Once a signifier of luxury or novelty, custom products and services are now within reach of the everyday consumer, thanks to the rise of artificial intelligence, algorithm-led platforms, and the COVID-era digitisation boom. Today, everyone wants to be the main character of their brand experience.

While a few kind words can brighten anyone’s day, we often don’t take the time to tell people. Canvas8 spoke to Dr. Vanessa K. Bohns, an associate professor at Cornell University, to understand why we underestimate the power of compliments and why giving them can feel uncomfortable.

While social media has been associated with making people feel worse about themselves, most Britons are happy with how they look. Where aspirational beauty messaging was once the norm, brands looking to resonate with customers may be better served by championing a natural look.

While the pandemic has pushed many brands to get more comfortable with digital, Il Makiage has been ahead of the curve with its AI-driven, true-to-tone make-up options. As shopping behaviors go online, its community of micro-influencers boost the brand’s clout and buyers’ confidence.

Can luxury brands remain relevant in an ever-changing climate? Is slow fashion the future of luxury? How are Gen Zers revolutionising the meaning of luxe? In this part of the 2021 Expert Outlook, we speak to three experts about how people are rewriting the rules of luxury.