What happens when emerging global talent is invited into the strategic conversations of luxury brands? That question sits at the heart of the Luxury Lab at Regent’s University London, an industry-facing initiative that connects postgraduate students with leading luxury brands, including Fortnum & Mason, Harrods and Berry Bros. & Rudd. The idea of the Luxury Lab is to tackle live business challenges through fresh thinking, cultural insight and collaborative problem-solving.
One recent brand to partner with the programme was Walpole member Alexandra Llewellyn, the British luxury games designer renowned for her handcrafted backgammon boards, chess sets and bespoke collectible pieces commissioned by ultra-high-net-worth clients around the world.
Over the course of ten weeks, a select, multidisciplinary group of Regent’s postgraduates worked directly with the brand on a strategic growth challenge, exploring customer engagement, evolving luxury consumer expectations and future opportunities for the business.
For brands like Alexandra Llewellyn, the value of the programme lies not simply in access to student ideas, but in access to globally diverse perspectives from a generation of emerging luxury consumers and future industry leaders. "What struck me most was the calibre of the students themselves," Llewellyn said of the programme. "Their questions were sharp and their thinking was global. It reminded me why fresh eyes matter so much in a craft like ours."
Students from different nationalities, academic disciplines and cultural backgrounds brought a range of viewpoints to the project, exploring themes including storytelling, customer experience, digital engagement, partnerships and the evolution of modern luxury expectations.
The result was a series of recommendations that combined creativity with commercial awareness, offering the brand fresh perspectives while remaining sensitive to its identity, craftsmanship and positioning.
Importantly, the Luxury Lab is designed to move beyond the limitations of traditional classroom projects. Participating brands work directly with students throughout the process, creating a space for open dialogue, experimentation and collaborative thinking.
For businesses, this offers a low-risk but high-value opportunity to explore ideas, test perspectives and engage with emerging consumer mindsets in a meaningful way. For students, it provides rare exposure to real-world strategic challenges and direct access to luxury founders and senior leaders.
"To me, what made our Lux Lab Projects so valuable was the environment it created: it was both challenging and safe," said one student of the experience. "While it closely simulated real-life work experiences, it also gave me the space to experiment, take risks, and learn. Our project allowed me to test the ropes, try new approaches, and gain a strong understanding of what to expect after my studies.
"It was an amazing experience to have while studying, allowing me to bridge the gap between theory and practice."
As luxury brands increasingly navigate questions around changing consumer expectations, relevance, experience and cultural connection, programmes like the Luxury Lab offer something many businesses are actively seeking: access to intelligent, internationally minded emerging talent with the confidence to challenge assumptions and think differently.
The Luxury Lab runs every term at Regent’s University London, partnering with brands across the luxury sector to explore live strategic questions through the lens of the next generation. Hear directly from our partners on what makes the Luxury Lab unique and for more information on how to partner with the Luxury Lab, contact Hannah Fox, Director of Corporate Engagement via email at [email protected]
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