An independent luxury brand founder on why comfort, craftsmanship and staying private beat every conglomerate playbook. Edgardo Osorio is the founder and creative director of Aquazzura, a Florence-based luxury footwear and lifestyle brand recognized for its gold pineapple detail.

In this episode of Beyond Luxury, a podcast covering luxury industry insights, brand innovation and consumer trends across fashion, beauty and hospitality, Edgardo shares how he built Aquazzura into a globally recognized independent luxury brand, sold in 58 countries, without ever taking on a conglomerate or outside investor. He talks about product-led growth, luxury branding strategy, staying close to craftsmanship, and what real luxury means to him today.

New episodes of Beyond Luxury drop weekly. Follow for more conversations with the founders and experts shaping the luxury industry. Read the deeper analysis on our Substack, Top Voices, linked in the show notes.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 Intro

• 4:18 How thirteen weddings led to a shoe brand

• 13:19 Starting out at fifteen in Bogotá

• 20:39 The story behind the gold pineapple

• 31:27 Why independence means saying no to shareholders• 42:54 The copycat crisis that forced Aquazzura to diversify

• 53:48 What luxury actually means to him

• 57:16 Where the industry is headed next

Follow us on :⁠⁠⁠

Substack →⁠ https://beyondluxury.substack.com/Editorial

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/beyondluxury.media/

Podcast Instagram →⁠ https://www.instagram.com/beyondluxury.podcast/Carlota's

Instagram →⁠ https://www.instagram.com/carlotarodben/Podcast

Tiktok →⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondluxury.podcast

Beyond Luxury LinkedIn →⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyondluxurygroup/⁠Carlota's

LinkedIn → ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlotarodben/⁠Website →⁠ https://beyondluxury.group/

LinkTree →⁠ https://linktr.ee/beyondluxury.group

Daniella Nicola, founder of luxury copywriting consultancy Kensington Copy, breaks down the psychology behind why luxury brands actually sell desire, not product. Her proprietary framework, Dream Awareness, maps exactly how luxury consumers make buying decisions, and in this episode she explains it in detail for the first time.

She started by writing under a pseudonym from a 9-to-5. A stranger tattooed her words on their shoulder. Two candle launches sold out with no marketing budget, no audience, and no business experience.

Daniella now works with luxury brands across fragrance, fashion, and lifestyle, including Bottega Veneta, applying the same principles of brand strategy and copywriting that built her own business from nothing.

In this episode she breaks down the self-concept theory that explains why luxury sells desire and not product; her MVP framework for writing luxury copy that moves culture, Mythology, Vocabulary, Pictorial language, and why she has never explained it publicly before this; why advertising as a private club is the most powerful luxury marketing strategy most companies are not using consistently; the difference between premium buyers and luxury buyers and why the same message will not work on both; and what AI actually means for the future of strategic copywriting.

Timestamps:

0:00 — Why real luxury sells desire, not product

2:30 — From IP law to poetry to selling out a candle launch

8:00 — The self-concept theory and the psychology of desire

13:30 — The MVP framework (Mythology, Vocabulary, Pictorial language)

18:00 — How to tell a story in two sentences

24:00 — Advertising as a private club: seduction versus pitching

30:00 — The copywriting funnel: tension, trust, and avoiding post-purchase regret

39:00 — Dream Awareness: premium buyers versus luxury buyers

46:00 — AI and the future of strategic copywriting

47:00 — Rapid fire: three words to describe the industry

Follow us on :⁠⁠⁠

Substack →⁠ https://beyondluxury.substack.com/

Editorial Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/beyondluxury.media/ 

Podcast Instagram →⁠ https://www.instagram.com/beyondluxury.podcast/

Carlota's Instagram →⁠ https://www.instagram.com/carlotarodben/

Podcast Tiktok →⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondluxury.podcast 

Beyond Luxury LinkedIn →⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyondluxurygroup/⁠

Carlota's LinkedIn → ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlotarodben/⁠

Website →⁠ https://beyondluxury.group/

LinkTree →⁠ https://linktr.ee/beyondluxury.group

ShopMy →⁠ https://shopmy.us/carlotarodben/my-latest-finds

Get Your Books: 

Beauty As It Is →⁠ https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/164137313X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0

Beyond Luxury: The Promise of Emotion →⁠ https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Luxury-Promise-Carlota-Rodben-ebook/dp/B0CJ2WBMWP

⁠Beyond Luxury Group⁠ is a strategic advisory and new media group, guiding leaders towards the future of luxury and beyond.

We work with top fashion/accessories, beauty/wellness, and hospitality/longevity brands to accelerate meaningful, future-proof growth. Get in touch to find out how we can support your business.

⁠Carlota Rodben⁠ is CEO and Founder of⁠ Beyond Luxury Group⁠, best-selling author, former Head of Innovation at Chanel, and host of the⁠ Beyond Luxury⁠ Podcast, ranked top 10% globally on Spotify podcasts.

Former Global VP of Digital Communications, Strategic Planning and Brand Experience at Louis Vuitton, Martin Mangez-Casey is the architect behind the Louis Vuitton x Formula One partnership, one of the most talked-about brand moments of the last decade. Now running strategy for one of Hollywood's most prominent family portfolios, he has the kind of distance that makes an honest diagnosis possible. And he is using it.

In this episode we go deep on what luxury brands are genuinely getting wrong, what the rare few getting it right are doing differently, and why the talent crisis in this industry is far more structural than anyone inside it wants to admit. We also get into why entertainment is becoming the only operating model that matters, what Chanel's Shanghai library reveals about long-game brand thinking, and why the first 100 days of any senior leader in luxury can define everything that follows.

This is one of the most candid conversations we have had on the podcast. The kind that only happens behind closed doors.

Timestamps

00:00 — Introduction: luxury's identity crisis and the "fashiontainment" shift

01:50 — Martin Casey: career path and following curiosity

03:45 — Behind the scenes: how LVMH x Formula One actually happened

08:00 — Why brands fail in sport partnerships and the green light mistake

13:30 — Creating culture vs. renting attention

15:20 — Chanel's Shanghai library and why it is smarter than a boutique

16:20 — ASAP Rocky, Chanel, and what the backlash really revealed

19:30 — Entertainment as the new operating model: Drive to Survive and 22 Montaigne

24:45 — Brand purpose: what Louis Vuitton got right and where others are lost

28:00 — The Chanel crossbody bag and wearing female freedom without knowing it

30:25 — Why luxury Maisons keep losing the talent they most want

34:00 — The playground problem: cross-industry hiring and why it keeps failing

43:50 — Hollywood family portfolios: speed, directness, and no fake calendar blocks

47:55 — Rapid fire: greed, speed, lack of serviceIf this conversation gave you something to think about, subscribe and follow the podcast on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

Follow us on :⁠⁠⁠

Substack →⁠ https://beyondluxury.substack.com/

Editorial Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/beyondluxury.media/ 

Podcast Instagram →⁠ https://www.instagram.com/beyondluxury.podcast/

Carlota's Instagram →⁠ https://www.instagram.com/carlotarodben/

Podcast Tiktok →⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondluxury.podcast 

Beyond Luxury LinkedIn →⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyondluxurygroup/⁠

Carlota's LinkedIn → ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlotarodben/⁠

Website →⁠ https://beyondluxury.group/

LinkTree →⁠ https://linktr.ee/beyondluxury.group

ShopMy →⁠ https://shopmy.us/carlotarodben/my-latest-finds

Get Your Books: 

Beauty As It Is →⁠ https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/164137313X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0

Beyond Luxury: The Promise of Emotion →⁠ https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Luxury-Promise-Carlota-Rodben-ebook/dp/B0CJ2WBMWP

⁠Beyond Luxury Group⁠ is a strategic advisory and new media group, guiding leaders towards the future of luxury and beyond.

We work with top fashion/accessories, beauty/wellness, and hospitality/longevity brands to accelerate meaningful, future-proof growth. Get in touch to find out how we can support your business.
⁠Carlota Rodben⁠ is CEO and Founder of⁠ Beyond Luxury Group⁠, best-selling author, former Head of Innovation at Chanel, and host of the⁠ Beyond Luxury⁠ Podcast, ranked top 10% globally on Spotify podcasts.

A former LVMH executive is building Ireland's first luxury group. Ashley McDonnell reveals VYKO and the untold story of Irish craft luxury.

Ireland has centuries of mastery in wool, linen, whiskey, and knitwear, yet no luxury infrastructure has ever been built around it. Ashley McDonnell spent a decade inside LVMH, Dior, Puig, and Google, studying how the world's great luxury houses scale heritage into global brands. She saw a gap nobody was filling. VYKO is her answer: a luxury brand group designed to acquire, elevate, and globalize the best of Irish craft.

In this conversation, Ashley walks through her acquisition framework (three questions, no P&L required), explains why fragrance is always the first strategic move inside a new brand, and lays out VYKO's market expansion roadmap from New York to Dubai to Shanghai. She also shares the story behind Ireland Fashion Week, which she launched with 54 designers and generated 500 million impressions on zero budget.

This is one of those episodes where the last answer changes how you think about what luxury actually means.

TIMESTAMPS 00:00:00 — Introduction

 00:00:23 — Why Ireland is luxury's most overlooked origin story

 00:05:20 — Ashley's decade inside LVMH, Dior, Puig, and Google

 00:12:32 — What VYKO is and how the luxury group model works 

00:46:40 — The 3-question brand acquisition filter 

00:44:37 — Why fragrance is the first move in every acquisition

 00:22:36 — Ireland Fashion Week: 54 designers, 500M impressions, zero budget 

00:36:35 — The expansion map: New York, Dubai, Shanghai

 00:56:36 — What luxury actually means to her

🎙️ Beyond Luxury Podcast · Season 4, Episode 1 Subscribe for the conversations shaping luxury's next chapter.

#LuxuryBusiness #IrishFashion #LuxuryStrategy #CraftLuxury #VYKO

FIND US 

Substack → beyondluxury.substack.com 

Instagram → @beyondluxury.media Instagram → @beyondluxury.podcast 

Carlota's Instagram → @carlotarodben 

ShopMy → @carlotarodben 

Website → beyondluxury.group 

LinkTree → linktr.ee/beyondluxury.group

FIND Ashely McDonnell & VYKO on IG:

• 
  ash.mcdonnell
• 
  vykogroup
• 
  irelandfashionweek
  
• 
  techpoweredluxury
  

What if we told you AI adoption will make interactions more human than ever?For years, the industry feared that embracing technology could dilute brand value and displace human expertise. Yet in today’s landscape, it is precisely the intelligent integration of technology that allows brands to stay relevant, elevate their equity, and enrich their creative and operational excellence.This time, Carlota Rodben was interviewed on the Experience Vision stage by Andrea Pavon, External Advisory Partner at Beyond Luxury Group and Founder at Rune Futures, unveiling key insights drawn from leading brands such as Dior, Hennessy, Cambour, Ferrari, and Audemars Piguet, among others, all sharing their perspectives on the opportunities that lie ahead at the intersection of luxury and technology.They explored:-From fear to overstimulation and lack of confidence: the three barriers luxury brands have have acontinue to face when approaching technology.-The delicate balance of blending craftsmanship and innovation while safeguarding heritage and identity.-Why the most disruptive impact of technology on luxury may already belong to the past, and why its most transformative potential is only beginning to unfold.-How technology is reshaping every touchpoint: from hyper-personalized digital experiences led by brands like Doji, to more efficient and sustainable supply chains throughout the entire product lifecycle.-How an industry once positioned behind technology is now revealing its true strength: turning the pursuit of dreams into meaningful realities.-The growing imperative for qualitative, agile intelligence to remain ahead of the curve, especially in an era oversaturated with information.Want to stay ahead of the curve? Sign up for our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Weekly Beyond Luxury Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for even more insights and inspiration.

In this episode, Geoffrey Perez, Head of Luxury at Snap Inc., shares how luxury is evolving beyond products into experiences, emotions, and deep cultural relevance. He explains how new generations seek meaning, personalization, and emotional value, not just status or objects. With his experience leading luxury partnerships at Snapchat, Geoffrey breaks down how digital platforms offer new ways for brands to build intimacy, craft narratives, and create immersive moments that resonate with younger audiences.

He explores how technology allows luxury brands to stay human and personal at scale, how XR is redefining brand interaction, and why exclusivity is no longer just about scarcity, but about relevance and timing. Geoffrey also reflects on the importance of brand purpose, cultural sensitivity, and the art of crafting desire in a fast-moving digital world.

Want to stay ahead of the curve?

Sign up for our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Weekly Beyond Luxury Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for even more insights and inspiration.

TL;DR

• Ines Alpha talks about her collaborations where creativity thrives within clear constraints. She values working with teams that respect her artistic vision, balancing freedom with specific direction.

• Her projects explore blending physical face wear with augmented reality (AR), creating a unique fusion of 3D makeup and digital experiences. Ines worked on both the physical design and AR elements to make the two worlds interact seamlessly.

• AR makeup allows for new forms of self-expression, enabling people to explore different identities digitally. It offers more freedom compared to traditional beauty standards, allowing people to experiment without physical boundaries.

• Ines envisions a future where AR makeup could be featured at high-profile fashion events, with both physical and digital beauty merging for immersive, forward-thinking experiences.

• The evolution of AR technology and social media platforms is shaping the future of beauty, making new forms of creative expression possible, and opening up opportunities for innovative collaborations.

Want to stay ahead of the curve?

Sign up for our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Weekly Beyond Luxury Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for even more insights and inspiration.

In this podcast episode, Ines Alpha, a leader in the world of 3D makeup and augmented reality, shares insights into her creative journey, particularly her collaboration with Studio Halia. Ines discusses how she blends the physical and digital realms, emphasizing her passion for constraints in design that lead to true innovation. She highlights her work where physical face wear and makeup are enhanced by AR, allowing users to customize their appearance in real-time. Ines explains the importance of collaborating with expert teams to push the boundaries of what’s possible in AR, especially in creating highly interactive and personalized digital makeup experiences.
She also touches on the community aspect of her work, explaining how AR allows people to explore new identities and self-expression, often in spaces where traditional self-presentation might be limited. Looking ahead, Ines reflects on the future of augmented reality in major beauty and fashion events, foreseeing a shift where digital transformations will be just as prominent as physical ones. As technology evolves, she envisions a growing connection between the digital and physical worlds, with new opportunities to create more immersive and expressive experiences for her audience.

Want to stay ahead of the curve?

Sign up for our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Weekly Beyond Luxury Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for even more insights and inspiration.

TL;DR

• Yalda's personal journey highlights how chronic inflammation is at the heart of many widespread health issues—from autoimmune diseases to conditions like cancer, thyroid imbalances, and even depression, proving just how essential it is to address inflammation for long-term health.
• The Eat Burn Sleep method focuses on three pillars: food, movement, and mental wellness, designed to reduce inflammation without the need for extreme or restrictive diets.
• Her approach challenges common wellness trends, such as the vegan diet or high-intensity workouts, emphasizing sustainable, evidence-based practices tailored to individual needs.
• Health and wellness are becoming increasingly recognized as essential luxury pillars, with people prioritizing long-term vitality and holistic well-being over temporary fixes.

Want to stay ahead of the curve?

Sign up for our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Weekly Beyond Luxury Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for even more insights and inspiration.

In this episode, Yalda Alaoui, a leading expert in chronic inflammation and nutrition, shares her journey from the corporate world to becoming a top figure in health and wellness. After battling autoimmune diseases, Yalda spent over a decade researching lifestyle changes to heal herself, discovering the link between chronic inflammation and many modern diseases. This led to the creation of Eat Burn Sleep, a platform focused on managing inflammation through food, movement, and mental wellness, offering a balanced lifestyle that doesn’t require perfection but aims for sustainable health.Yalda emphasizes a flexible approach, allowing occasional indulgences while reducing inflammation. Her method has helped thousands, from chronic disease sufferers to doctors who now support her approach. She also discusses how wellness has evolved into a luxury, with more people seeking long-term health solutions over quick fixes. Yalda believes the future of wellness will focus on natural, unprocessed food and a slower, more balanced lifestyle.Want to stay ahead of the curve?

Sign up for our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Weekly Beyond Luxury Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for even more insights and inspiration.