Beyond Luxury // The Dive
This week, I’ve been reflecting that Beyond Luxury Group’s Substack is nearing its 40th article, with over 1.2K subscribers from more than 50 countries. What began as an experiment connected to Beyond Luxury: The Promise of Emotion and the Beyond Luxury Podcast has evolved into a space for meaningful conversations, thoughtful reflections, and a community that’s not just interested in trends but in deeper, more deliberate discussions.
Part of what’s made this so exciting is that it mirrors a broader shift in how people are consuming content today. We’re seeing the rise of a new kind of creator, not influencers chasing algorithms or followers, but individuals and collectives building businesses on the back of trust. Traditional media is losing its grip, social platforms are increasingly unreliable, and readers are reclaiming control. In a world where engagement-driven feeds dictate what we see, platforms like Substack offer a rare alternative: one where people consciously choose which voices to invite into their inboxes, and which ones to support with their attention, and even their money. It marks a return to authenticity, agency, and deeper connection.
In a world that often prioritizes speed, buzzwords, and trends, we decided to slow down the noise. Our newsletter was created as a space for deeper thinking and knowledge creation, rooted in our mission and perspective. It aims to shape a more desirable future over time. Substack proved to be the ideal platform to support this evolution.
We’re seeing an average monthly growth of 28% in subscribers, and our publication is now ranked among the top #70 globally in beauty and fashion. But what truly matters isn’t the numbers, it’s the conversations we’ve sparked, the questions we’ve received, and the ongoing discussions that continue to unfold quietly between articles.
Like many industries, the luxury sector finds itself at an unusually challenging moment. The world is faster, louder, more polarized, and increasingly distracted. As Johann Hari, author of Stolen Focus, points out, the average person switches tasks every three minutes, and it can take as much as 23 minutes to regain full focus. Social media, designed for dopamine hits, is meant to keep our attention fragmented. As a consequence, brands and leaders are finding themselves more lost than ever, searching for guidance.
So, how do we bring back depth and connection? How can long-term thinking survive in a world obsessed with speed and convenience? Amidst these challenges, we believe there are also opportunities, and this may be the perfect moment for the luxury industry to reclaim something truly meaningful.
That is why, in this week’s article, we want to share what we’ve learned over the past ten months about Substack and why it’s more relevant to the luxury industry than ever before.
Reason #1: A Space Where Storytelling Can Breathe Again
Like many, we at Beyond Luxury Group have found ourselves spending more and more time on Substack this year. It began with reading occasional posts from some of our favorite creators, whether it was an in-depth breakdown of an outfit, a new recipe, or a thoughtful exploration of a topic that resonated. There’s a nostalgic charm to Substack that reminds us of the candid blogs we all used to read before Instagram evolved into what it is today. That sense of authenticity and depth is what keeps us coming back, something we often find lacking in the rapid, scroll-heavy nature of social media.
As a group, we’ve come to appreciate how Substack offers a refreshing break from the constant churn of surface-level content. It gives us the chance to engage with long-form, meaningful narratives, something we believe is increasingly important in a world that often prioritizes speed over substance. Substack provides a space for content that doesn’t have to be rushed or distilled into bite-sized information. It’s a platform that encourages deeper reflection, giving writers and creators the time and space to share stories that matter.
For the luxury industry, this is a powerful opportunity. Luxury thrives on meaning and context, elements that can easily get lost in the noise of social media. Substack’s slower pace, more deliberate storytelling, and thoughtful engagement provide the perfect environment to reclaim those values and educate. Here, the story behind craftsmanship, legacy, and innovation can unfold in full, without the pressure to conform to the fast-paced demands of daily content.
In a world where everything moves faster, Substack offers luxury a chance to slow down and engage readers in a way that feels intentional and valuable. It’s a place where meaningful conversations, rather than fleeting trends, take center stage.
Reason #2: A Shift from Audience to Community
In today’s world, sometimes platforms can reduce people to mere numbers, followers, views, impressions, conversions, focusing solely on scale. But luxury has always focused on something more refined: resonance. It’s about reaching the right individuals, with the right message, at the right moment. This approach isn’t about viral reach, but meaningful connections.
Newsletters like Substack are inherently personal. They land directly in the inbox, avoiding the clutter of social media feeds. At the moment, they aren’t interrupted by ads or filtered through algorithms that prioritize speed over connection. This form of delivery creates a different kind of relationship, one that is direct, intentional, and more human. For luxury brands and professionals, this intimacy provides an invaluable opportunity to share the values and beliefs that define it.
Additionally, Substack allows for more than simply building an audience, it fosters the development of a community based on algorithms of course, but one that follows an intention. A community that seeks substance, that asks questions, shares insights, and builds deeper connections.
In an era when authenticity is scarce and trust is difficult to cultivate, this kind of relationship offers a significant advantage. Conversations can evolve naturally, free from the constraints on short-term engagement.
For us, future thinkers, this provides the chance to develop long-term, meaningful relationships rather than chasing transient attention. It’s a platform that nurtures trust, one conversation at a time, leading to deeper engagement and sustained loyalty.
Reason #3: A Platform for Upskilling and Strategic Learning
Luxury has always been driven by expertise, by deep knowledge of craft, culture, and innovation. But as the industry faces a wave of technological disruption, economic volatility, and shifting consumer values, that foundation of expertise must be constantly renewed. The leaders that succeed in the coming decade will be those that invest not only in products but in people, those who prioritize learning, foresight, and the development of future-ready skills.
This is important because the need is urgent. According to the World Economic Forum, nearly 60% of workers will require reskilling by 2030 to remain relevant. Digital transformation, AI integration, sustainability mandates, and new models of consumer engagement are redefining what luxury means, and how it operates. These changes present real opportunities, but only for organizations prepared to meet them with agility, insight, and capability.
This is where Substack plays a powerful role. Its format encourages ongoing education through in-depth, accessible content that readers can return to at their own pace. It allows luxury professionals, whether in creative, operational, or strategic roles, to engage with forward-thinking analysis, new frameworks, and future-facing ideas outside of traditional training settings. It enables brands to shift from reactive learning to proactive, strategic upskilling.
At Beyond Luxury Group, we see education not as a side note, but as a strategic imperative. Through our work in foresight and advisory, we’ve seen time and again that long-term success requires organizations to anticipate change, and prepare their people for it.
Moreover, Substack offers a space to share that preparation: decoding signals, translating complexity, and helping leaders understand what’s coming and how to respond. This is exactly what we aim to bring to the table: facts, data, guidance, and future thinking in order to empower the luxury industry with the knowledge it needs to act with clarity and confidence.
So, Why Does This Matter?
The Bottom Line: Substack Is a Strategic Tool for a New Era of Luxury
In an industry defined by depth, intention, and meaning, the pace and noise of the digital world have made it harder to connect in ways that truly matter. Substack helps shift that dynamic. It creates the space for reflection over reaction, for storytelling that unfolds rather than performs, and for dialogue that builds lasting relationships.
This platform supports the kind of thinking the luxury sector needs right now, honest opinions from people that live and experience the industry, rooted in purpose. It allows brands and leaders to communicate with clarity, to educate with credibility, and to foster communities by shared values and long-term vision.
At Beyond Luxury Group, this is what we’re committed to building: a space for future-focused insights, real-time foresight, and conversations that equip the luxury industry for what’s ahead. If the next decade demands transformation, then the tools we choose to think, share, and learn through will shape how ready we really are. As our newsletter community continues to grow, we’re energized by the possibilities ahead, and curious to see just how far Substack can take us.
To give you one final spark of inspiration, here are some other Substack profiles we encourage you to follow:
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– a curation hospitality and luxury insights.
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– an educational space dedicated to the unison of the evolving worlds of luxury and technology with insights from the leaders of the industry.
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– a global weekly newsletter about how to connect brand and business through culture.
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– trends and insights across culture, luxury, fashion, beauty, technology and innovation.
Substack isn’t a trend. It’s part of a shift toward a more intentional, informed, and resilient future for luxury.
Note, that this is an opinion piece by Carolina Soares, Head of Content and Business Intelligence, with the guidance and endorsement of Carlota Rodben, Founder & CEO.
Beyond Luxury Group is a futures advisory firm that guides decision makers towards a more purpose and experience driven luxury. Follow us on : LinkedIn | Podcast | Instagram
Carlota Rodben is CEO and Founder of Beyond Luxury Group and host of the Beyond Luxury Podcast, ranked among the top #2 globally in its category. A best-selling author, she has written Beauty As It Is and Beyond Luxury: The Promise of Emotion, two acclaimed books exploring the future of beauty and luxury. Formerly at CHANEL, she founded the Open Innovation Team in Europe and later led New Concepts for the Global Open Innovation Team. Carlota lectures at institutions including NYU, Glion, ESADE, IE, and Regent’s University London, is a sought-after advisor and thought-leader on innovation, futures thinking, and purpose-driven strategy in the luxury industry.
Carolina Soares is the Head of Content and Business Intelligence at Beyond Luxury Group. A former Googler with 11 years of experience in insights and trend analysis, she later transitioned into consulting for leading brands. Carolina has a sharp instinct for translating complex data into meaningful insights and crafting compelling narratives that help shape more desirable, forward-thinking futures.
The Beyond Luxury Substack in a proud partner of Submarine.ai, from David Klingbeil.