the Altagamma Consumer and Retail Insight event in Milan. The top […]
How to stand out when ‘special’ is becoming the norm
By Marco Passoni “You are unique. But so is everyone else.” This adage applies to many of the brands working in both the luxury and travel retail sectors today – and it is, for me, at the heart of a problem which is blighting both industries. As you look at the luxury and travel retail […]
Creating culture: Why I am no longer talking about products
By Marco Passoni I read an excellent piece last week with Golden Goose CEO Silvio Campara, where he told Business of Fashion that “culture is the new luxury”. This is a brilliant example of how brands which are truly innovative, such as Golden Goose, are looking at the market today in a whole new way […]
The UK Government’s failure to bring back tax-free shopping is not just foolish, it is bad business
By Marco Passoni The arrival of the latest budget from the UK Chancellor last week brought me a glimmer of hope: Maybe the latest UK Government would see the stupidity of removing tax-free shopping and overhaul the ridiculous decision which was taken as Brexit came into effect more than a year ago. Make no mistake, […]
Pop-ups: The art of the possible
By Marco Passoni Is there a more valuable tool for brands and retailers today than pop-ups? I would argue not, certainly in the physical space, where everyone is working hard to create added value and engage shoppers in the way that digital cannot. Our customers today want experience, innovation and engagement. Pop-up stores personify those […]
Creating Culture: Why products are just the tip of the iceberg for luxury
By Marco Passoni The announcement earlier this month that Pharrell Williams will become the new Creative Director of menswear for Louis Vuitton, succeeding the late Virgil Abloh, made headlines around the world. For me, and for many in the industry, it is an inspired choice. It demonstrates LVMH’s dedication to much more than simply creating […]
The return of China’s travelling shoppers brings new challenges not a return to old glory
By Marco Passoni The impending return of China’s travelling shoppers is great news for both the travel retail and luxury sectors, but we must recognise that it does not mean the return of the good old days. Since the reopening of travel borders in the wake of the pandemic, I have been among those advocating […]
7 highlights from the luxury sector in 2022
With 2022 almost behind us, this is a good moment to take stock and recognise some of the moments where the luxury and luxury travel retail markets truly excelled themselves in the past 12 months. Despite the challenges and calls from many – myself among them – for brands and retailers to think bigger and […]
7 New Year’s Resolutions for the travel retail market
By Marco Passoni As much of the world heads into the holiday season, all of our thoughts must turn to the year ahead. If 2022 has been the year we laid the foundations of our new normal, 2023 is the year we must build it. Here are my resolutions for our market over the next […]
