EVENT: School of Business Lecture: There’s “Luxury” – and Then There’s Luxury
In the realm of luxury, some lead and some follow. And while that may seem to contradict popular notions of luxury goods/brands already positioned at the socio-economic apex, the luxury market turns out to be as stratified as any other.
For an insightful look at luxe life, members of the Woodbury community are invited to hear Dr. Fabio Duma, Special Guest Lecturer from the Zurich University of Applied Sciences in Switzerland, on “The Future of Luxury,” Tuesday, Sept. 10th from 5:45-7:15 p.m. at Fletcher Jones Foundation Auditorium.
An expert in the field of luxury management and marketing, Dr. Duma has been researching the phenomenon of luxury for decades and will offer a critical evaluation of the present state of luxury. Hosting the address is Professor Wendy Bendoni, Chair of the Marketing & Fashion Marketing, with a meet-and-greet scheduled from 5:45 to 6 p.m.
Dr. Duma will examine the historical roots and social drivers of luxury, discuss the evolution of the luxury market in broad terms, and dig into the ongoing struggle to distinguish what he calls “mainstream” luxury from “true” or “real” luxury – in his words, luxury for those who follow and luxury for those who lead. Framing his talk with a reminiscence on luxury and theses about luxuries of the future, Dr. Duma will emphasize the importance of the human touch, despite the current industry-wide focus on digitalization, massification and standardization.
The founder and president of Orbis Excellentiae – “the Circle of the Finest,” the only international cross-industry association of independent companies in the luxury segment –Dr. Duma works as a lecturer and Head Competence Team Luxury Management at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences, School of Management and Law (ZHAW SML), one of the leading universities of applied sciences in Switzerland.
Fabio Duma earned his doctorate from the University of St. Gallen (HSG) in Switzerland, where he concentrated on the management of personal interaction in luxury retail – an effort for which he secured support from a host of prominent Swiss manufacturers and retailers of luxury timepieces. He is currently studying the specific strategies and success factors of independent, privately-owned purveyors of excellence; the management of customer experience through personal interaction; and the (digital) transformation of heritage brands.