Tech Powered Luxury

By Ashley McDonnellBusiness Entrepreneurship

Tech Powered Luxury episodes

March 03, 2025Creating the Future of Fintech for Luxury Shopping Experiences with Prommt CEO Donal McGuinness
Welcome to Season 6 of Tech Powered Luxury, brought to you with Azure Communications!
This week, we’re diving into the world of mobile payments, luxury retail, and user experience with Donal McGuiness, the CEO of Prommt. If you’ve ever wondered how tech is shaping the way we shop for high-ticket items or how luxury retailers are making payments seamless for their customers, this episode is a must-listen!

Payments in luxury need to evolve to match the elevated customer experience. Clunky, unbranded payment methods can ruin the luxury journey. 💫

Prommt is revolutionizing payments by offering secure, branded mobile payment solutions that streamline high-ticket transactions via SMS, WhatsApp, and Zoom—making the checkout experience as seamless and premium as the service and customer experience that accompany the products.

Social commerce is reshaping luxury retail. Platforms like WeChat, Instagram, WhatsApp, and TikTok Shop are now powerful sales channels, allowing luxury brands to engage and sell directly to consumers through these platforms.
For quite some time now, Azure has been our go-to provider for all things print and marketing. If you attended our ⁠Live from Paris Fashion Week⁠ show in September last year, you would have seen our event magazines featuring all of the designers and creatives who played a part in the event and our beautiful invites - all created by Azure Communications - they know how to elevate events and marketing with a luxury and personalised touch.
If you’re looking for top-tier branded collateral, print services, or marketing support, look no further because Azure Communications can take care of all of it.
You can visit them at ⁠www.azurecomm.ie⁠ or follow them on Instagram at @AzureCommunications.

ABOUT
Season 6 of Tech Powered Luxury is brought to you by luxury and tech entrepreneur Ashley McDonnell. With 10 years of experience working at the crossroads of luxury and technology, Ashley carved out a career across Paris, Dublin and Geneva, working at LVMH, Dior, Google and luxury group PUIG. The podcast is also taught as a module at leading business and design schools around the world, with the goal to share insightful and actionable stories and experience from industry leaders.
NEWSLETTER & COMMUNITY REWARDS
Each week, we bring a dedicated newsletter as well as Community Rewards to Tech Powered Luxury listeners. Subscribe to our substack to have full access: https://techpoweredluxury.substack.com/
THE TECH POWERED LUXURY TEAM
Producer & Host: Ashley McDonnell
Videography: Ben O’Neill
Photography: Anastasiia Redko, Anastasiia Lopushynska and Madeline Gillespie
Production Assistants: Abigail Herbert, Gemma Brennan, Tessa Haughton Lynch, Grace Slattery and Klaudia Skierska
Socials and Newsletter: Laoise O’Connell
Styling: Johanna Dooley
Styling Assistants: Cian Crowe and Alison Murphy
Public Relations: Align Agency
Content Creation: Kinsman & Co
41 min
February 28, 2025From British Vogue to the BBC and Beyond: Fashion, Media and AI with Anne-Marie Tomchak
Welcome to Season 6 of Tech Powered Luxury, brought to you with Azure Communications!
This week’s guest: Anne-Marie Tomchak, journalist, broadcaster, and expert on fashion, sustainability, and AI.
Anne-Marie’s career spans British Vogue, documentary-making, and co-founding ShareJoy, a platform combining storytelling with sustainable fashion.
AI is making an impact on trend forecasting, supply chain management, and even design itself, while sustainability is becoming a critical business pillar.
AI vs. craftsmanship: Will we value artistry, or will speed and scalability win?
Exclusive reward: Win a 30-minute mentorship session with Anne-Marie! Head to our substack to find out more.
For quite some time now, Azure has been our go-to provider for all things print and marketing. If you attended our ⁠Live from Paris Fashion Week⁠ show in September last year, you would have seen our event magazines featuring all of the designers and creatives who played a part in the event and our beautiful invites - all created by Azure Communications - they know how to elevate events and marketing with a luxury and personalised touch.
If you’re looking for top-tier branded collateral, print services, or marketing support, look no further because Azure Communications can take care of all of it.
You can visit them at ⁠www.azurecomm.ie⁠ or follow them on Instagram at @AzureCommunications.
ABOUT
Season 6 of Tech Powered Luxury is brought to you by luxury and tech entrepreneur Ashley McDonnell. With 10 years of experience working at the crossroads of luxury and technology, Ashley carved out a career across Paris, Dublin and Geneva, working at LVMH, Dior, Google and luxury group PUIG. The podcast is also taught as a module at leading business and design schools around the world, with the goal to share insightful and actionable stories and experience from industry leaders.
NEWSLETTER & COMMUNITY REWARDS
Each week, we bring a dedicated newsletter as well as Community Rewards to Tech Powered Luxury listeners. Subscribe to our substack to have full access: https://techpoweredluxury.substack.com/
THE TECH POWERED LUXURY TEAM
Producer & Host: Ashley McDonnell
Videography: Ben O’Neill
Photography: Anastasiia Redko, Anastasiia Lopushynska and Madeline Gillespie
Production Assistants: Abigail Herbert, Gemma Brennan, Tessa Haughton Lynch, Grace Slattery and Klaudia Skierska
Socials and Newsletter: Laoise O’Connell
Styling: Johanna Dooley
Styling Assistants: Cian Crowe and Alison Murphy
Public Relations: Align Agency
Content Creation: Kinsman & Co
43 min
February 25, 2025Live from Abu Dhabi: How the Middle East Holds the Future for the Luxury Industry with Akash Mehta, Dr Vali, Jamie Ray & Magee
On February 13th Tech Powered Luxury brought together thought leaders and changemakets in Abu Dhabi to discuss the future of luxury fashion and beauty in Ireland and the Middle East.
We gathered over 300 hundred people at the Ambassador’s Residence in Abu Dhabi for an inspiring evening focused on showcasing Irish design in the Middle East. Hosted by HE Alison Milton, Irish Ambassador to the UAE, in partnership with Tech Powered Luxury, Enterprise Ireland, Tourism Ireland and Into Kildare, the event celebrated Irish creativity on a global stage, highlighting the synergy between Irish design and the Middle Eastern market through thought-provoking discussions and stunning fashion showcases.
Meet Our Expert Panel
Ashley McDonnell moderated a live panel discussion with five leading voices in fashion and beauty who shared their insights, including:

Akash Mehta – CEO & Co-Founder of Fable & Mane, Founder of The Fable Fund

Dr. Shawana Vali – Founder of By Dr. Vali, skincare & beauty innovator

Jamie Ray– Founder of Buttermilk Agency, the community-first creator agency

Rosy Temple– CEO of Magee 1866, driving the future of heritage fashion

Anneliese Duffy – Founder of Fashion ConnectIreland & Designer ofLinen Shirt Company
This diverse panel blended global brand strategy insights with Irish fashion expertise, perfectly complementing the event’s mission to bridge design, innovation, and luxury across markets.
Read more about the event and how we created this concept with a full creative team of Ireland's brightest talents and brandshere.
48 min
February 03, 2025Fashion OG Lorraine Keane on the Xposé Days to Fashion Relief and Speaking Up About Menopause
Welcome to Season 6 of Tech Powered Luxury, brought to you with Azure Communications!
This week, we shine light on Lorraine Keane - broadcaster, entrepreneur and champion for sustainable fashion and social impact. From interviewing A-list celebrities on red carpets to creating impactful charitable initiatives, Lorraine’s story is one of pure passion.
From her early days on AA Roadwatch to becoming a household name through TV3’s Xposé, Lorraine carved a path that took her across the globe - dancing with Bono, singing with Paul Young, and rubbing shoulders with Victoria Beckham.

Pivoting to freelance work allowed Lorraine to create Fashion Relief, a sustainable fashion initiative that has raised over €250,000 for charity while promoting conscious consumption.

ABOUT
Season 6 of Tech Powered Luxury is brought to you by luxury and tech entrepreneur Ashley McDonnell. With 10 years of experience working at the crossroads of luxury and technology, Ashley carved out a career across Paris, Dublin and Geneva, working at LVMH, Dior, Google and luxury group PUIG. The podcast is also taught as a module at leading business and design schools around the world, with the goal to share insightful and actionable stories and experience from industry leaders.
NEWSLETTER & COMMUNITY REWARDS
Each week, we bring a dedicated newsletter as well as Community Rewards to Tech Powered Luxury listeners. Subscribe to our substack to have full access: https://techpoweredluxury.substack.com/
THE TECH POWERED LUXURY TEAM
Producer & Host: Ashley McDonnell
Videography: Ben O’Neill
Photography: Anastasiia Redko, Anastasiia Lopushynska and Madeline Gillespie
Production Assistants: Abigail Herbert, Gemma Brennan, Tessa Haughton Lynch, Grace Slattery and Klaudia Skierska
Newsletter: Laoise O’Connell
Styling: Johanna Dooley
Styling Assistants: Cian Crowe and Alison Murphy
Public Relations: Align Agency
Content Creation: Kinsman & Co

If you’re looking for top-tier branded collateral, print services, or marketing support, look no further because Azure Communications can take care of all of it.
You can visit them at ⁠www.azurecomm.ie⁠ or follow them on Instagram at @AzureCommunications.
49 min
January 28, 2025Luxury Retail 2.0 - From AR Mirrors for D&G to NFC Beauty Stickers and AI Influencers with FFFACE.ME Founder Dmytro Kornilov
Welcome to Season 6 of Tech Powered Luxury, brought to you with Azure Communications!
FFFACE.ME is leading the way in blending AR and retail by integrating AR mirrors, phygital clothes and virtual try-ons into offline and online shopping experience.

Dmytro shares how his introduction to AR wasn’t exactly love at first sight - but how, over time, he discovered its true potential and developed powerful use cases for the luxury fashion and beauty industries.

Dmytro emphasises the need to adapt marketing strategies to the cultural and psychological needs of the next generation, rather than chasing every new technology trend.

The main takeaway from this episode is that brands need to balance heritage with thoughtful innovation that add value, boost brand awareness, and drive sales.
For quite some time now, Azure has been our go-to provider for all things print and marketing. If you attended our ⁠Live from Paris Fashion Week⁠ show in September last year, you would have seen our event magazines featuring all of the designers and creatives who played a part in the event and our beautiful invites - all created by Azure Communications - they know how to elevate events and marketing with a luxury and personalised touch.
If you’re looking for top-tier branded collateral, print services, or marketing support, look no further because Azure Communications can take care of all of it.
You can visit them at ⁠www.azurecomm.ie⁠ or follow them on Instagram at @AzureCommunications.

ABOUT
Season 6 of Tech Powered Luxury is brought to you by luxury and tech entrepreneur Ashley McDonnell. With 10 years of experience working at the crossroads of luxury and technology, Ashley carved out a career across Paris, Dublin and Geneva, working at LVMH, Dior, Google and luxury group PUIG. The podcast is also taught as a module at leading business and design schools around the world, with the goal to share insightful and actionable stories and experience from industry leaders.
NEWSLETTER & COMMUNITY REWARDS
Each week, we bring a dedicated newsletter as well as Community Rewards to Tech Powered Luxury listeners. Subscribe to our substack to have full access: https://techpoweredluxury.substack.com/
THE TECH POWERED LUXURY TEAM
Producer & Host: Ashley McDonnell
Videography: Ben O’Neill
Photography: Anastasiia Redko, Anastasiia Lopushynska and Madeline Gillespie
Production Assistants: Abigail Herbert, Gemma Brennan, Tessa Haughton Lynch, Grace Slattery and Klaudia Skierska
Newsletter: Laoise O’Connell
Styling: Johanna Dooley
Styling Assistants: Cian Crowe and Alison Murphy
Public Relations: Align Agency
Content Creation: Kinsman & Co
57 min
January 21, 2025From Fashion Editor to Red Carpets and Live TV: Creating a Dream Career with Zeda the Architect 🎬
Welcome to the Season 6 Premiere of Tech Powered Luxury, brought to you with Azure Communications!
For quite some time now, Azure has been our go-to provider for all things print and marketing. If you attended our Live from Paris Fashion Week show in September last year, you would have seen our event magazines featuring all of the designers and creatives who played a part in the event and our beautiful invites - all created by Azure Communications - they know how to elevate events and marketing with a luxury and personalised touch.
If you’re looking for top-tier branded collateral, print services, or marketing support, look no further because Azure Communications can take care of all of it.
You can visit them at www.azurecomm.ie or follow them on Instagram at @AzureCommunications.

This week, we’re excited to present an exclusive interview with Zeda the Architect, former Fashion Editor at Stellar. From visual enthusiast to fashion stylist, creative director, photographer, and producer, she does it all - and she excels at every turn.
Zeda the Architect takes us on a journey through how she navigated the challenges of building a career in Ireland’s fashion industry to become a trailblazer in the field.

With relentless determination, Zeda pitched dozens of mood boards to fashion magazines, landing her first major project celebrating diversity in Irish fashion, which opened doors and eventually led her to become Fashion Editor at Stellar.

Zeda is now a prominent voice in Irish fashion and dreams of creating a space where she can share insights and knowledge with upcoming industry professionals.

ABOUT
Season 6 of Tech Powered Luxury is brought to you by luxury and tech entrepreneur Ashley McDonnell. With 10 years of experience working at the crossroads of luxury and technology, Ashley carved out a career across Paris, Dublin and Geneva, working at LVMH, Dior, Google and luxury group PUIG. The podcast is also taught as a module at leading business and design schools around the world, with the goal to share insightful and actionable stories and experience from industry leaders.
NEWSLETTER & COMMUNITY REWARDS
Each week, we bring a dedicated newsletter as well as Community Rewards to Tech Powered Luxury listeners. Subscribe to our substack to have full access: https://techpoweredluxury.substack.com/
THE TECH POWERED LUXURY TEAM
Producer & Host: Ashley McDonnell
Videography: Ben O’Neill
Photography: Anastasiia Redko, Anastasiia Lopushynska and Madeline Gillespie
Production Assistants: Abigail Herbert, Gemma Brennan, Tessa Haughton Lynch, Grace Slattery and Klaudia Skierska
Newsletter: Laoise O’Connell
Styling: Johanna Dooley
Styling Assistants: Cian Crowe and Alison Murphy
Public Relations: Align Agency
Content Creation: Kinsman & Co
35 min
December 03, 2024 Live from Irish Design Week: The Art of Styling at Belvedere House
Created by Zeda the Architect, this event was all about celebrating the vital role that Irish stylists play in shaping, promoting, and advancing the fashion industry while connecting it to the broader design community - often seen as the glue that brings the industry together.
The evening consisted of two panel talks, the second moderated by Tech Powered Luxury included Shana Chu, Aoife McNamara, Evan Doherty, Sinead Keenan, Anne O’Shea and Lawson Mpame.
What could possibly bring a CEO, a Director, photographer, stylist, producer and designer together? Of course it would have to be a conversation around fashion - the industry that is not quite yet seen as one in Ireland but that’s finally starting to make an impact. Just yesterday, two of Ireland’s most successful designers - JW Anderson and Simone Rocha - took home two of the biggest prizes at the British Fashion Awards, a testaement to the talent coming from Ireland.
45 min
October 21, 2024From the Glory Days of Topshop to Building Every Woman's Capsule Wardrobe with Sinead Keary
In our Season 5 finale, Sinead Keary reveals how her experience in personal shopping and luxury retail helped her create a digital-first brand, bringing personalization to the online space.
Sinead Keary brings together lessons learned from both Topshop and Brown Thomas to create a digital-first brand that merges premium accessibility with luxury craftsmanship.

Her brand stems from her years of experience in personal shopping, understanding client needs and delivering capsule collections that women can rely on season after season.

Even with roots in traditional retail, Sinead’s focus on online sales and digital strategies allowed her to create a brand that thrives in today’s digital-first landscape.
ABOUT
Season 5 of Tech Powered Luxury is brought to you by luxury and tech entrepreneur Ashley McDonnell. With 10 years of experience working at the crossroads of luxury and technology, Ashley carved out a career across Paris, Dublin and Geneva, working at LVMH, Dior, Google and luxury group PUIG. The podcast is also taught as a module at leading business and design schools around the world, with the goal to share insightful and actionable stories and experience from industry leaders.

NEWSLETTER & COMMUNITY REWARDS
Each week, we bring a dedicated newsletter as well as Community Rewards to Tech Powered Luxury listeners. Subscribe to our substack to have full access: https://techpoweredluxury.substack.com/

THE TECH POWERED LUXURY TEAM
Producer & Host: Ashley McDonnell
Videography: Ben O’Neill and Morgan Prudhomme
Photography: Anastasiia Redko, Anastasiia Lopushynska and Madeline Gillespie
Production Assistants: Abigail Herbert, Gemma Brennan, Tessa Haughton Lynch, Grace Slattery and Klaudia Skierska
Newsletter: Beatriz Barros
Styling: Johanna Dooley
Styling Assistants: Cian Crowe and Alison Murphy
Public Relations: Align Agency
Content Creation: Kinsman & Co
42 min
October 14, 2024 Live from Paris Fashion Week: Decoding the Luxury Industry Ecosystem in Ireland
This week, we bring you the live podcast episode from our most important event to date: Live from Paris Fashion Week, where we gathered Aoife McNanamara, Una McGurk, Paul Sheeran, Bairbre Power and Shana Chu to discuss how each of them are elevating the Irish fashion ecosystem in all its different forms: from retail to journalism, from beauty and fine jewellery to innovation.
The event took place at the heart of Paris, at the best place to gather an outstanding lineup of Irish speakers: the Embassy of Ireland. Drawing back on the essence of diplomatic union and collaboration, guests were welcomed to a showcase of the best of beauty, fashion, jewelry and spirits Ireland can offer in Paris.
The first room showcased the best of Irish fashion: Aoife McNamara, Colin Burke, Laura Jayne Halton, Kindred of Ireland, The Landskein, Roisin Linnane, The White Era, Tidings, and Ros Duke.
The second room featured a mix of brands with alcoohol-free sparking wine from French Bloom, beautiful lab-grown diamonds from Chupi, and beauty brands Ella & Jo and Seoulista Beauty.

ABOUT
Season 5 of Tech Powered Luxury is brought to you by luxury and tech entrepreneur Ashley McDonnell. With 10 years of experience working at the crossroads of luxury and technology, Ashley carved out a career across Paris, Dublin and Geneva, working at LVMH, Dior, Google and luxury group PUIG. The podcast is also taught as a module at leading business and design schools around the world, with the goal to share insightful and actionable stories and experience from industry leaders.

NEWSLETTER & COMMUNITY REWARDS
Each week, we bring a dedicated newsletter as well as Community Rewards to Tech Powered Luxury listeners. Subscribe to our substack to have full access: https://techpoweredluxury.substack.com/

THE TECH POWERED LUXURY TEAM
Producer & Host: Ashley McDonnell
Videography: Ben O’Neill and Morgan Prudhomme
Photography: Anastasiia Redko, Anastasiia Lopushynska and Madeline Gillespie
Production Assistants: Abigail Herbert, Gemma Brennan, Tessa Haughton Lynch, Grace Slattery and Klaudia Skierska
Newsletter: Beatriz Barros
Styling: Johanna Dooley
Styling Assistants: Cian Crowe and Alison Murphy
Public Relations: Align Agency
Content Creation: Kinsman & Co
34 min
October 07, 2024 Optimizing for Success in China with Digital Luxury Group
The delicate powerplay of localized strategies to reach the Chinese consumer anywhere, at anytime.
The pandemic drastically shifted how Chinese consumers interacted with luxury brands, and the impact of these changes is still being felt. While many brands thrived by focusing on local markets, the return of international travel presents both a challenge and an opportunity: one-third of Chinese consumers are now spending more on luxury goods outside of China.
For luxury brands, this means ensuring they can connect with Chinese consumers whether they’re shopping in Shanghai or Paris. But achieving this involves more than just having a presence in multiple markets—it demands a deep understanding of China’s digital ecosystem and how, in consequence, consumer behavior has evolved the expectation surrounding the luxury experience, “The Chinese luxury consumer has gotten used to the speed, convenience, and rewards of the Chinese digital ecosystem,” explains Jacques.
To remain competitive, brands must adapt their digital and operational strategies both locally and internationally, ensuring that Chinese consumers receive the same high-level service globally.
ABOUT
Season 5 of Tech Powered Luxury is brought to you by luxury and tech entrepreneur Ashley McDonnell. With 10 years of experience working at the crossroads of luxury and technology, Ashley carved out a career across Paris, Dublin and Geneva, working at LVMH, Dior, Google and luxury group PUIG. The podcast is also taught as a module at leading business and design schools around the world, with the goal to share insightful and actionable stories and experience from industry leaders.
NEWSLETTER & COMMUNITY REWARDS
Each week, we bring a dedicated newsletter as well as Community Rewards to Tech Powered Luxury listeners. Subscribe to our substack to have full access: https://techpoweredluxury.substack.com/
THE TECH POWERED LUXURY TEAM
Producer & Host: Ashley McDonnell
Videography: Ben O’Neill and Morgan Prudhomme
Photography: Anastasiia Redko, Anastasiia Lopushynska and Madeline Gillespie
Production Assistants: Abigail Herbert, Gemma Brennan, Tessa Haughton Lynch, Grace Slattery and Klaudia Skierska
Newsletter: Beatriz Barros
Styling: Johanna Dooley
Styling Assistants: Cian Crowe and Alison Murphy
Public Relations: Align Agency
Content Creation: Kinsman & Co
1 hr 2 min