Welcome to Luxe Consumer IQ — the podcast that reveals how modern luxury really works. Hosted by Emilia Simonin, a former Insights Director and global consumer & market intelligence leader with senior experience at L’Oréal and LVMH’s Moët Hennessy, the series decodes the psychology, strategy, and consumer intelligence behind the world’s most influential luxury brands. For ambitious professionals ready to elevate their thinking, your next level starts here.
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What It Actually Takes to Break Into Luxury as an International Grad
Episode 24
Tuesday, September 15, 2026 • Duration 21:44
Studying luxury is one thing. Building a career in it is another.
For international graduates in particular, the path into the industry can feel surprisingly opaque. What do luxury maisons actually look for when you don’t yet have years of experience? How do you stand out among equally qualified candidates? And once you’re inside, what does it take to build credibility and progress?
In this episode of Luxe Consumer IQ, I’m joined by Kaela Imani, who studied luxury management across Spain, France, the US and Australia and is now working in sales and communications at L’Objet in Paris.
We have a candid conversation about the transition from studying luxury to working inside the industry — what helped Kaela break in, what surprised her once she did, and the lessons she wishes she had understood earlier.
If you’re an international student, recent graduate, or in the first few years of your luxury career, this episode will give you a clearer view of how to approach those early career decisions, where to focus your effort, and what it really takes to find your place and build momentum in luxury.
INSIDE THIS EPISODE:
• Breaking into luxury without a long track record
• What can help you stand out early in your career
• Making the transition from luxury education to industry
• What maisons really look for in emerging talent
• Navigating the unspoken codes of luxury
• Building confidence and credibility when you’re starting out
• The capabilities that can accelerate your progression
• Finding the right place to begin your luxury career
• Navigating an international career in luxury
• What working in luxury in Paris is really like
CHAPTER MARKERS:
00:00 Luxury work isn’t glamorous
01:00 Meet Kaela Amani
02:43 Why showing up works
03:42 Instinct vs strategy
05:26 International advantage
06:15 What luxury industry employers value
08:28 Reality vs expectations
09:49 Unspoken codes in luxury
11:18 High expectations culture in luxury
12:05 Public speaking skill gap
16:34 Advice to business school graduates interested in luxury
Luxury Renaissance: Why the Industry Isn't in Crisis — It's Changing Eras
Episode 23
Tuesday, September 1, 2026 • Duration 41:23
Luxury isn’t in a simple downturn. It’s moving into a new era, and the old growth model is starting to work against the very things luxury is meant to protect: craft, trust, exclusivity, and meaning.
In this episode, host Emilia Simonin speaks with Éric Briones (CEO of Journal du Luxe, co-founder of the Paris School of Luxury, and co-author of Luxe Renaissance) about why the current luxury “crisis” is systemic, not cyclical. We discuss what happened post-COVID, why price-led value has triggered backlash across both affluent and ultra-rich clients, and why the industry needs to shift from desirability to resonance.
If you work in luxury marketing, brand strategy, consumer insights, client experience, CRM, or luxury retail, this conversation offers a clear framework for understanding what’s changing now, and what luxury may need to protect next.
Inside this episode:
Why this luxury crisis is internal and systemic, not an external shock
Post-COVID “XXL demand”, price inflation, and the value-for-money backlash
Why both affluent and ultra-rich clients can end up feeling excluded
Measuring resonance: aesthetics, store experience, value for money, cultural relevance
Transformative luxury: the shift from having to being (and why longevity matters)
Post-Western luxury: how supply and cultural authority are shifting beyond Europe
AI in luxury: where it should stay invisible, and why it’s explosive in creativity
Sustainability as value: why mastering the value chain becomes part of perceived quality
CHAPTER MARKERS:
00:00 Introduction
01:33 Why luxury’s crisis is systemic
02:36 Post-COVID demand surge
04:42 Affluent clients priced out
05:19 Ubiquity kills exclusivity
07:59 Defining “resonance” in luxury
09:26 The Bottega spirit in luxury
What High-Net-Worth Consumers Actually Want from Luxury Brands
Season 2 · Episode 22
Tuesday, August 18, 2026 • Duration 46:05
High-net-worth consumers are as diverse in what they value, desire and expect from luxury as any other audience. Understanding those differences is where smarter luxury strategy begins.
In this episode of the Luxe Consumer IQ Podcast, host Emilia Simonin is joined by Chris Wisson and Meryam Schneider from Altiant, a specialist luxury consumer research agency focused on affluent and high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs). We explore what HNW consumers value today, how motivations and expectations differ across markets and wealth segments, and what these insights mean for the future of luxury marketing, personalisation, AI and client experience.
If you work in luxury marketing, brand strategy, consumer insights, CRM or client experience, this conversation offers a fascinating perspective on the affluent consumer landscape — from segmentation and trust to the emotional experiences shaping luxury desirability.
Inside this episode:
Why understanding the differences between high-net-worth consumers matters for luxury strategy
How affluent consumer behaviour differs across wealth tiers, cultures and genders
The say-do gap in luxury: what sustainability reveals about stated values and actual behaviour
How luxury brands can build trust and relevance through more meaningful communication
“Quiet AI” in luxury: using AI personalisation to enhance service without losing the human touch
The shift from luxury as a product to luxury as a feeling — and the growing importance of emotional outcomes
How consumer research and affluent insights can inform better strategic decisions
CHAPTER MARKERS:
00:00 Introduction
02:00 How to Reach High-Net-Worth Individuals
03:21 Slow Shifts and the Say-Do Gap
05:29 Segmenting Wealth Audiences
07:58 Regional Differences: China vs US
10:30 Personal Service and Quiet AI
What Separates High Performers from Real Leaders in Luxury
Season 2 · Episode 21
Tuesday, August 4, 2026 • Duration 01:02:59
You can be brilliant in luxury business and still be invisible. Not because your work isn’t excellent, but because competence alone doesn’t build trust or accelerate your career.
In this episode of the Luxe Consumer IQ Podcast, we break down what actually separates high performers from true leaders in luxury businesses, and why influence is built on a balance most ambitious professionals underplay: competence plus warmth.
Host Emilia Simonin speaks with Celeste Halliday, workplace connections expert, about the trust equation, the self-awareness gap, and the practical behaviours that earn trust, build influence, and make senior stakeholders want to back you. We also explore why relationship skills become more valuable, not less, in an AI-enabled workplace, and how to build presence in high-expectation environments.
Inside this episode:
Why competence isn’t enough to build trust in luxury environments
The trust equation: competence + warmth (and how warmth gets miscalibrated)
Why relationships are the real career accelerator (managing up, across, and down)
The self-awareness gap: why most leaders overestimate how they’re landing
How to become “connect-withable” without becoming beige
A practical influence shift: stop asking “what can I get?” and start with “what do they need?”
The internal consultant mindset that changes how senior leaders respond to you
Presence in senior rooms: clarity, conviction, connection (and why connection comes first)
Why CEOs hate escalations without solutions (and what to do instead)
The human skills that will matter most as AI reshapes work (focus, critical thinking, connection)
CHAPTER MARKERS:
00:00 Luxury Leadership & Trust: Why High Performers Stall
00:48 Meet Celeste Halliday
01:14 High Performer vs Leader
02:16 The Real Driver of Career Growth
How Luxury Brands Drive Revenue Growth Without Destroying Desire
Season 2 · Episode 20
Tuesday, July 21, 2026 • Duration 36:06
Luxury pricing isn’t simply about increasing margins. It’s about protecting the desirability that gives brands pricing power in the first place. So why do some luxury brands strengthen demand through pricing, while others erode trust and long-term brand equity?
In this episode, Daimien Aimon, a revenue growth management expert and former LVMH leader, explains why price is far more than a commercial decision in luxury—it’s part of the product itself.
Drawing on his experience leading revenue growth management for global luxury brands, Daimien explains how luxury marketers can build pricing power, protect brand equity and make better commercial decisions without compromising desirability. We explore the role of consumer psychology, pricing strategy, promotions, distribution control and retailer partnerships in creating sustainable long-term growth.
We explore the risks of accessible luxury growth strategies, why luxury brands need more data-driven partnerships with retailers, and how financial acumen and P&L literacy are becoming essential capabilities for modern marketing teams.
For brand managers, commercial directors, marketing professionals, and luxury strategists, this conversation offers a practical perspective on modern revenue growth management, price elasticity, distribution control, and the future of sustainable luxury growth.
Inside this episode:
Why price is part of the product—and how it shapes consumer perception, craftsmanship and brand equity
Why pricing power depends on desirability, not simply higher prices
The risks of accessible luxury and how brands can grow without diluting the master brand
How retailer data, price elasticity and revenue growth management improve pricing strategy
Why commercial acumen, P&L literacy and cross-functional collaboration are becoming essential skills for luxury marketers
CHAPTER MARKERS:
00:00 Introduction
The Luxury Data Sources Most Marketers Don't Know Exist
Season 2 · Episode 19
Tuesday, July 7, 2026 • Duration 13:34
Most luxury professionals think they need more research. In reality, they often need to make better use of the intelligence that already exists.
In this solo episode of Luxe Consumer IQ, I break down how luxury strategists use secondary research to understand affluent consumers, identify growth opportunities, and build stronger brand strategies — often before spending a single dollar on primary research.
You’ll learn how to find credible luxury market insight without commissioning a new study, buying expensive subscriptions, or relying on opinions in the room.
You’ll learn what secondary research actually is, why it matters in luxury strategy, and how to use existing intelligence to quantify opportunity, ground your brand plan, and remove guesswork. This is the work behind strong market analysis, smarter consumer insight, and decision-ready strategy.
I also share a practical framework I used inside global luxury organisations to organise market intelligence, evaluate opportunities, and build stronger brand plans. Along the way, we explore some of the most valuable secondary research sources available to luxury marketers — and how to combine them with internal data to develop a deeper understanding of consumers, markets, and growth opportunities.
If you’re early in your luxury career, or you’re building a brand plan without access to a large research budget, this episode will help you think more strategically about the information already available to you — and how to use it with greater confidence.
CHAPTER MARKERS:
00:00 Secondary Research for Luxury Strategy
01:29 Define Secondary Research (Free Sources)
03:02 Three-Layer Luxury Insight Framework
03:45 Wealth Reports: Knight Frank, UBS
05:43 Luxury Category Trends: Bain Altagamma
07:40 Affluent Consumer Research: GLAM Monitor
Luxury in Africa: Understanding the $22 Billion Opportunity
Season 2 · Episode 18
Tuesday, June 23, 2026 • Duration 43:26
Africa may be luxury’s biggest long-term growth opportunity. So why do so many global brands still approach it as a single market?
In this episode, Aimee Kellen, Regional Marketing Director at Moët Hennessy Middle East & Africa, explains what international luxury houses often misunderstand about growth, cultural nuance, and consumer behaviour across Africa’s rapidly evolving luxury landscape.
Drawing on her experience across emerging markets, Aimee unpacks why traditional data segmentation models often fail in regions with highly localised cultural dynamics, and how luxury brands can scale internationally without diluting their heritage or brand equity.
We explore the operational realities of managing visibility across 54 distinct nations, why communal status and shared experiences shape the African luxury consumer differently from Western markets, and how premium brands can build lasting relevance through local fluency, human connection, and culturally intelligent storytelling.
For brand managers, regional directors, marketing professionals, and luxury strategists, this conversation offers a practical perspective on modern luxury brand strategy, emerging markets, consumer insights, and the future of prestige growth across Africa.
Inside this episode:
• Why some of the world’s biggest global luxury brands still misunderstand growth across the luxury market in Africa
• The hidden risk of treating 54 distinct markets as a single African luxury consumer
• Why status, visibility, and communal experiences operate differently across African luxury culture
• How brands stay close to consumers when traditional data infrastructure and quantitative metrics are limited
• How global luxury houses balance local fluency without compromising heritage or luxury brand strategy
How to Use AI in Luxury Marketing Without Losing the Brand
Season 2 · Episode 17
Tuesday, June 9, 2026 • Duration 01:04:24
Most marketers are asking the wrong question about AI. You can invest in the most sophisticated systems — and still deliver a customer experience that fails completely.
In this episode, we break down where to actually start with AI in marketing, and why applying it too quickly can damage the very relationship you’re trying to build.
I speak with Dr Cecilia Dones, founder of 3 Standard Deviations and an expert who has worked within global luxury houses such as L’Oréal and LVMH. We break down why luxury leaders must move beyond treating AI as a verb and how to build a data strategy that actually protects the consumer relationship.
We also take a look at the delicate tension between high-tech personalisation and the surveillance trap, and why the interpretation layer of AI search is about to change how brands are discovered. From data provenance and synthetic personas to the "durable skills" required for the future, we walk through the architecture that allows technology to enhance, rather than replace, strategic rigour.
Inside this episode:
Why the most critical marketing questions have nothing to do with technology
How to use the "see, think, feel, or do" framework to anchor your AI initiatives
The reason AI is an augmentative force that should only be layered onto absolute strategic intent
Why luxury personalisation must be visible broadly but relevant selectively
The moment personalisation becomes surveillance and how to spot the warning signs
Why synthetic personas can be a dangerous signal for niche or marginalised luxury segments
How to understand data provenance to avoid building strategies on unreliable data
Why data is a reflection of lived experience and can never be treated as static
The difference between hard technical skills and the durable skills that define long-term value
Most prestige skincare brands are trying to win the category the same way everyone else is: louder launches, faster trends, more content, more claims.
And yet the brands that endure often do the opposite: they build credibility slowly through expertise, trust, results, and a consumer experience that feels guided rather than sold.
In this episode, we explore why professional skincare still wins in a market obsessed with speed, trends, and influencer launches, and why heritage brands can’t rely on history alone to stay relevant.
I speak with Rodrigue Chastenet de Géry, General Manager of Payot Australia, about what prestige actually means when you’re sold through professionals, not hype. We explore why expert-led distribution still matters in an era of influencer overload, how selectivity protects brand equity, and why intuition still matters when data alone can’t explain consumer behaviour.
Inside this episode:
Why French heritage only matters if consumers still trust it
Why professional distribution builds trust faster than influencer marketing ever will
How selectivity protects brand equity (and where brands get it wrong)
What digital should do in prestige skincare: support expertise, not replace it
Why expert-led guidance is becoming more valuable as choice overload grows
The data problem in professional channels and how leaders make decisions anyway
How to balance innovation with consistency without chasing trends
Where AI can help (and where it can quietly dilute the brand)
Inside Luxury Beauty: Global Excellence vs Local Relevance (Bonus)
Season 1 · Episode 15
Monday, May 11, 2026 • Duration 07:02
How do global luxury brands like Parfums Christian Dior maintain consistency — while adapting to radically different local markets?
This episode explores luxury brand strategy in practice, and how Dior balances global brand discipline with local execution across regions such as Asia and Australia.
At the centre of that approach is a “glocal” model: a clear global framework, executed with precision at a local level — adapting to market nuance, legal requirements, compliance standards, and operational realities.
The result is a Dior experience that feels unmistakably consistent, while still reflecting how luxury beauty is delivered in each market.
What becomes clear is that global vs local marketing in luxury goes far beyond campaigns.
It shapes store standards, beauty consultant service, CRM strategy, customer expectations, data privacy, and even product formulation when climate conditions differ between hemispheres.
The challenge is not simply to localise — but to do so without weakening the codes, discipline, and desirability that define a luxury brand.
Looking ahead, the conversation turns to the future of luxury beauty and AI.
As technology advances, differentiation will not come from automation alone, but from how brands elevate the experience around it:
Savoir-faire, immersive storytelling, and more intentional one-to-one relationships between beauty consultants and clients.
There is also a strong focus on the future of retail talent — particularly the evolution of beauty consultants into commercially aware, analytically capable, community-building leaders.
In this vision of prestige beauty strategy, technology enables — but human connection remains the centre of the experience.
:
14:47 Longevity and self-optimisation
18:41 Applying transformation to marketing
20:19 Post-Western luxury power shift
25:11 Cultural appropriation vs collaboration
26:15 AI in luxury: where to draw lines
38:09 Sustainability as value for money
LINKS:
Luxe Renaissance – 6 voies pour transformer le luxe (Dunod):
