What does it really take to get stocked in Harrods, Galeries Lafayette, or Selfridges — especially if your brand wasn’t born in the expected luxury hubs of Europe?

If you’re building a modern luxury brand without legacy, today’s episode takes you behind the scenes — with someone who does this every single day. And not just gets brands in — but gets them supported, nurtured, and set up to succeed with the right sell-through strategy.

You’ll hear what top-tier buyers are actually looking for, what makes them say yes, and the signals they watch to decide who stays — and who doesn’t.

And that’s not all. Our guest also moves in the celebrity circles that shape desirability — securing placement for her clients on names like Nicole Kidman, Courteney Cox, Richard Gere, and more.

So stay with us — because we’re unpacking how to break through without compromising brand equity, and how to pitch your brand to high-end retailers in a way that gets you stocked, supported, and positioned to compete alongside the biggest names in luxury.

Inside This Episode:

What top luxury retailers like Harrods and Selfridges actually look for when choosing new brands

• Why becoming a “hot brand” matters more than product quality alone
• The commercial realities behind sell-through, merchandising, and in-store execution
• How to assess whether your brand is truly ready for wholesale — from pricing to positioning
• The strategic signals that help new brands stand out in a saturated luxury market
• How to leverage celebrity partnerships and influencer marketing for luxury branding
• Actionable tips for scaling your luxury business from wholesale to direct-to-consumer (DTC) online
• The role of relationships, networks, and cultural nuance in luxury retail success
• Whether you’re building a modern luxury label, preparing to pitch buyers, or working inside a brand that wants to scale, this episode gives you a clear, practical roadmap for breaking into top-tier distribution and growing without legacy.

#LuxuryBranding #DigitalRetail #LuxuryConsulting #FashionBusiness #LuxuryMarketing #WholesaleSuccess #BrandStrategy

CHAPTER MARKERS:

00:00 Introduction to Geopolitics in Luxury Branding

00:26 Oxana's Journey from Model to Consultant

00:42 Breaking into the Fashion Industry

04:13 Challenges for Modern Luxury Brands

05:21 Importance of Visibility and Branding

09:49 Operational Excellence in Retail

17:55 Strategic Growth and Market Penetration

21:00 The Role of Relationships and Networking

28:49 Celebrity Endorsements and Partnerships

31:07 Final Advice and Personal Reflections

LINKS:

https://www.oxanapopkova.com/

www.luxeconsumeriq.com

www.luxeconsumeriq.com/newsletter

https://www.instagram.com/luxeconsumeriq/

https://www.youtube.com/@luxeconsumeriq

Inside the World of Luxury: What It's Really Like to Intern in Paris | Grace Klepetka

When most people envision the luxury industry, they picture high-end fashion shows, exclusive designer ateliers, and impossibly polished showrooms. The image is one of seamless sophistication and effortless elegance.

Behind that immaculate facade lies a world that's just as dynamic and unpredictable as any other creative industry. Today, we're exploring this fascinating paradox through the experience of Grace Klepetka, an emerging voice in luxury who's navigating this world from her base in Paris.

In this episode, Grace shares her journey from Princeton economics to luxury management at Emlyon Business School, revealing what luxury brands really look for in interns and how to break into the competitive world of high-end fashion and luxury consulting.

What You'll Learn:

✨ How to land luxury internships in Paris and contribute to projects for maisons like Balenciaga, Chanel, and Bulgari

✨ The myth vs reality of what it’s actually like working in luxury fashion

✨ The essential skills luxury brands look for — from French fluency to design thinking and brand strategy

✨ A day in the life of a luxury consultant in Paris

✨ The privilege and pressure of working across iconic luxury maisons early in your career

✨ How to transition from business school to luxury management roles

Whether you're studying fashion management, luxury marketing, or dreaming of a career at prestigious fashion houses, Grace's insights offer a roadmap for breaking into the luxury industry.

CHAPTER MARKERS:

00:00 Introduction: The Challenges of Breaking into Luxury

00:40 Guest Introduction: From Princeton to Paris

00:55 Journey to France: A Gap Year Experience

03:46 Day in the Life: Working in Paris

05:08 Agency Life: Surprises and Responsibilities

07:27 Cultural Adjustments: Navigating French Work Culture

13:44 Education and Skills: Bridging the Gap

17:29 Advice for Aspiring Luxury Professionals

30:25 Conclusion

LINKS:

www.luxeconsumeriq.com

www.luxeconsumeriq.com/newsletter

Decoding Desire: The Symbolic Power of Luxury Brands | Dr. Anne-Flore Maman-Larraufie

Desire is the most powerful currency in luxury. It's what separates a brand from a product — and builds value that lasts across campaigns, markets, and generations.

But how is desire actually created? And what makes some brands irresistible, while others struggle to spark that emotional connection?

Today, we're unpacking the psychology of luxury with Dr. Anne-Flore Maman-Larraufie, founder of Sémioconsult, Academic Director at École Polytechnique Executive Education, and former Academic Director of ESSEC Business School's Master program, which houses the prestigious LVMH Chair in Luxury Brand Strategy.

Dr. Maman-Larraufie has worked with houses like Cartier, LVMH, and L'Oréal, helping them decode the symbolic architecture that creates desire, loyalty, and enduring brand value.

Inside This Episode:

→ How luxury brands create desire through strategic scarcity

→ The role of semiotics in decoding brand meaning

→ Why myths and archetypes build emotional resonance

→ Protecting symbolic value in digital and global markets

→ Adapting brand narratives across cultures without dilution

→ The hidden architecture that makes certain brands unforgettable

Whether you're a luxury consultant, brand strategist, marketing professional, business school student, or simply fascinated by consumer psychology and brand storytelling, this is a rare opportunity to hear from one of the top academics shaping luxury brand management at Europe's leading institutions. Insight you won't find in case studies or trend reports.

CHAPTER MARKERS

00:00 — Introduction: Desire and Rarity in Modern Luxury

00:41 — Dr. Anne-Flore Maman-Larraufie: From Engineering to Semiotics

01:42 — The Dual Meaning of Luxury: Symbolism Beyond Products

05:46 — The Power of Storytelling in Luxury Brand Strategy

06:24 — Myths and Archetypes: Building Timeless Brand Narratives

14:44 — Creating Desire Through Exclusivity

22:35 — Semiotics in Practice: Elevating Brand Value

29:02 — Luxury in the Digital Age: Challenges and Strategies

34:44 — Brand Consistency: Why Every Touchpoint Matters

34:55 — Common Mistakes in Digital Brand Expression

35:23 — Managing Social Media Content with Strategic Intent

36:40 — Luxury Brands and Market Rarity: Balancing Supply and Desire

38:24 — Adapting Brand Storytelling for Global Markets

42:28 — The Risks of Over-Adaptation in Brand Strategy

49:22 — Strategic Growth Management: Scaling Without Dilution

53:46 — Working in Luxury: Insights and Advice for Emerging Professionals

HASHTAGS:

#LuxuryInsights #ConsumerInsights #LuxuryBranding #LuxuryStrategy #BrandStrategy #InsideLuxuryBrands #BrandSymbolism #PremiumBranding #GlobalLuxury #Semiotics #LVMH #ESSECBusinessSchool #LuxuryMarketing #BrandStorytelling #LuxuryManagement #ConsumerPsychology #LuxuryMindset

CONNECT WITH DR. ANNE-FLORE MAMAN-LARRAUFIE:

Sémioconsult: https://www.semioconsult.com/en/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annefloremaman/

LUXE CONSUMER IQ:

www.luxeconsumeriq.com

www.luxeconsumeriq.com/newsletter

How do luxury brands create desire through digital strategy and e-commerce?

Today's conversation explores digital transformation at LVMH with Theresa Austin, who built one of the group's most powerful internal tools for digital transformation — reshaping how luxury brands use data and insight to drive performance, not just reporting.

You'll hear how to design digital experiences that feel luxurious and emotionally compelling while driving commercial results — from personalisation and CRM strategy to customer journey design, scaling digital without diluting brand value, and presenting insight that earns leadership buy-in.

What You'll Learn:

→ Translating luxury in-store experiences into digital environments

→ Building seamless digital ecosystems for brand storytelling

→ Personalisation that feels curated, not invasive

→ CRM strategy for luxury customer loyalty and retention

→ Balancing global brand consistency with local market execution

→ Using data and insight to complement creative intuition

→ Avoiding e-commerce pitfalls that erode luxury margins

→ Digital transformation strategies for heritage luxury brands

→ Engaging new generations through TikTok without diluting brand value

Whether you're a luxury brand manager, e-commerce director, digital strategist, or studying luxury management, this episode offers practical frameworks for navigating luxury e-commerce with strategic clarity.

CHAPTER MARKERS

00:00 — Luxury E-commerce vs. Mass Market Efficiency

00:38 — Theresa Austin: A Journey into Digital Luxury Strategy

01:25 — Understanding Desire: The Essence of Luxury Branding

01:54 — Creating Seamless Digital Experiences in Luxury

03:05 — Visual Storytelling: The Power of Product Imagery

04:02 — Luxury Customer Journey Design: From Discovery to Purchase

08:46 — Personalisation in Luxury Marketing: Elegance and Restraint

11:05 — CRM Strategy and Customer Loyalty in Luxury

14:39 — Scaling Digital in Luxury: Growth Without Dilution

18:22 — Global Brand Consistency vs. Local Market Execution

23:11 — Luxury Marketing Metrics That Influence Leadership Decisions

27:53 — The Future of Luxury Digital Strategy

33:28 — Career Guidance for Emerging Luxury Professionals

36:28 — The Magic of Luxury: Celebrating Memorable Moments

CONNECT WITH THERESA AUSTIN

https://www.linkedin.com/in/theresajaustin/

LUXE CONSUMER IQ:

www.luxeconsumeriq.com

www.luxeconsumeriq.com/newsletter

Welcome to Luxe Consumer IQ — the global podcast for ambitious luxury and premium professionals who want to think strategically, grow with confidence, and understand how modern luxury really works.

Hosted by Emilia Simonin — a former Insights Director and global consumer & market intelligence leader with senior roles at L’Oréal and LVMH’s Moët Hennessy — the series bridges high-end industry experience with the kind of practical, real-world guidance emerging talent rarely gets access to.

This introductory trailer lays the foundation for the season:

how data and desire intersect in luxury, what truly motivates affluent and high-net-worth consumers, and the mindset required to build long-term competitive advantage. Across the series, Emilia brings a warm, mentor-style voice — translating consumer insight, luxury codes, and real-world practice into tools you can apply immediately.

You’ll hear a mix of solo strategy episodes and in-depth conversations with senior executives, professors, and emerging voices shaping the future of the luxury sector. Together, they explore the frameworks, buying psychology, brand codes, and commercial realities behind modern luxury — from storytelling and ecommerce to distribution, retail, and premium positioning.

If you’re ready to move beyond execution and into strategic influence…

If you want to understand what separates the brands that lead from the brands that follow…

And if you’re building a career in luxury and want the perspective behind real decision-making — this podcast is your advantage.



Whether you’re entering the industry or stepping into your next level:

Welcome to Luxe Consumer IQ.

Website: www.luxeconsumeriq.com

This episode includes AI-assisted voice refinement to ensure a seamless, high-quality listening experience.