TOP TREATS FOR TOP SPENDERS

Courting and retaining top spenders is now a priority for brands as client bases shrink

- Carmen Sin

The invitations come every year. For luxury fashion’s top clients, each hand-lettered envelope is the start of opulent expeditions to catch fashion shows abroad on all-expenses-paid trips hosted by brands.

Meals at Michelin-starred joints, chauffeur service and five-star hotel stays are customary, along with some culturally exciting activity like a private tour of a museum closed to the public for that purpose.

Sherry Ang, a regular guest, says: “From private airport transfers to having a dedicated staff member travel with us, almost like a personal assistant, the whole experience is incredibly seamless. You don’t have to think about logistics, they’ve planned everything for you,” says Ang.

The entrepreneur in her late 30s is a Very Important Customer (VIC) of Chanel, Hermes and Louis Vuitton, among others.

Her luxury exploits have opened doors to extra special perks, like a visit to Chanel’s watches and fine jewellery factory in Geneva, and dinners with an Arnault - the family in charge of luxury conglomerate LVMH - and the founder of high-end Swiss watchmaker Richard Mille. Most recently, she was invited to Louis Vuitton’s Cruise 2027 show presented at The Frick in New York.

These eye-popping treats for VICs have intensified in recent years, as the luxury sector becomes increasingly dependent on a few big spenders amid a contracting market.

According to professional services firm KPMG’s 2025 industry report, VICs account for less than 2 per cent of customers but generate close to 40 per cent of revenue, making them a critical growth factor for many luxury brands. The upshot is that courting and keeping this well-heeled class have become brand imperatives.

Battle lines in the industry have been redrawn accordingly.