We see ourselves as Initiators

The world's most successful business magazine Forbes once again cites our strategic concept in the article "Louis Vuitton or Hermès: Which Is the More Authentic Luxury Brand?". The author of the article, Pam Danziger, conducts an authenticity comparison between the two luxury giants Louis Vuitton and Hermès, basing her observations on the findings of our study "The Strategic Role of Authenticity in the Luxury Business". Forbes Magazine, 01.08.2018

Consumer insights specialist Unity Marketing conducts a study of luxury giants Hermès and Louis Vuitton based on our study results. Unity Marketing, 05.08.2018

The Fashion Law cites "The Strategic Role of Authenticity in the Luxury Business" The online magazine for law, business and culture "The Fashion Law" quotes our study. The Fashion Law, 02.08.2018

Chanel receives fierce criticism in the USA for its new sports accessory: a Chanel boomerang. Forbes Magazine responds with a solution for the luxury industry by referring to the study by Patricia Anna Hitzler and Prof. Dr. Günter Müller-Stewens in the article "Chanel Bitten by A Boomerang, and How Luxury Brands Must Evolve". Forbes Magazine, 16.05.2017

"Authenticity is the be-all and end-all in the luxury sector. What are called luxury products today are in fact often just expensive and interchangeable mass products. They have long since lost the essence of what constitutes a luxury product. What remains is a product without history, without unique craftsmanship."   Hitzler/Müller-Stewens in: Neue Züricher Zeitung, 18.08.2016

A brief insight into the second chapter "The Strategic Role of Authenticity in the Luxury Business" by Patricia Anna Hitzler and Prof. Dr. Günter Müller-Stewens of the globally published Springer anthology "Sustainable Management of Luxury":

"The Strategic Role of Authenticity in the Luxury Business"

Authenticity is considered the challenge for the luxury segment of our time. Due to the ongoing democratization of luxury and the increasing use of luxury-specific strategies by mass product manufacturers, the term "luxury" is losing its expressiveness and mystique; it is becoming ordinary. The luxury sector is trying to protect its exclusive status in the long term, to escape dilution with mass product manufacturers and calls itself "authentic luxury", "authentically operating companies in the luxury segment". However, when the topic of "authenticity" is discussed in more detail, hardly anyone can put it into words or make a strategic recommendation to management.

What does "authenticity" mean today? What does it mean in the business environment? What do companies in the luxury goods industry really need to consider in order to be seen as authentic by their stakeholders? And how can they positively influence the perception of authenticity?

This is precisely where this chapter comes in and sheds light.

Source: www.springer.com/de/book/9789811029165

Authenticity is a dynamic construct that is constantly reformatted and supplemented in the course of its use. If authenticity is viewed from a business perspective, it first requires a match between the identity of an organization and its image. It also requires essential fundamental criteria that should be regarded as a basic prerequisite for an authentic company in the luxury segment, as well as measures to promote authenticity, which are discussed in detail here.

In addition, the most important characteristics are discussed in an empirical study with experts from a cross-sector luxury environment. From this, an overview of all drivers of authenticity will be generated as an orientation aid for management and illustrated integrated in a luxury segment-specific value chain. Secondly, a tool is designed that management can use to support its individual implementation of a strategy based on authenticity. By selecting and focusing on the essential core criteria of an organization, the strategic authenticity concept can be used as a differentiation and positioning tool to secure the luxury segment and its profitability in the long term."

Hitzler, Patricia Anna/Müller-Stewens, Günter (2017): The strategic role of authenticity in the luxury business, in: Gardetti, M. A. (Hrsg.): Sustainable management of luxury, Springer: Singapore.

You can now order "Sustainable Management of Luxury" in the Springer Shop.

"Luxury in the perfumery industry: true luxury or just high-quality mass-produced goods? This question is answered by specialist author and luxury expert Patricia Anna Hitzler..."   Parfümerie, July-August issue 2017

"For the 63rd time, the Perfumery Association is hosting its annual conference. Participants can expect interesting speakers and an intensive exchange with industry colleagues. The motto on April 3 and 4 is 'Authenticity and Credibility'.”  Parfümerie.net, March 2017

"The largest and most renowned conference for luxury perfumes and prestige cosmetics will be opened by Patricia Anna Hitzler." Bundesverband Parfümerien e.V., Parfümerienachrichten, 14.03.2017

"The inflationary use of the term "luxury" poses one of the greatest challenges to the luxury industry and raises the question: What to do when exclusivity is lost and luxury suddenly becomes ordinary?"  Parfümerienachrichten, 14.10.2016

"Hardly any other term is as worn out as the word 'luxury'. Patricia Anna Hitzler offers solutions in the coming year with her lecture series 'Authenticity in corporate management in the luxury segment'."  Megafum, 19.01.2017