Walpole: Tell us more about Shoptalk Luxe. Why should a British luxury brand attend?
Hannah Redfern: Shoptalk Luxe will bring together over 2,000 decision makers from across the global luxury and premium retail sectors to explore cutting-edge innovations, immersive experiences, and evolving consumer expectations.
We created Shoptalk Luxe because luxury and premium retail is at a pivotal moment – rich with opportunity, but also undergoing profound change. Shoptalk Luxe brings together the whole ecosystem, from the world's most iconic luxury and premium heritage retailers and consumer brands adapting to a new era, to audacious disruptors charting new frontiers, alongside renowned investors, analysts, startups and more.
For British luxury brands, the event offers something particularly special. The UK has an extraordinary reputation globally for manufacturing, craftsmanship, creativity, and storytelling. At Shoptalk Luxe, you will see the leaders of iconic British brands and retailers such as Harrods, Liberty, Harvey Nichols, Joseph, Belstaff and more, showcasing that heritage and innovation on a global stage.
High-growth luxury markets such as the GCC, where there is increasing interest in quality, exclusivity, and brand heritage, present a significant opportunity for British brands. By understanding how luxury customers are evolving globally, particularly in these fast-expanding regions, British brands can tap into rising international demand while also strengthening how they serve global travellers visiting the UK.
This show is designed to help businesses understand the consumer of tomorrow and to build powerful relationships across the GCC and beyond, enabling them to unlock these exceptional opportunities.
Which speakers are you most interested in hearing from at the event?
What I love most about our programme is its breadth. We have leaders from iconic houses who bring generations of heritage and craftsmanship, and we have energetic disruptors bringing a fresh point of view. Hearing those worlds collide is where the real insight happens.
The Luxe Launchpad is one of the most exciting parts of the show. We take hundreds of pre-Series A start-ups and narrow them down to just ten high potential ones. It’s our way of cutting through the noise and spotlighting the ideas that really matter, from post-purchase logistics and CX to AI-powered discovery and content optimisation and more. And the best bit? It’s completely interactive. There’s live pitching, audience participation, and a real buzz in the air. Retailers and brands tell us every year that they love it because in less than 40 minutes, they get a snapshot of the future, and it’s always inspiring, surprising, and useful.
I am, of course, really looking forward to Vera Wang’s keynote, as she is someone who has truly shaped modern luxury. In addition, with hospitality and luxury retail becoming increasingly intertwined, I’m keen to attend the sessions with our hospitality speakers such as Philippe Zuber, CEO, Kerzner International and Michael Grieve, Chief Brand Officer, Jumeirah. I was lucky enough to see Michael Ward speak at Shoptalk Europe earlier this year and he is a fantastically engaging speaker, so I’m excited for that one too. I could go on and on!
What are the highlight events on the agenda for you?
Meetup, our curated one-to-one meetings programme, is always a highlight; it creates the kind of meaningful conversations that simply don’t happen elsewhere. I’m also looking forward to our opening moments together as a community. There’s something energising about setting the tone for a brand-new event: the anticipation, the possibility, the shared excitement. And, of course, our evening gatherings. Luxury is built on connection, and there is nothing quite like seeing the industry relax, talk freely, and spark ideas in a beautiful setting.
What do you think will be the buzzword of the conference – and why?
Apart from the obvious one – AI – I suspect we’ll hear a lot about "clienteling”. Luxury is no longer defined solely by the product; it’s defined by how deeply a brand understands and cares for each client – how a brand makes you feel is what matters. Today’s luxury customers expect brands to anticipate their needs, to understand their tastes, and to offer something genuinely personal. In a world full of data, digital tools and capabilities, including of course, GenAI, the challenge is not to lose the human touch. The brands and retailers that master that balance will come out on top.
What topics are you particularly interested in hearing more about?
One of our themes is ‘deepening customer relationships’ and I’m particularly interested in how luxury brands are deepening emotional loyalty – using data, service and storytelling to create relationships that feel truly personal and enduring.
Another theme I’m keen to explore at the event is ‘redefining online and offline experiences’. We have some great speakers talking to the evolution of experiential retail – how digital and physical touchpoints are blending to create richer, more imaginative paths to discovery. And of course, in Abu Dhabi there are some great examples of this being put into practice at various malls across the Emirate which I’m hoping to have time to get out and explore.
Why is the GCC such an important place for the luxury sector right now?
The GCC is a remarkable region: vibrant, ambitious, affluent, and unapologetically future-focused. Its luxury clients are global, young (the median age across major GCC markets sits in the low 30s), and deeply appreciative of craftsmanship and experience. But what makes it especially compelling is the speed of transformation. Cities like Abu Dhabi and Dubai aren’t just growing; they are reimagining what cultural and consumer landscapes can look like.
For luxury brands, the GCC offers both opportunity and inspiration. If you want to understand where global elevated retail is heading, how VICs are evolving, which experiences resonate, and where innovation is happening, you need to be part of the conversation here.
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