What Defines a Luxury Brand?

 Luxury; All of us want it, but if somebody were to ask you to define it, would you be able to? What is it that makes a brand luxurious? Is it the exorbitantly priced goods? Is it the unique concepts or the fabulous designs? Or is it the ornate boutiques with the scented candles?

Frankly speaking, luxury is all of these and more. There is no set limit for how luxurious a given product can be. There are no apparent signs to compare luxuriousness between two similar products from different brands, but a luxury enthusiast can easily set them apart- that is the power of building a brand.

So, what is luxury?

To put it simply, the definition of luxury is an ever-changing one. A few decades ago, people would consider the most expensive brands to be the most luxurious, but that is a very limited perspective.

This is the increasing concern luxury brands now have- the constantly evolving nature of consumers’ perception of luxury. After all, the identity of a brand is primarily based upon its regarded image in the minds of its customers. And if this image keeps fluctuating with changes in lifestyle, income and mindsets, what can luxury brands do to keep their hard earned and prized label of ‘luxury’ intact?

Thankfully, there are still some inherent qualities that every good luxury brand should possess, no matter what day or age it is. Luxury consumers will always look for certain traits in their brand of choice, and if all of them measure up, (and the consumer is rich enough!), then the products are catnip.

But back to those inherent qualities:

The Customer Community

Experts and creators from the fashion industry today share the meaning of a luxury brand as being one that is able to seamlessly connect and maintain a relationship with its customers. And this does not just involve communication for the purpose of registering complaints, or requests for repairs. Quality luxury brands build a community around their customers wherein communication, feedback and service offered is wholesome and enthusiastic. Acknowledging and fulfilling their responsibility towards customers as joyfully as possible is what makes a brand valuable.

Understanding, not just meeting demand

As mentioned before, a luxury brand shouldn’t just focus on making products pricey or flamboyant, but more on ensuring they hit the right chord with the customer. True luxury is when the product/service is in complete tandem with the customer’s thoughts and requirements. Of course, this tandem oftentimes comes with premium prices and rare designs in the case of luxury.

Exceeding expectations: always.  

Source : https://www.apple.com/in/iphone-se/

Any luxury brand, in any sector, should provide customers the satisfaction of superior performance and quality; there is a reason why Apple is so insanely popular throughout the globe. Mediocrity just cannot work. Even though customers know why and what they buy from a brand, they should feel the thrill of the unexpected in receiving the expected.

 The Aura

The aesthetic, the entire vibe of the product should be such that it stands out from the crowd and emanates a magnetic force that pulls customers towards it. The classic Louboutins, for example, they speak for themselves. Luxury customers can, undoubtedly, spot them from between a sea of similar looking pumps. Sophistication need not always equal frivolity, so a brand that keeps it simple but classy can appeal to a whole lot of people too.

Source : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCCAPWeU3-A

Innovation is Integral

Most renowned luxury brands are liked because they bring something unique to the table. Any brand that hopes to gain a loyal customer base should ensure that creative juices are hard at work. The market is already saturated with the common. While it is difficult to always come up with something completely unheard of, it is essential to spice up common sounding products. A good brand manages to pull out the extraordinary from the common.

Realistic Beauty

Apart from sitting still and looking pretty, products have the responsibility of being actually useful to customers. Brands should ensure that everything they sell is not only appealing, but also relevant to consumers. Persuasive advertising can convince customers to buy products they don’t have any use for, and when regret enters the picture, it is the brand’s failure.

The best way to describe or define a luxury brand could possibly be found in a few apparently simple words uttered by the great Hubert De Givenchy “Luxury is in each detail”. Although these words come across as surprisingly simple, they have a truly profound meaning within them. Every brand that wishes to be a luxury brand needs to pay uncompromising attention to the details. These details would start with the vision, the mission, the core values, the quality of the actual products, the presentation, the delivery, the performance, the exclusivity, the originality and most importantly the attention given to the customer. If a brand can truly say that it focusses on its customers in terms of understanding their expectations, exceeding them and providing world class service pre and post sales then that brand is on its path to being a luxury brand for sure.

The House of Givenchy is honoured to announce Artistic Director Clare Waight Keller custom designed the wedding gown worn by Ms. Meghan Markle to the Royal Wedding on May 19th, 2018 in London, UK. (Source : https://www.givenchy.com/eur/en/maison-clare-waight-keller-RoyalWedding.html)