The Future of Luxury?

At this year’s Financial Times Business of Luxury Summit, hosted at Borgo Egnazia in Puglia, global leaders across fashion, hospitality, beauty, automotive and travel gathered to discuss the forces defining modern luxury.

Set against the backdrop of one of Italy’s most celebrated hospitality destinations, the summit focused on resilience, cultural relevance, emotional connection and how luxury brands are responding to a consumer who is becoming increasingly selective, informed and experience-led.

The summit’s dominant theme, ‘Integrating Resilience into Luxury Brands’, reflected the reality facing many sectors across the industry. From geopolitical instability and changing consumer behaviour to supply chain scrutiny and economic uncertainty, brands are navigating a far more complex landscape than even a few years ago.

Yet despite these challenges, there was a strong sense of optimism around what luxury could become next.

For hospitality in particular, the Summit reinforced the growing influence hotels and travel brands now hold across the wider luxury ecosystem. A dedicated discussion on hospitality positioned immersive travel experiences, destination-led dining and highly personalised service as some of the strongest benchmarks for modern luxury today.

One recurring conversation centred around ‘authored luxury’ - places and brands shaped by a singular vision rather than formulaic replication. Smaller, highly individual hotels were praised for creating emotional texture, cultural depth and genuine connection to place. Several speakers argued that travellers are increasingly drawn towards properties that feel personal and rooted in local identity rather than simply polished.

Fashion brands discussed the importance of consistency, heritage and storytelling. Saint Laurent spoke about returning repeatedly to the founding codes of the house while ensuring relevance for new global audiences. Zegna highlighted the long-term importance of craftsmanship, supply chain ownership and intimate customer relationships, noting that a small percentage of loyal clients now drive a significant proportion of business. The reality is lasting success in luxury requires thinking beyond the current moment.

“If you were to listen to what everyone is saying in real time, then you’re not thinking what is in five years” Jonathan Anderson, Creative Director at Dior.

Meanwhile, conversations around Gen Z challenged many traditional assumptions about aspiration. Younger consumers are not necessarily rejecting luxury altogether, though they are questioning what value means. Authenticity, individuality, creativity and community increasingly matter more than overt status symbols.

This was also evident in discussions around sport, where luxury brands are increasingly looking at ways to become a part of ‘fandom’ – that feeling where experience and cultural participation collide to create special moments. A panel exploring Formula 1, tennis, football and equestrian sport highlighted how community and storytelling are relevant to the modern luxury consumer.

Wellness and longevity also emerged as defining areas of growth. Leaders from hospitality, beauty and wellness brands spoke about the increasing overlap between health, beauty, travel and emotional wellbeing. Wellness is no longer viewed as a category within luxury but as a foundational expectation influencing everything from skincare innovation to destination programming.

Alongside this, the use of AI and technology were discussed repeatedly across sectors, from retail styling and beauty discovery to hospitality concierge services and operational supply chains. The good news is that many speakers framed technology as a tool to deepen personalisation and remove friction rather a replacement for the industry’s human side.

At Dovetail, these conversations reinforced much of what we are already seeing across the luxury travel, hospitality and lifestyle sectors. Today's consumer is not looking for somewhere to stay, something to buy or somewhere to dine and instead is looking for experiences that create meaning, connection and lasting memories.

As a result, we are even more focused on helping our clients identify the stories, moments and experiences that resonate most deeply with modern luxury audiences. Whether that is a transformative wellness retreat, an extraordinary wildlife encounter, a meaningful cultural partnership or a highly personalised guest experience, the opportunities that generate the strongest engagement will be those that create an emotional response and go beyond everyday expectations.

The Summit also reinforced the importance of authenticity and individuality. Rather than following industry trends, the most successful luxury brands are doubling down on what makes them distinctive. For our clients, this means uncovering the defining values and experiences that set them apart and translating them into compelling narratives that connect with media, partners and consumers alike.

The luxury businesses likely to succeed over the next few years will likely be those capable of creating intimacy, relevance and trust for the consumer in an increasingly complex world.