The word “luxury” is frequently used in the design industry, but what does it truly mean—and how do brands effectively position themselves in this elusive space? Daniela Furtado, founder of Findable Digital Marketing, shares her expertise as she breaks down the evolving definition of luxury, the behaviors of affluent consumers online, and how design-build firms can craft a marketing strategy that reflects their unique take on luxury.
On the first day of my creative writing class, our teacher introduced a rule: no one is allowed to use the word “nice”. It’s vague and imprecise.
The same is true about “luxury” – a word I hear all too often in the interior design field. An overused word, “luxury” carries a slew of misconceptions, contradictions and confusion.
For years, I’ve specialized in marketing interior designers and architects. Many firms want to position themselves as a luxury brand but many come to us unsure of how to do it.
Turns out, luxury marketing is mysterious. There are few resources out there on how to do it right. In this piece, I’ll share both the research and my experience.
Let’s explore what luxury means, who the modern luxury consumer is and what it means to market yourself as a luxury brand.
How do you define luxury? Our clients’ answers to this question were nuanced.
Sansa Interiors defines luxury through high-quality materials, while Lorla Studio emphasizes highly personalized services and custom designs.
Luxury is hard to define because it constantly evolves with consumer values. But we can try to approach it in four stages:
Luxury consumers are no longer only older, white, and male.
For example, Pew Research found that upper-class households in the U.S. are increasingly diverse, with the affluent population now including more Millennials and Gen Xers and an increase in Asian and non-white households.1
The middle class is shrinking while the lower and upper classes are growing. This means that affluent consumers will continue evolving, and so should your understanding of your target customer.2
As the affluent consumer changes, so do their values and desires. I call this the “flavour of luxury.”
Based on our clients, here are some common interpretations:
Accessibility and sustainability are also emerging luxury values, especially with Gen Z, which is expected to account for 25% of luxury market purchases by 2030.
The takeaway? The right consumers won’t connect with you if you’re not speaking their language.
There’s a misconception that luxury consumers aren’t online, but data proves otherwise.
Google Trends shows a steady increase in searches for terms like “interior designer near me” or “architect near me” from 2017 to now. The same goes for “luxury interior design.”5
In the USA, terms like “luxury interior designer” see up to 1,900 monthly searches.
Today, 70% of luxury purchases are influenced by online interactions6. This doesn’t mean consumers will hire you after a single Google search, but it does mean that your online presence matters.
Take Studio McGee, for example. They leveraged social media and online content to land large-scale projects without a network of affluent connections, building a portfolio that led to more high-end opportunities.8.
The modern-day buyer journey is multi-faceted. Even more so when it’s luxury.
So, are affluent consumers online? Yes. But online isn’t the only way they learn about you and buy from you. If you want to get your name out there, you’ve got to be where they are.
Bernard Arnault, CEO of LVMH, defines luxury as a blend of quality and creativity. Creativity, he argues, cannot be traditionally marketed9.
Traditional marketing analyzes what a consumer wants and creates a product accordingly. LVMH does the opposite. They make a product first and market it afterward.
Arnault’s approach is a powerful reminder. In luxury, marketing should cultivate a desire beyond meeting consumer demand.
While you may not have physical stores like LVMH, you do have your body of work.
It’s easy to say you’re a luxury designer, but are you walking the walk? Define what luxury means to you, then ensure it’s reflected in every aspect of your business.
Luxury isn’t a label. It’s something you embody. Once you’ve defined your unique flavour, demonstrate it in how you:
As you go through this exercise, you might realize that “luxury” isn’t the best descriptor. You may value other factors like profitability, peer respect, or creative freedom. These aren’t mutually exclusive to luxury but may shape a different business identity.
Kristen Weber, Marketing Director for Chervin Kitchen & Bath, describes their approach as “premium” instead of “luxury.” For Chervin, premium reflects craftsmanship rather than status, influencing everything from their website to employee interactions.
Luxury is a title you earn and maintain, shaping every interaction, project, and presentation. Since there’s no universal definition for luxury, it’s up to you to define and consistently embody what it looks like for your brand.
Thinking about luxury this way also clarifies the gap between where you are now, how you’re perceived, and where you aspire to be.
References
Author
Daniela Furtado is a consultant, writer and speaker on how to make businesses easy to find online. She runs the agency Findable Digital Marketing and her team specializes in the design-build industry. She is based in Toronto, Canada. Sign up for their newsletter here.
