Bacardi India’s luxury-first platform is aiming to bring together local brands under one roof to uplift local businesses. With some people still willing to splurge, there's an increasing group of those prioritising purpose – highlighting the tension between mainstreaming luxury and careful spending.

Why are people turning to small luxuries amid global permacrisis? What’s causing authenticity and durability to become the new symbols of status? Who are the shoppers rejecting opulence for understated luxury? And how are values-led, sustainable products elevating exclusivity?

As consumers shift towards values-led purchasing, Sabyasachi’s careful blend of Indian craft and cultural heritage is helping it stand out among conscious consumers by offering them an undiluted luxury experience. Can new and innovative luxury offerings extend a brand's global appeal?

Several luxury brands in China are opening up their VIP experiences to the wider public as COVID-19 rules and financial pressures repress spending among the middle class. But moving into the mainstream risks putting off HNWIs, who expect a certain level of exclusivity when shopping in-store.