Despite the economic climate, the global luxury market is booming, already accounting for over £200 Bn and 6% year on year growth, according to consulting firm Bain & Co. As the sector grows, the consumer is also becoming more diverse, seeking out new and alternative ways to capitalise on their new economic status.
Adapting to this reality, the new wealthy class consumes luxury brands, fashion, travel, food and beverages as de rigueur; flaunting them accordingly to their peers via social media channels. Products once considered rarefied have become evermore commonplace, shifting the buyer’s focus to seek new indulgences.
Enter the ‘experience economy’. In a world saturated with promises of luxury and threatened with changing tides (rise of job instability, rising mortgages and the changing nature of the family unit), the consumer (in particular the ‘millennial’ consumer) has refocused their purchasing power towards experiences that can be physically enjoyed and digitally shared.
The desire for a curated lifestyle has created a groundswell of products and services arising to meet demand; encompassing everything from music festivals (including the insta-famous Coachella and the ill fated Fyre Festival) to digital concierge clubs that aim to provide a world of restaurant and hotel reservations ‘at the push of a button’.
Concierge services competing for the attention of luxury consumers offer dedicated staff that will book members into wherever the new hotspot is (ultimately saving hours of idle Googling) or for those more adventurous there are services offering ‘experiential travel’ that include expensive and outlandish trips to brag about (everything from F16 flight testing to trekking in the North Pole).
However, for those really in the know (exclusivity is the chicest commodity), there are discrete members clubs or even ‘secret societies’ like Don’t Die Wondering (DDW) that only cater to the top 1% of movers and shakers.
DDW – owned by Antoin Commane a serial entrepreneur and style influencer with a 200,000 instagram following – offers members that pass a membership application process the rarest of access to London and NYC’s most coveted PR and luxury brand events (the very same ones that grace the glossy pages of the world’s best magazines and newspapers) along with networking opportunities within it’s exclusive membership base.
With Don’t Die Wondering founding members whispered to include top actors, influencers and models as well as high net-worth industry leaders, you can find DDW society members walking the red carpet at the BAFTA’s and The Brit Awards, or sitting front row at London & NY Fashion Week and the world’s top film premieres…you just wouldn’t know it.
One thing is for certain, with the continued boom in luxury showing no signs of slowing down, the luxury consumer is everywhere and their refined tastes will continue to influence fashion, music, art and our overall culture.
Follow Antoin Commane on Instagram his handle is @antoin or visit DDW to apply for membership.
