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What was the biggest luxury trend of 2015? Over the past year, we’ve reported on several of them, from the possibility of electric cars becoming popular in chauffeur services to the need for brands to focus on customer engagement. Maybe the right question to ask isn’t about the biggest, but the best: What trend really made us pay attention? According to a recent review by the watchmakers at Quill & Paid, the year’s most significant luxury trend wasn’t material or technological. Simply put, 2015’s luxury market will be remembered for its philanthropic efforts.
Quill & Pad’s review notes that in a world rocked by strife, giving back was a crucial duty for those in luxury industry, and three brands in particular gracefully stepped up to the plate. Let’s review their accomplishments, and how they made the world a kinder place in 2015.
Liberty United & Fonderie 47
Peter Thum is by far the most famous of humanitarian entrepreneurs—in fact, he could easily be credited with being the first. Thum made a name for himself as the founder of Ethos Water (a brand you probably recognize from your regular run to Starbucks), the sales of which are directed towards direly-needed clean-water projects in Africa. After selling Ethos to Starbucks, Thum founded Liberty United and Fonderie 47, two companies with an innovative approach to solving the issue of gun violence.
Liberty United is a contemporary jewelry line that comes from a startling source: Illegal guns and bullets taken off the American streets. The transformation of weaponry to jewelry is visually striking, and the purchase of each bracelet, necklace, cufflink or other piece funds efforts to remove guns and bullets from American streets, particularly in places where children are at risk.
In a similar vein, Fonderie 47 makes luxury lifestyle items out of destroyed AK-47s. The AK-47 is the most widely used assault rifle in the world, and causes thousands of deaths due to its ease of use and widespread availability. Fonderie 47 products like the Inversion Principle watch and the Peerless fountain pen—both made from components of destroyed AK-47s—raise awareness of the proliferation of assault rifles, especially in Africa, and the purchase of either contributes to the destruction of assault rifles. So far, the efforts of Fonderie 47 have already taken 50,000 AK-47s out of circulation.
A. Lange & Söhne
A. Lange & Söhne is a prestigious German watchmaker with a longstanding reputation for fine timepieces. In 2015, they proved that they are just as dedicated to social responsibility as they are to craftsmanship.
Among one of the many struggles to hit 2015 was what is arguably the largest refugee crisis in decades. A. Lange & Söhne decided to do something about it: On the occasion, of the 200th anniversary of the company’s founder’s birth, A. Lange & Söhne announced that in lieu of press gifts for attendees of the celebration, they would instead provide five refugees recently arrived in the country with German lessons.
In the past year, Germany has taken in over one million displaced people, who now face the struggles of integration. As language is one of the major barriers to adapting to any new culture, the help provided by A. Lange Söhne is invaluable. Additionally, once they learn the language sufficiently, they will also be provided with schooling as watchmaker apprentices.
Kobold Watch
Michael Kobold is another watchmaker who deserves a mention for his humanitarian efforts in 2015. In April of last year, a series of earthquakes devastated Kathmandu and other regions of the country of Nepal. Michael Kobold had already been at work to help the country’s struggling fire department, and after the disaster, he founded the Soarway Foundation, now dedicated to efforts in rebuilding Nepal and providing humanitarian relief.
We are thankful for the efforts of these humanitarian entrepreneurs and other non-profits, like those our luxury limo service in NYC partners with, for making the world a better place. Learn more about the non-profits that EmpireCLS partners with here.
Photo Credit: Liberty United
On January 14th, General Motors officially opened its brand-new Cadillac factory in China, signaling the possible start of growth in the country’s auto industry. Cadillacs have been sold in China since 2004, and the country’s auto market is currently the largest in the world by vehicles sold, despite recently slowed overall sales growth. The $1.2 billion factory will have the production capacity of 160,000 vehicles per year—a number that bespeaks GM’s optimism about the market.
Although the luxury market shows no sign of shrinking, and China’s luxury market in particular is one that has developed rapidly over the past several years, the factory’s opening still might seem like a bold move. As noted in a recent Associated Press article, China’s luxury market is already “crowded” with the likes of other luxury automakers such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
As a provider of luxury car service from Washington DC to Shanghai, EmpireCLS always has an eye on luxury vehicle news. Here are some highlights from the latest news about China’s new Cadillac factory, as reported by ABC News:
The Factory Introduces A New Model to China: Two models are already manufactured in Shanghai: The XTS (a model with Magnetic Ride Control suspension technology, a V6 engine and luxury appointments that we already use in our chauffeur service) and the ATSL. This month, the new GM factory, built in partnership with Shanghai Automative Industries Corp., will begin producing the CT6 sedan.
The CT6 is a five-passenger sedan that boasts a V6 engine and 400 horsepower, plus 400 pound-feet of torque and an eight-speed transmission. The car is touted as the American answer to German engineering (expertly timed in light of the recent Volkswagen scandal), and, despite its size, has already been assessed as a powerful vehicle. This appeal alone might suffice to drive its sales in China.
Last Year, Vehicles Slowed, But Cadillac Soared: In 2015, the growth of the global luxury vehicle market slowed to 7.3 percent. However, sales of Cadillacs seemed unaffected by this general trend. Sales of Cadillacs in China actually rose 17 percent, with just under 80,000 vehicles driven off the lot.
More Growth Predicted: As the market is predicted to pick up, so are vehicle sales. Matt Tsien, president of GM China, has a particularly optimistic prediction for the next few years. According to Tsien’s projections, luxury vehicle sales could grow to 3.5 million vehicles per year by 2020.
Industry analyst Bill Russo, at Geofeng Advisory Co., added credence to Tsien’s predictions, calling China “the highest growth opportunity in the world” that offers “a lot of margin opportunity.” With the introduction of a new (and much anticipated) Cadillac model, the CT6, the Chinese luxury market might see some much-needed growth. And since the global vehicle industry looks to China to drive revenue, vehicle sales might get a boost worldwide.
Keep up with luxury auto industry news by visiting the EmpireCLS blog or following us on Twitter and Facebook.
Photocredit: Autoweek USA
Lately, we’ve been investigating interesting vehicle and luxury trends, from the spending habits of the elite to the influx of smart-tech cars like the Tesla S. But we haven’t yet reported on trends in what we know best: our own business. Naturally, it’s part of our job to know industry trends, part of which involves taking note of what our customers want.
One trend, in particular, has caught our attention, partly because it seems paradoxical. When it comes to choosing from one of the many models in our luxury fleet, our customers tend to prefer the Mercedes-Benz, making it the most-requested luxury sedan in our fleet. There’s much to love about the Mercedes, from its sleek styling on down. This beautifully crafted, meticulously engineered vehicle offers as much style as it does safety (with a rating of five stars, just like every other vehicle in our fleet) and performance.
However, our customer’s preference for the Mercedes-Benz isn’t being reflected in market trends. In fact, sales of the BMW are overtaking those of both Mercedes-Benz and Lexus vehicles. This led us to ask why consumers prefer the BMW when they’re driving it, but not when it’s part of their chauffeured travel experience.
There’s much to love about the Mercedes-Benz, but what puzzled us about this discrepancy is that we know from experience that driving the BMW is just as luxurious an experience as driving as Mercedes. Maybe we’ve been keeping that experience to ourselves too much, and it’s time to share why we love this vehicle so much.
The BMW has long been touted as the “ultimate driving machine”—a perfectly calibrated feat of legendary German engineering, smooth performance, effortless handling and superior vehicle safety. Our chauffeurs get to experience the BMW difference nearly every day, which explains why we were initially puzzled by the fact that despite its popularity on the market, the BMW isn’t requested as much as the Mercedes by our customers. The driving experience isn’t there, at least not right in front of them. However, our guests are still experiencing the “driving machine” power of the BMW, even if indirectly. Things like the BMW’s sophisticated styling and self-leveling suspension create a passenger experience that’s just as luxurious as traveling in a Mercedes-Benz.
We’re not ones to dictate personal preference, of course. However, at the start of this new year, let us be the first to suggest that if you haven’t given the BMW a try, now is it the time to test out something new. See how you like it—you might be surprised. And let us know about your experience on our Facebook page or by dropping us a line at sales@empirecls.com.
Photo Credit: flickr
Sophistication and elegance are all hallmarks of the most coveted Manhattan wedding venues, not to mention stellar, five-diamond service that makes the special day seamlessly perfect. Many of our New York City luxury hotel partners are beloved by the Manhattan set for their potential as beautiful wedding venues, and several offer packages tailored for the big day, including the Lotte New York Palace. If there’s a wedding cake in your future, you can have it and eat it at the Palace.
The Lotte New York Palace boasts over 24,000 square feet of space to host a beautiful wedding ceremony in one of the city’s stateliest buildings. Commissioned in the 19th century, the Palace’s Villard Mansion is a testament to the Gilded Age of New York with its wrought iron gate and classic architecture. The hotel’s most recent addition is the Tower, a contemporary building that houses some of the city’s most beautiful suites.
The Palace prides itself on impeccable style and quality service, aiming to meet the standards of its most discerning guests. Nowhere is this commitment to excellence more obvious than in the hotel’s carefully curated wedding packages. The Palace offers two, with plenty of room for customization to match the expectations for anyone’s dream wedding.
The hotel’s wedding packages include complimentary suites for the bride and groom, complimentary room upgrades for the bride and groom’s parents, convenient early arrival, butler service and use of the hotel’s elegant courtyard for photographs. The Villard Ballroom package includes a wedding cake by celebrity chef Ron Ben Israel. Each package is customizable, and couples can work with the Palace’s world-class team of wedding planners to create an unforgettable ceremony and reception. From the enormous Drawing Room to the intimate Library, there’s something for weddings of every size and style.
One of the Palace’s most winning attributes is that in addition to being a sumptuous venue that boasts gorgeous Beaux-Arts architecture with lush carpets, dark wood paneling, gilding, mirrors, fine art and delicate floral arrangements, the sprawling hotel has no lack of unique rooms to serve as ceremony and reception venues.
Learn more about our luxury hotel partners at http://www.empirecls.com/partners.
Photo Credit: Booking.com
Out of everything that goes into wedding planning, from the bridal party’s eveningwear to the flower arrangements, the most important part, in our opinion, is choosing a beautiful, unique venue that reflects your personal taste and your biggest dreams for your life as a couple.
If you’re planning your wedding for next year, here’s five of our favorites. Even if there aren’t any nuptials in the foreseeable future, it’s never too early to start dreaming!
2. New York City Public Library, NYC
A civic building might not be your first idea for a luxury wedding venue, but don’t overlook this stately building in the heart of Manhattan. The Library’s neoclassical architecture and elegant marble interiors have made it as popular a setting for films as it is for the weddings of the Manhattan elite. Set up your wedding photos on the staircase steps, or meet your party in the beautiful landscape of nearby Central Park.
3. Franklin Park Conservatory, Columbus
Columbus, Ohio is another location that you might not immediately associate with luxurious weddings. But think again: this stunning conservatory has four unique venues to choose from, all bursting with so much foliage that couples can practically skip the flower arrangement altogether.
By far, the most opulent option in the conservatory is the John F. Wolfe Palm House, so named for its plethora of tropical plants that create a striking, exotic ambiance. The sunlight that streams through the House’s glass ceiling and its elegant Venetian fountain make for an especially touching ceremony and beautiful photos.
4. Dunton Hot Springs, Colorado
Sometimes, all you need for luxury is a pristine landscape, which is exactly what Dunton Hot Springs in Colorado has in spades, from the wide-open blue sky to towering pines and miles of rugged, mountainous terrain. This rustic ghost town is nestled in the heart of a verdant valley, dotted with wooden cabins and natural hot springs.
5. Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, Miami
This Italian-inspired villa, a historical gem from Miami’s early 20th century business boom, is one of the most romantic in the United States. Guests can get pleasantly lost (but not too lost) in the labyrinthine of gardens, and there’s not a single spot in this waterfront venue that won’t be part of perfect wedding memories. And if you’re planning your honeymoon nearby, Miami’s nightlife and beaches are just a short drive away.
Need wedding transportation once you choose your venue? EmpireCLS has you covered. Visit our online booking center to learn more or to reserve a luxury limo in NYC or dozens of other cities across the globe.
We’re the first to admit that in the age of on-demand apps and mobile immersion, the luxury market has been slow on the uptake when it comes to things like mobile sites and integrated apps.
The need for convenient mobile platforms has certainly been on luxury service providers’ minds—after all, seamlessly meeting their customers’ needs is the goal of any luxury brand. However, luxury doesn’t just meet needs, it exceeds them, and creating mobile apps that go far beyond expectations requires more time to develop than on average.
So while it’s true that the recent trend of emerging mobile apps for luxury service providers is a few years behind the initial wave, we think the wait is well worth it. Take, for example, the Four Season’s brand’s announcement this summer that it would launch a mobile app that unites over 90 of its hotel properties under one platform. As one of the leading luxury brands in the world, Four Seasons certainly hasn’t lacked for the resources to develop such an app. However, the ambitious scope of what they envisioned for users required a long-haul approach to development.
The Four Season app is designed to be a global, multi-lingual one-stop-shop for all of guests’ needs throughout their entire experience, including before they even arrive at their hotel. The app not only encompasses room reservations but also check in/check out, luggage pick-up and airport transfers. Guests can also arrange on-site services like room services, dining and spa treatments if they so wish. Furthermore, the app’s scope expands points of interest surrounding the hotel, giving guests personalized recommendations for dining, shopping, cultural pursuits and sight-seeing.
While the Four Seasons app is an exciting step forward, luxury hotel and travel providers still need to catch up—62% of luxury hotel brands lack either a mobile site or an app. However, strides are being made. For example, the Carservice app from Deem (in which EmpireCLS is proud to be included) will allow for both advance booking and real-time ride hailing from NLA-member luxury car service providers from Washington, DC to Los Angeles. Other luxury brands will likely follow suit—not a moment too late nor too soon.
In what seems like an endless progression of intriguing disruptions in the luxury market, global vehicle brand Hyundai announced in the beginning of November that, after years of consideration, it would officially launch a luxury subbrand separate from the mainstream Hyundai line.
Dubbed Genesis, the brand will target young, upscale and progressive buyers with luxury designs and, perhaps more importantly, luxury service.
A luxury subbrand has been in the works for Hyundai for some time. Meanwhile, the mainstream brand continued to perfect its models and ascend up the luxury scale. As a result, Hyundai’s brand strategy for Genesis is a bit different than that of other mass-market manufacturers who have branched out into luxury models.
It has become de rigeur for luxury subbrands to be marked by technological wizardry, with features like built-in GPS navigation, infotainment systems and other “smart” features that enhance the driving experience with constant technological connectivity. It’s not that we don’t enjoy the luxury tech integration of say, a Tesla S, but even the best of these luxury vehicles run into problems like system hacking or a neglect of exterior design appeal.
What’s more, we’re of the opinion that luxury design means nothing without luxury service. Our own fleet includes some of the finest vehicles on the market, backed by consistent maintenance and detailing, but our calling card has always been a patently comfortable, safe and elegant driving experience combined with impeccable, five-star levels of customer service.
Hyundai, clearly, is of a similar view. As a means of distinguishing Genesis from other luxury subbrands, Hyundai has transferred the focus from technological advancement to the more old-fashioned values of attention, support and service.
Genesis buyers will be treated to a heightened level of customer service from their first showroom visit onward. Dealerships licensed to sell the Genesis line will be under agreement to offer heightened levels of support for buyers. Owners of Genesis models will also enjoy perks like the “Your Time, Your Place” concierge service, a valet service that picks up and drops off vehicles from and to owner’s homes for service.
Hyundai plans to launch the line’s sedan and full-size car—named the G80 and G90—for the model year 2017. This gives us plenty of time to think about whether we’d like to add something similar to our fleet. But first we’d like to ask your thoughts. Do you think Hyundai can succeed as a luxury brand? Is it something you’d like to see in the EmpireCLS fleet? Let us know at sales@empirecls.com.
Photo Credit: loubeat via flickr
In October, Forbes reported some surprising (and fascinating) news: in the luxury European car market, Tesla Model S sales surpassed those of two major luxury brands, and by a significant margin.
The Tesla S sold twice as well as the Audi A8 limo and a whopping four times more than the BMW 7 model, especially in countries that subsidize electric vehicle purchases (but even in those that don’t, like Switzerland and Germany).
We think that this trend might be representative of larger changes happening within the luxury industry as a whole. Tesla is a relatively new name in the market, but skyrocketing sales suggests it’s met some very pressing needs for luxury consumers that have, up until this point, gone untapped.
At first glance, the Tesla Model S is not your typical luxury car. Traditionally, luxury vehicles are marketed for their style or exoticism. Company reputation, too, has been a major factor at play in terms of how consumers choose their luxury vehicles. As a relatively new brand, Tesla doesn’t have the historic legacy of an Audi, BMW or Ferrari, and its design, while sleek and attractive, bespeaks more function than fashion.
However, the Tesla Model S does have some features common across the board with luxury cars, namely its speed and “instant” acceleration. It also does them one better with impeccable safety ratings and a Consumer Reports review that famously “broke” the ratings system and set a new standard for quality. Plus, Tesla owner satisfaction is incredibly high—97% of Tesla S owners say that they would purchase their cars again.
The standout features of the Tesla Model S is, of course, its all-electric, zero-emissions engine, which might be the key to why the Model S has surpassed sales of other, gas-powered cars. These days, the concept of luxury is increasingly tied to the consumer’s role as a responsible global citizen, as evinced by trends like the widespread embrace of handcrafted, bespoke and responsibly-sourced goods. Since the Tesla Model S is the most environmentally-friendly car on the market, its rise to prominence in the luxury vehicle market may indicate that luxury consumers are shifting their assets towards responsible vehicles, as well.
As always, we’d like to hear your thoughts on this trend. What do you think constitutes luxury? Does the Tesla S meet your standards? Is it something you’d want to see in our fleet? Drop us a line at sales@empirecls.com and let us know.
If we had to predict what the most prevalent luxury market trend of the decade will be, our money is on how technology has disrupted the way that buyers perceive and interact with luxury goods and services. The prevalence of digital media in the everyday lives of consumers has given luxury brands good reason to rapidly rethink their marketing distribution channels and how much research their potential buyers do before making purchases.
Take, for example, Tesla, the tech start-up that’s been a subject of interest to us for a while. Tesla’s Model S has revolutionized the luxury vehicle concept with a high-performing, mold-breaking car that runs entirely on electricity and produces zero emissions. Now, after getting the highest rating ever recorded by Consumer Reports, plus consistent consumer satisfaction and other accolades, the Model S surpasses sales of traditional luxury players Audi and BMW in Europe. Sales also continue to climb elsewhere. This should give luxury automakers pause to consider how technology factors into their manufacturing, distribution and marketing.
Tech has disrupted the luxury sphere outside the purview of vehicle marketing, as well. In a recent Luxury Daily article, Sarah Jones highlighted the brand Dymant as another fascinating example of how some luxury retailers are adapting to the new digital sphere with incredible success.
Dymant is an online luxury goods retailer that crafts unique luxury lifestyle items for discerning clients. Founded just two years ago, Dymant already has a seven-figure revenue, with 8,000 member clients and 50 business-to-business clients. Employing over three hundred artisan craftsmen in luxury fields, Dymant crafts luxury objects meant to embody understated opulence for clients who may already seem to “have it all.” In addition to crafting unexpected items like mother-of-pearl decision coins and bespoke gold-plated jars for its member clients, Dymant also works with luxury houses like Chanel.
While Dymant crafts items with the traditionally refined quality of luxury objects, their process is anything but traditional. As Jones reports, digital technology is integrated into every part of the production process at Dymant. Their marketing model is also unusual. Like other successful luxury platforms, such as Gilt, Dymant started out as an invitation-only retailer. The brand has just opened its site to the public, but maintains exclusivity by refraining from doing any marketing whatsoever and opting out of showing up in Google search results. Given Dymant’s continuing success despite its lack of a marketing campaign, we can speculate that the kind of rarefied product Dymant offers and the word-of-mouth brand awareness it depends upon might be the key to success for luxury brands in the future.
Photo Credit: James Jordan
With over three decades of experience in the industry and worldwide clientele, it’s safe to say that we live and breathe all things luxury and travel-related. As an industry leader, nothing makes us prouder than to join other affiliated businesses in bringing exciting, innovative solutions to the ground transportation industry landscape. Over the past several years, we’ve earned ourselves a reputation as a forward-thinking travel provider that offers the best of both luxury and transportation.
Recently, at the Chauffeur Driven Trade Show and Conference, EmpireCLS gave a presentation alongside another ground transportation provider with whom we are proudly affiliated and introduced a brand-new, game-changing service to those in attendance. The affiliate meeting took place in South Beach, Miami, at one of the industry’s biggest trade shows. Operators of all sizes convened at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel, from October 11 to October 14, to take in networking opportunities, educational workshops and a little bit of Miami nightlife.
During the affiliate meeting, EmpireCLS Chairman and CEO David Seelinger hosted a panel discussion with one of our affiliates. This event introduced attendees to Deem Car Service, a recently-launched technology designed to benefit both operators and clients in the age of the transportation network company.
As transportation network companies have become increasingly popular—and increasingly problematic for users, who experience uneven fares, inconsistent service and safety issues—the ground transportation industry has seen a significant need to incorporate TNC technology into its operations. An on-demand service that enhances the customer experience while retaining the safety and service standards put forth by the National Limousine Association Duty of Care is long overdue.
Deem Car Service is the leading-edge technology that the ground transportation industry and its customers deserve. This flexible application will allow travel buyers to find the best ground transportation providers for their budgets, selected only from National Limousine Association members, all of whom have pledged to uphold excellent standards of safety and service. Like TNC apps, Deem Car Service will allow both advanced reservations and real-time ride hailing for customers.
We are proud to have represented EmpireCLS and our fellow industry innovators this past October at Chauffeur Driven. For more industry news and updates, visit empirecls.com.
