From AI-powered experiences to immersive digital activations, luxury houses are transforming their business models and redefining what prestige means in the modern age.

This evolution is reshaping the skills, strategies, and mindsets that luxury professionals need. The MA International Luxury Business (Online) program at Vogue College of Fashion is designed for future leaders who want to understand, drive and lead this change in a connected world.

Rethinking Luxury for the Digital Age

According to Elaine Parr, consumer leader of EMEA, IBM, in Evolve or Fade Away: Enriching Luxury Heritage in the AI Era (Vogue Business x IBM, January 2025), “The luxury industry, a business built on timeless heritage and unparalleled craftsmanship, stands at a pivotal juncture. Once unassailable, we see a softening market, with 2025 set to be among the most challenging on record. At the same time, there is a delicate balance between enriching legacy and being future facing; moving at the pace of today’s tech to stay relevant.”

Consumers now expect luxury to meet them where they are: on their devices, in virtual worlds, and across seamless on- and offline experiences. Whether it’s the rise of AI-generated collections, gamified campaigns, or personalised clienteling through data insights, luxury brands are using innovation to cultivate deeper emotional connections with their audiences.

AI and Virtual Craftsmanship

Artificial Intelligence is now influencing everything from trend forecasting to digital design. Some brands are even using AI to reinterpret archival designs or tailor customer experiences in real time. This shift is not about replacing human creativity but enhancing it with new tools and possibilities.

Virtual design software and generative AI tools are empowering designers to prototype and iterate faster while reducing waste and improving sustainability — key concerns for the future of the industry. By reducing textile waste, shortening production timelines and enabling on-demand customisation, this technology is transforming what craftsmanship means in the 21st century—without compromising creativity or care.

Immersive Brand Worlds

From virtual catwalks to interactive flagship store experiences, luxury brands are redefining the runway and the retail floor through digital storytelling. These are carefully crafted ecosystems that fuse art, technology and narrative to create unforgettable moments of connection.

Whether it’s Gucci’s Roblox sneakers, Louis Vuitton’s metaverse collaborations, or Chanel’s multisensory installations, the goal is clear: to create experiences where consumers don’t just observe luxury—they inhabit it. These touchpoints offer new spaces for emotion, engagement and loyalty, especially as the next generation of luxury consumers seeks meaning, not just status.

At Vogue College of Fashion, students are actively engaging with this future. In the AI Meets High Fashion workshop, students explored how creative AI tools are reshaping fashion storytelling, from digital garments to generative design processes.

To explore these frontiers further, Vogue College of Fashion launched the Fashion Media Futures Symposium, a one-day event that brought together thought leaders across media, AI, tech and fashion. From live panel discussions to student-led creative showcases, the symposium spotlighted how emerging platforms and technologies are reshaping the future of fashion communication.

Future-Proof Your Luxury Career

As the luxury industry evolves, so must the people shaping it. The MA International Luxury Business (Online) at Vogue College of Fashion equips students to confidently navigate this changing landscape.

Johannes Reponen, Global Academic Director at Vogue College of Fashion, shares:

“The online MA in International Luxury Business represents the future of fashion and luxury careers. This flexible, comprehensive program is designed to meet the needs of modern professionals and equips them with the skills necessary to lead in an increasingly digital and global luxury market.”

Delivered online for maximum flexibility, the program helps students:

  • Develop a strategic understanding of global luxury trends
  • Explore how technology is redefining customer experience and value
  • Build leadership skills in an increasingly digital-first industry

Whether you’re pivoting careers or enhancing your expertise, this future-focused master’s helps you stay ahead of the curve in a competitive global industry.

Develop your expertise in luxury with the MA International Luxury Business (Online).

Photo by Zhang Yi on Unsplash