Luxe Life: The Post-Recession Return of Luxury, And How Social Media Helped Speed Its Comeback (a Champagne Breakfast)

Event Description:

When the recession hit in the fall of 2008, may predicted that it spelled the death of luxury. Belts were tightened, prices were slashed, and an entire industry panicked. Fast forward to 2011. The economy is bruised but recovering - and luxury is bouncing back with it. Significantly, that bounce-back has been facilitated by social media, with fans and aficiandos tweeting their loyalty to favorite brands, joining Facebook groups and starting Tumblrs dedicated to the finer things. Even Chanel is on Twitter. Sacre Bleu! This panel will examine how the rarefied high-end aspirational world of luxe is being enhanced, tapped and accessed through social media, which has traditionally been associated with barrier-lowering and all-access. How has luxury skirted that fundamental incompatibility, and how has luxury reclaimed its place in the economy - or found a new one in this near-overhauled new media world? We'll talk to four fashion/luxe entrepreneurs who would know: Shauna Mei, CEO and Founder of AHALife; Verena von Pfetten, Editor in Chief of Styleite.com; Brooke Moreland, CEO and Co-Founder of Fashism; and Claire Mazur, CEO and Co-Founder of Of A Kind. Moderated by Rachel Sklar.