On day two of Paris Fashion Week, the Shangri-La Paris played host to an evening of conversations and cocktails, organized by Vogue Business and Diageo. Here’s a recap of what went down.
Following opening remarks from Nicole Phelps, global director of Vogue Business and Vogue Runway, deputy director Elektra Kotsoni was joined by Laurent Claquin, Kering’s chief brand officer, to unpack how luxury brands are reshaping the next era of cultural engagement. Then, Patricia Borges, beverage player Diageo’s global managing director of gins and rums and CEO of Ketel One and Zacapa, continued the conversation with Vogue Business Paris correspondent Laure Guilbault.
Claquin first explained how he views each brand as a cultural voice. “A brand is not only a business, not only an economic player, but a cultural player. For me, a brand is like a person. It has a point of view,” he told the 100-plus attendees. Claquin went on to emphasize the importance of authenticity, relevance, and consistency. “We have had a commitment to sustainability at Kering for almost 20 years. We have a commitment to women empowerment, gender equality and equal opportunity for more than 16 years, and our commitment to cinema and entertainment has existed for more than 10.”
Now, Kering is exploring new areas like longevity and wellness. Asked by Elektra about the future of luxury, Claquin said he envisions replacing “luxury” with “excellence”. “The word luxury has been used so much that we sometimes forget what it truly means — and what the future of something we don’t fully understand might look like. So let’s return to common sense, focusing on creating genuinely excellent products and experiences,” he explained.
