Isabelle Chouvet on leading luxury into the future

The luxury landscape in China and around the world is constantly shifting and evolving. Few people understand this better than Isabelle Chouvet, CEO and cofounder of The Independents, a global luxury communications and marketing firm. Chouvet’s storied career in luxury brand management began with the founding of events and experiential content company K2 in 2002. Launched in Tokyo, K2 quickly made its mark in the luxury space by collaborating with top-tier brands like Louis Vuitton and Dior. This success spurred the company’s expansion into China and beyond, establishing K2 as a premier agency for luxury events and marketing across Asia. In 2017, Chouvet merged K2 with renowned public relations firm Karla Otto, forming The Independents. Today, the group boasts an impressive portfolio of agencies that offer expertise in brand strategy, communications, influencer marketing, and experiential design. With offices in major hubs across Asia, Europe, and the US, The Independents helps brands navigate the complexities of global luxury markets. Chouvet shares insights on launching a luxury-focused agency, guiding brands through evolving consumer preferences, and integrating sustainability into brand messaging. She also discusses the group’s unique ability to create culture-driven brand experiences that resonate with consumers across diverse regions. As a visionary leader in the luxury sector, Chouvet offers a wealth of knowledge on how to stay relevant and impactful amid an ever-changing luxury landscape. Jing Daily: How did you get started in luxury brand management, and what advice do you have for launching a luxury-focused agency? Isabelle Chouvet: We started our first company from scratch with my partners in Tokyo in 2002, an events company dedicated to high interest brands that could bring a European sensibility to the dynamic Japanese fashion and luxury market. We became known as “K2.” We specialized in concepting and building bespoke events, because it was a sector in which creative expression and a French approach could easily come together. Soon after, we identified the potential to develop a similar offering in China, so I relocated to Shanghai in 2004 to open the company in the Chinese market. Starting with a small team, over time we built one of the most highly-rated event and experiential agencies in the luxury and lifestyle space in China. My advice to launch a luxury-focused agency would remain the same as of 20 years ago: understanding your clients’ needs and values while being creative, flexible, and reliable. JD: What role does The Independents play in the global expansion of luxury brands? IC: We provide clients with industry specialists who act as an extension of their in-house teams and, therefore, become trusted, long-term partners for brands. Our vast network of agencies around the globe offers brands a unique breadth of knowledge and understanding across numerous regions. This means that our clients benefit from global perspectives that can be strategically adapted to reflect the cultural nuances of individual local markets. Due to our global expertise and presence, we’re able to develop the appropriate strategies and provide support to our clients, if and when they choose to expand into new markets. JD: How does The Independents maintain long-term partnerships with luxury brands in an ever-changing industry? IC: We understand the importance of agility, not only for our clients’ success but how we operate as a business. Over the years, we’ve expanded our presence and our offering, which now encompasses communications, creative strategy, talent services, experiences, and insights across 14 locations. Our foresight in evolving our services means that we’re able to cater to brands by providing holistic solutions that they might not have otherwise explored. Working with clients on a long-term consultancy basis allows us to help them adapt to industry shifts, then support and maintain their evolving trajectory. These long-term partnerships are also enhanced by our ability to support our client strategy deployment through the production of related and bespoke experiences, in the most coherent and consistent offer for them, thanks to our global collective of experts. JD: How does The Independents help brands create meaningful, experience-driven connections? IC: The Independents are leaders in culture, with a deep understanding that means each agency can identify the best approach and strategy for luxury brands to become ‘culture brands.’ Our expertise helps us identify key moments in the cultural calendar and develop tailored strategies that are relevant to brands individual objectives, allowing them to authentically enter untapped spaces and cultivate meaningful relationships with these communities. Our network of creative, communications, and digital agencies can work individually and collaboratively to develop unique experiences that meet each consumer touchpoint that brands need to reach. JD: What strategies are key for luxury brands to stay relevant across physical and digital platforms? IC: Consumer behavior is constantly evolving, and it is crucial for brands to have the cultural intelligence to rapidly adapt and react to these changes. Brands need to engage with their consumers where they are most comfortable, whether that is in physical spaces, on digital platforms, or both. JD: How are luxury consumers’ tastes evolving globally, especially between emerging and established markets? IC: Luxury consumers, from both markets, respond to brands that they feel speak to them, brands that are attuned to their cultural affinities. There is a battle raging today to get consumers’ attention. They’re distracted, overwhelmed with invitations and experiences. What cuts through the noise is relevance. For luxury brands to be successful, they must be consistent but also resonate with different cultures throughout the world. They must be cultural brands. To achieve this level of global reach with sensitivity and accuracy requires an agency that is always one step ahead of culture. At The Independents, we ensure clients are relevant, compelling, and memorable everywhere they want to be. JD: As China becomes more globalized, Chinese consumers’ preferences and needs are also changing. How are you helping luxury brands better appeal to these evolving tastes? IC: We have been present in China for 20 years and have offices in Shanghai and Beijing, so we are in the lucky position to be able to see and feel first-hand how the country is constantly evolving. That cultural insight is priceless when it comes to guiding our clients through the intricacies of the market. As Chinese consumers are now widely traveling and exposed to brands globally, it is important to strike the right balance in the positioning back home. This can sometimes be difficult to get right, but with the ears and eyes of our teams on the ground, we are able to devise strategies that feel right for the current zeitgeist. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and brevity. Jing Daily presents Jing Masterminds — a regular, exclusive interview series profiling today’s most iconic names in art, fashion, commerce and culture. Delving deep into their personal journeys, creative processes, business strategies and societal impacts, the series offers readers an intimate look at the lives and minds shaping our industries.

Isabelle Chouvet on leading luxury into the future

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Published October 23, 2024

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Isabelle Chouvet on leading luxury into the future