Luxury has always evolved alongside society’s most influential generations – from the Boomers redefining post-war prosperity to Millennials and Gen Z reshaping luxury around values, experience and digital culture.

A new cohort is now emerging that will transform luxury once again: Generation Alpha – those born from 2010 through the mid-2020s.

Although still young, Gen Alpha is already influencing how brands, products and experiences are perceived within households. Far from being merely “future consumers”, they are beginning to shape the expectations that will define the next era of luxury.

The economic and cultural influence of Gen Alpha

Recent studies show that children within Gen Alpha already influence a significant share of household consumption decisions. In the United States, surveys indicate that children aged 8-14 influence roughly 40% of family purchasing decisions, representing tens of billions of dollars in direct spending power.

Beyond these figures lies a deeper shift. Gen Alpha is growing up in an environment where digital culture, global connectivity and instant access to information are the norm. Brand discovery begins early, often through digital platforms, gaming environments and social media ecosystems where cultural signals travel rapidly.

For luxury brands, this means that perceptions and preferences are forming long before financial independence arrives. Gen Alpha is not only influencing what families buy today – it is shaping the expectations and values that will guide tomorrow’s luxury consumers.

Luxury will increasingly be defined by experience

Historically, luxury has been associated with exclusivity, craftsmanship and price. These elements will remain fundamental. But for Gen Alpha, luxury will increasingly be understood through the lens of experience and interaction.

This generation expects brands to engage across both physical and digital environments in ways that feel seamless and meaningful. The distinction between online discovery and in-person experience is becoming less relevant; what matters is the coherence of the overall journey.

Several themes already stand out:

Values and social responsibility

Young consumers – and the parents who shop alongside them – increasingly favour brands that demonstrate credible commitments to sustainability, ethics and social responsibility.

Digital-physical integration

From immersive retail environments to virtual try-ons and digital storytelling, Gen Alpha expects technology to enrich rather than replace the human dimension of luxury.

Personalisation and creativity

Luxury will increasingly allow space for individual expression. Consumers expect opportunities for co-creation, customisation and deeper engagement with the story behind products and experiences.

In this context, the traditional strengths of luxury – craftsmanship, heritage, narrative and emotional connection – will remain central, but expressed through more participatory and experience-driven models.

Hospitality thinking is becoming central to luxury

One of the most notable shifts is the growing convergence between luxury and hospitality. As expectations move from ownership toward experience, the ability to create meaningful interactions becomes essential.

Luxury brands are increasingly required to think like hosts: anticipating needs, understanding cultural nuances and designing environments where every interaction contributes to a coherent and memorable experience.

This requires skills that extend beyond product knowledge. Emotional intelligence, cultural awareness and service excellence – long-standing foundations of hospitality – are becoming critical capabilities across the luxury ecosystem, from retail environments to client experience and brand storytelling.

Preparing the next generation of luxury professionals

These changes also shape how future professionals must be trained. At Glion Institute of Higher Education, we observe these expectations emerging clearly among the students entering hospitality and luxury programs. They are interested not only in brand prestige or career opportunities, but also in purpose, impact and cultural relevance.

They want to understand how luxury brands create value not only economically, but also socially and culturally. They are curious about how experiences are designed, how relationships with clients are built, and how global brands navigate increasingly complex cultural environments.

Preparing professionals capable of operating in this context requires a combination of business understanding, cultural intelligence and hospitality mindset – competencies that are becoming increasingly essential across the luxury ecosystem.

Redefining luxury for a new era

Generation Alpha will not simply inherit the luxury industry; it will reshape it.

Their early influence on household consumption foreshadows a future where luxury is more deeply connected to experience, values and meaningful interaction. In this environment, brands will need to combine craftsmanship and heritage with cultural awareness, innovation and authentic engagement.

Luxury will always remain associated with excellence. But for the next generation, excellence will increasingly be measured not only by what brands create, but by how they connect with people and the experiences they offer.

The question for legacy brands is therefore evolving: not only how to sell luxury, but how to live it – authentically – alongside the generation that will define its future.

The future of luxury belongs to brands that think like hosts, not just manufacturers.

Philippe Vignon is Managing Director of Glion Institute of Higher Education.