For over 160 years, well-heeled shoppers have wandered down the Rue de Sèvres in Paris to visit the iconic department store Le Bon Marché. Now, parent company LVMH is bringing the experience of browsing elegant boutiques online with 24 Sèvres. But do people really want to buy luxury over the web?

Browns East is the sister store to renowned luxury boutique Browns – but the two couldn’t be more different. Designed to reflect the habits and expectations of a new breed of luxury shopper, it offers meditation, events, an art gallery and coffee alongside designer and obscure fashion.

The consistency and efficiency of e-commerce – with one-click ordering and same-day delivery – is driving greater expectations of traditional retailers. How are brick-and-mortar stores adopting features of online shopping, and what digital services do people want to see on the high street?

Should high-end brands be accessible? Will stores become exhibition spaces? What makes a cool collaboration? As part of the 2018 Expert Outlook, we speak to three experts about why luxury consumers want to get their hands dirty and how they expect brands to express their values.