for the future of luxury
our ASPIRATION
We strive to be the premier Swiss think tank for the future of luxury management and the advisor of choice for luxury managers.
our REASON TO BE
Digitalization, global mobility, social inequalities, and increasingly eco-conscious shoppers are transforming consumer culture.
Luxury previously represented capital-intense material consumption. Nowadays, it takes a more immaterial, fluid form. This contemporary vision of luxury encompasses peak experiences, quality time, health, freedom, beauty, popularity, connoisseurship, and self-improvement – or, simply put, happiness.Â
The outcome? The pillars of traditional luxury management and marketing are being challenged by start-ups, seeking to disrupt the status quo and younger generation consumers
The Swiss Center for Luxury Research exists to cherish and challenge the gilded standards of the past while ushering in a new era of luxury.
Our Mission
01
INNOVATION
Enhance Switzerland’s visibility and capability in luxury innovation and even the playing field with France, Germany, and Italy.
02
OBSERVATION
Monitor large-scale societal developments to predict the direction of consumer behavior and industry trends.Â
03
SUPPORT
Inform and encourage innovation in managerial practices through first-hand academic research.
04
BUILD
Create future-orientated graduate and postgraduate programs for the next generation of luxury managers.
who are we?
Based in Switzerland at University of Lausanne (HEC).
The Swiss Center for Luxury Research brings together experts from esteemed academic institutions to establish a hub for future leaders of luxury management.Â
Switzerland has a long history as a home to global wealth and assets and a leader in the opulent watchmaking and hospitality industries. Our center’s proximity to Europe’s key luxury good powerhouses in France, Italy, and Germany ensures the perfect location for public-private academic collaboration around luxury research.
Felicitas Morhart
Founder SCLR
Partners
Our quest to become the leading think tank for luxury business intelligence has aligned us with many elite academic institutions, brands, and media agencies.Â
We are privileged to call the following organizations our intellectual and strategic partners in the collective journey to drive the luxury industry forward.Â
communication & media partners
Partners Past and Present
academic institutions
Reto Hofstetter
Bruno Kocher
Lucia Malar
Nicolas Le Moigne
Sandor Czellar
Felicitas Morhart
Francine Peterson
Nadzeya Sabatini
Fabio Duma
Florent Girardin
Torsten Tomczak
Philipp Scharfenberger
Sven Reinecke
Benjamin Berghaus
Barbara Czyzewska
Eleonora Cattaneo
Nicoletta Giusti
Events
Recent years have seen the Swiss Center for Luxury Research host several outstanding conferences and competitions in collaboration with digital media platform Luxury Tribune.
These events allowed us to shine a spotlight on topics ranging from societal issues and their influence on our industry to the desires of the new generations and evolving luxury rituals.
IS DECONSUMPTION COMPATIBLE WITH LUXURY?
The next generation’s view consumer behaviour and aspiration.
NEW LUXURY RITUALS, HOW TO REGENERATE DESIRE?Â
New rituals in luxury and how they generate desirability
LUXURY, GAMING, AND SUPERHEROES: A WINNING FORMULA
The next generation’s view consumer behaviour and aspiration.
ORIGINALLUXURY
Pioneering Transparency Through Technology in the Luxury Sector
ORIGINALLUXURY, initially known as THE INDEX, was established as a collaborative venture between E4S , UNIL-HEC, IMD, The Swiss Center for Luxury Research, and OriginAll with the primary objective of assessing transparency and traceability initiatives within the luxury sector.
A year in, a particular focus on technology’s role in amplifying transparency, traceability, product security and data integrity was made.
Hosted by the Swiss Center for Luxury Research, our consortium of over 50 luxury brands and 14 technology partners serves as a hub for academic research and insights and is dedicated to analyzing, assessing, and displaying the newest digital innovations that can empower brands and customers with relevant and intuitive information, fostering responsible decision-making.
More than just a resource and research center, be it through our events, workshops, online platforms or the ORIGINALLUXURY LAB, our goal is to facilitate collaboration, encourage knowledge exchange and best practices, and provide networking opportunities for industry professionals, technology experts, and global specialists in the luxury industry.
Mission:
Empower the luxury industry with up-to-date knowledge from academia and insights from the technology sector.
Vision:
Position the luxury sector at the forefront of transparency and traceability best practices.
Impact:
Drive measurable advancements in transparency and traceability for luxury brands by adopting innovative technologies.
LUXURY ON AIR
The Luxury on Air Podcast series is a collaborative effort with Deloitte, to understand what’s on the horizon in the luxury industry.
 With renowned guests from global fashion houses, watch brands, automobile manufacturers, high-end retailers and consumers behaviour experts, Luxury On Air is a must listen for those want to understand what’s on the horizon in the luxury industry.
The series explores the trends, innovations, and personalities that define and redefine the luxury industry. Delving into the real-world theoretical and strategic implications of running and growing luxury brands, this podcast brings together global thought leaders, academics, business leaders, brands, and retailers.
Hosted by Karine Szegedi and Felicitas Morhart, Luxury On Air is brought to you by Deloitte Switzerland and the Swiss Center for Luxury Research at HEC Lausanne (UNIL). Karine and  Felicitas bring their knowledge of the luxury industry from two very different vantage points – the worlds of consulting and academia.
With renowned guests from global fashion houses, watch brands, automobile manufacturers, high-end retailers and consumer behaviour experts, Luxury On Air is a must listen for those want to understand what’s on the horizon in the luxury industry.
- Episode 25- Responsible gold with Chopard and de Pury Pictet Turrettini & Cie
- Episode 24 - Is use of neuroscience in luxury retail a trend to last?
- Episode 23 - Greening watches and jewellery – collaborating for a tangible impact
- Episode 22 - Is Junk Kouture the new couture?
- Episode 21 - Superyachts – floating into the next level of hospitality
- Episode 20 - A virtual economy in Monaco’s metaverse
- Episode 19 - Is jewellery the next big thing in luxury?
- Episode 17 - From tradition to innovation – luxury’s response to Generative AI
- Episode 15 -Shaking things up: how Chrono24 has disrupted the luxury watch industry
- Episode 14 - Breaking down blockchain : Luxury goods with Digital Passports
- Episode 12 - Brand evolution with Bally: A pioneering spirit
- Episode 11 - Trailblazers in the watch industry: Disrupting distribution and design
- Episode 10 - The changing nature of luxury travel: From city hotels to eco-lodges the world is waiting to be discovered
- Episode 9 - Making geek chic – the fusion of luxury and pop culture
- Episode 8 - Emerging trends and intergenerational views towards luxury in India
- Episode 7 - The Deloitte Swiss Watch Industry Study 2021: Adapting to a changing landscape
- Episode 6 - Consumer trends in China and the definition of luxury
- Episode 5 - Pursuing a digital path – Richemont’s experience in China
- Episode 4 - Sustainability and innovation at Breitling
- Episode 3 - Building and growing luxury brands: the example of Porsche
- Episode 2 - Liquid luxury:How contemporary consumer values affect traditional notions of luxury
- Episode 1 - The evolving nature of luxury: Changing notions of materialism in an increasingly dematerialised world
RESEARCH HANDBOOK on LUXURY BRANDING
Unique and timely, the comprehensive Research Handbook on Luxury Branding explores the existing body of academic knowledge while offering direction for future research and management in the luxury industry. With contributions from an international team of top-level researchers, this is a profound analysis of the changes shaping the future of luxury.
Chapters consider the socioeconomic, psychological, technological, and political shifts in consumers’ desires and purchase practices around luxury products. The multi-method, cross-disciplinary approach provides concrete research avenues and outlines future management challenges.
This handbook will be critical reading for marketing, branding, and advertising students looking for an overview of the field of luxury branding research. It acts as a helpful reference tool for scholars to generate research ideas and provides practical guidance to managers of luxury brands.
CONTRIBUTORS INCLUDE:
F. Bardhi, A. Basu Monga, L.S. Beitelspacher, R. Belk, S. Crener, S. Czellar, D. Dahlhoff, D. Dubois, G.M. Eckhardt, D. Goor, D. Grewal, H. Hagtvedt, K. Hung, A. Keinan, R.V. Kozinets, G. Laurent, L. Malär, F. Morhart, M. Pandelaere, V.M. Patrick, A.L. Roggeveen, E. Samsioe, B. Schmitt, E. Schweiger, L.J. Shrum, A.T. Stephen, D.K. Tse, L.M. Visconti, Y. Wang, K. Wilcox, J.L. Zaichkowsky, J. Zhang
Luxehub Blog
Our students – and constant inspiration – at the University of Lausanne have honoured our traditions by passionately scrutinizing the societal issues and movements that transform our sector. In recent years, our academic body has collaborated to produce progressive analyses on the evolution of the luxury industry.
SUSTAINABILITY IN LUXURY FASHION
Contributors contemplated Saint Laurent’s decision to go fur-free and the broader issue of how and why today’s luxury brands should actively tackle the sustainability challenge.
CREATING EXCEPTIONAL LUXURY SHOPPING EXPERIENCES
Inspired by their visit to Bvlargi in Geneva, pupils reflected on the personal moments that define a customer’s shopping experience in a luxury store.
CHANEL × SURFBOARD: A GOOD MATCH
Our students analyzed the impact of Chanel’s production of surfboards on the brand image and came up with constructive and insightful observations regarding future creative
LUXURY BRANDS IN THE METAVERSE
Focusing on the recent experiments of Dolce & Gabbana and Balenciaga, Master’s students debated the opportunities and challenges associated with luxury brand transition to the
