Beyond NEO Luxury: How Premium Brands Can Prepare for Radical Change 

Every luxury brand needs a proactive approach to growth, whether that means adapting to shifting consumer attitudes, leveraging technology, or identifying new markets. One thing is certain: foresight and imagination are essential to staying ahead. 

Prophet’s Jörg Meurer has advised luxury brands for almost two decades. In this interview, we explore the concept of NEO Luxury and ask: What’s next? 

Prophet has been talking about the concept of NEO Luxury for more than five years. What does it mean? 

Brands at the premium end of the market are used to navigating major changes, most recently the rapid adoption of AI. They must constantly stay on the front foot when it comes to engaging with existing and future consumers, understanding their markets and turning innovation into profit.  

Until now, the luxury industry’s timeline can be categorized into three phases: First, classic luxury, which focused on exclusivity, ownership and craftsmanship, with tightly controlled distribution and elite audiences. Second, new luxury, which was a shift toward experiences, personalization and emotional connection, thus making luxury more accessible and lifestyle-oriented for consumers. Third, NEO luxury, a forward-thinking model for brands, integrating sustainability, technology, and purpose-driven values to redefine exclusivity and deliver ethical, experiential luxury.  

In 2019, we released a study examining the move toward NEO Luxury in collaboration with Dr. Julia Riedmeier, an international luxury brand strategist, renowned luxury expert, and the founder of Code \ Luxe. Fast forward to 2026: the big question for luxury and premium brands is what comes after NEO Luxury? 

How can brand leaders begin to anticipate what comes after NEO Luxury? 

It’s a bit more complex than simply asking ChatGPT. But, we did call upon AI to develop our initial predictions and remove some of the guesswork. 

Brands can find answers by combining structured foresight with creative hypothesis-building. So how does this work in practice? We created a custom GPT model to generate a couple of plausible scenarios for the future of luxury. We wanted each to be grounded in emerging signals but to also consider bold possibilities. These scenarios were not to be taken at face value; instead, we applied a curated, critical lens to evaluate their underlying assumptions, cultural implications, and potential business impact.  

This approach allows brand leaders to move beyond reactive thinking and into proactive innovation. By stress-testing these hypotheses and identifying accelerators, such as technology adoption, new collaboration models or shifts in consumer values, brands can chart a course toward the most promising directions, often before the market realizes they exist. 

What were the three potential futures for uxury imagined by the GPT model? 

Conscious Culture Luxury 

By 2028, luxury may be less about ownership and more about cultural and emotional intelligence. Status will come from understanding, not accumulating. Brands become “curators of meaning,” offering spaces for reflection and cultural exchange. Technology plays a quiet role, helping us slow down and connect rather than overwhelm. Think cultural travel, hybrid craft and psychological well-being shaping the experience. 

Neo Human Luxury 

With technology advancing at such speed, luxury may focus on the dignity of being human. Technology becomes a tool for empathy and well-being, not distraction. Expect bio-luxury (health tech and longevity) to be paired with radical transparency and “quiet AI” that understands rather than sells. Ownership fades as experiences and self-cultivation take center stage. Imagine studios dedicated to mental craftsmanship and mindfulness. 

Luxury Quantum 

Imagine a future where luxury isn’t confined to physical objects or digital screens but exists in a seamless blend of both. In this scenario, experiences become “phygital rituals,” combining real-world touchpoints with immersive virtual layers. NFTs evolve beyond collectibles into emotional artifacts, carrying meaning and memory, for example art pieces. The virtual world is enhanced by sensory technology, adding smell, sound, and touch for truly multisensory engagement. AI companions act as personal curators, shaping lifestyles and guiding choices. For brands, this means moving from selling products to designing entire alternative realities, spaces where identity, creativity and consciousness come together.  

Coming back to the present, what should premium brands be thinking about right now? 

Six years after we began to define NEO Luxury, the scenarios above are just the beginning of future thinking on this topic. The idea of “Luxury Quantum” may seem very futuristic, maybe even far-fetched, but we need to be open to a number of possible scenarios.  

In the near-term, luxury brands must balance heritage with innovation, embrace ethical transparency, and integrate technology thoughtfully. When creating experiences, they should prioritize cultural relevance, human well-being, and immersive engagement to stay competitive in today’s ever-changing market.