Fashion publisher giant CondèNast International, led by prestigious editor Suzy Menkes, have set the event, on its fourth edition. The conference kicked off yesterday, in Lisbon, and it is going to conclude today. During the event, across a full agenda of meetings, interviews and personal speeches, they have spotlighted the Language of Luxury, which is also the name of the conference. Facing a demanding challenge indeed, though necessary, since we consider that deep changes are underway, as digital technology applications are turning upside down strategies, identities, manufacturing and marketing timings. Going straight to the point (not of much surprise about it, by the way), at the event the common denominator was given by two words essentially, namely experience and disruption. Let’s make it clear: before “selling” its items, luxury is supposed to welcome consumers into its world. In other words, rather than just trading a product, it has to drive customers into “an inclusive experience”. On top of that, it must be “disruptive”, to choose a very popular adjective, that is, it must consistently picture its prospective changes, looking at the future, thus modifying its attitudes and mindset. During his speech, Michele Norsa (former chief executive officer at Ferragamo) pointed out that Millennials “are the main target of all brands, still their identity is quite hazy, since it is not pretty clear their age range, which is variously considered”. On the other hand, digital revolution urges luxury to take up new solutions. Federico Marchetti, CEO of YNAP, in particular, emphasized them while talking about “artificial intelligence and big data” to get to “a full customization of the online shopping experience”. The world, which keeps running frantically, meets the art of creation: that requires “time – says Giambattista Valli – to achieve, in all occasions, excellence”. It also demands “artisanal attention to detail”, remarks Christian Louboutin while praising, shortly though effectively, made in Italy manufacturing, on which he lays his footwear, and talented artisans, “who are able to develop a model project, incredibly complex, based on detailed particulars, with regard to materials, accessories and components”. Innovation and tradition, digital technology and handcraft skills: despite their being so distant, they are supposed to go hand in hand, thus complying with the mandatory statement issued by Maria Grazia Chiuri, creative director at Dior: “Fashion brands must absolutely convey a coherent style message and must speak a coherent language overall, from the fashion show to the boutique concept”.
At Lisbon CondèNast Luxury Conference focus on potential luxury language, while looking at experience, disruption and big data
