Luxury is facing its reckoning — and it’s not just about the economy, there are two forces that are quietly killing some of the world’s most iconic houses: Arrogance and a Meaning Deficit.

This was the topic of an interview I gave this morning. At one point, the host asked me: “If you could name the biggest mistakes luxury brands are making right now, what would they be?”

Here’s what I told them.

The arrogance problem began in the post-pandemic boom. Demand was so high that service became a performance of exclusivity rather than a craft of connection. Many brands acted like the sale was their favor to the customer. And for a while, it worked. It also created silent resentment and hostility that is now home to roost.

But the market has shifted. Buyers are more selective. Traffic is slowing. Inventories are swelling. And the service habits formed in the boom are now backfiring — making customers feel smaller at the exact moment brands need them to feel bigger.

Then there’s the Meaning Deficit. Too many houses have confused new with meaningful. A fresh colorway or an archival re-issue is iteration, not desire creation. Many got wrapped up in fads masquerading as evolution. And service isn’t immune — many are still relying on old-fashioned scripts and ceremonial gestures that once impressed but now feel hollow.

Hollow is exactly the right word.

• Today’s luxury buyer doesn’t just want novelty.
• They want products they covet.
• They want experiences that stir something in them.
• And they want service that feels alive, adaptive, and deeply personal — not just once, but every single time, in every micro-moment and touchpoint — drawing them closer to the brand through ties to their own self-image and story. Right now, they will not open their pocketbooks for anything less.

I’ve been in boardrooms where “innovation” meant another SKU, not a richer narrative. The brands that will win are the ones investing in how they show up — crafting moments of transformation that customers retell for YEARS.

Most people think you create those memories with lavish experiences and expense. That’s old-school thinking. Today, it’s about making different choices with the resources you already have: a new service model, a fresh way of engaging, a unique spark that changes everything. Please, stop boring us with predictable sameness.

• Arrogance shrinks desire.
• A Meaning Deficit dulls it.
• And in a market like this, desire is the only currency that matters.

Antonia J.A. Hock - Founder & President of The AHA Group

Antonia is a trailblazer in the realm of Customer Experience, with an exceptional career rooted in the art of crafting transformative, high-touch experiences for the world’s most discerning clients. Known for her visionary leadership and unparalleled expertise in the luxury industry, Hock’s approach to customer-centricity has forever changed the way luxury brands engage with their customers, setting new standards of excellence across the global marketplace.

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