Appointed head of Montblanc’s watch division in January 2021, Laurent Lecamp is aiming at six to eight months in order to infuse a new direction to the watch brand Montblanc

What could be more intriguing and attractive than the unattainable? The decision to stop selling a bestseller seems to be the new way for luxury to create an aura. Based on rarity, heritage and nostalgia, the concept of “self-destruction” is a way to recreate desirability.

Second event jointly organized by Luxury Tribune and the Swiss Center for Luxury Research (SCLR), the conference “Luxury, gaming and superheroes: a winning formula” was a success. Let’s go back to the highlights and learnings of this memorable moment. Replay of the conference available here.

Collectors will remember March 11, 2021 as the day that changed the art market. At Christie’s, a piece of digital art sold for nearly $70 million, a record for the crypto-art industry that shot digital artist Beeple straight into the pantheon of superstardom and instantly made him the third most-valued living artist in the world (after Jeff Koons and David Hockney).

The decrease in watchmaking production over the year 2020 has had consequence on the Swiss industrial landscape. In order to protect it, Audemars Piguet wants to launch an initiative that would enable a recovery, with Swiss made as its key challenge. Exclusive interview of François-Henry Bennahmias, CEO of the brand.

Beginning 2021, the LVMH group bought the brand Vendôme from the eponymous small town Vendôme. Cost of the transaction: 10,000 euros. An amount considered ridiculously low by some, but a big coup for Bernard Arnaud’s group.

A side effect of the pandemic has been transport restrictions that have made shipping goods slower and more expensive, and the already worrying situation was made even more dramatic with the recent incident of the cargo ship Ever Given in the Suez Canal. There are real concerns about worldwide commerce, and the luxury industry is not immune.

This year, Luxury Tribune partnered with the French business school, IESEG School of Management, to challenge the students of the International MBA program. More precisely, students were asked to write a hit news article about a luxury topic in one week only. Result.

In a speech aiming at supporting hospitality professions, President Macron designated Covid-19 as the number one enemy of the famous “French way of life” (Art de vivre), showcased at length during the pandemic… a very fluid concept.

While the pandemic has not dampened the global appeal of yachting, Italy is experiencing an unprecedented boom in its nautical sector and is seeing the emergence of big name alliances.

Still unknown a decade ago, olfactory marketing is experiencing an unprecedented boom in the luxury industry. Some studies are definitive: it is an incredible tool for client loyalty, and for sales.

For more than a year, it has been nothing but a string of digital crushes. Pink diamonds, collectors’ watches, handbags, vintage wines are fought over during digital auctions. Aline Sylla-Walbaum, luxury general manager at Christie’s, details the digital ambitions of the house.

“Meat” with no animal protein, sustainable agriculture, home delivery – the great chefs are gravitating closer and closer to foodtech. This fast-growing sector relies on an innovative ecosystem and consumer demand boosted by the pandemic.

Facing the worst crisis in their history, luxury hotels are left with no other choice but to reinvent themselves. This will mean digitalization, new concepts and better sanitary risk management. That is Philippe Rubod’s belief, CEO of Swiss Hospitality Global.

In the philanthropy field, more than ever, strength is in unity. American billionaires are known for their generosity, yet young generations are ever more eager to work for a better world.