By Jenny Adams
What is luxury?
Is it imbibing something ultra-rare?
Or a curated, bespoke gathering?
Is it a collaboration between globally recognized leaders at an exclusive, invitation-only event?
An exploration of all-of-the-above and discussion of the latest outlooks and trends of luxury, Tales of the Cocktail Foundation hosted its first annual Luxury Summit at Tales of the Cocktail 2025. This event brought together influential decision makers in the luxury cocktail world for an intimate conversation, exquisite cocktails, and decadent bites at the annual meeting place of the global drinks industry.
Overlooking the Mississippi River at the Four Seasons New Orleans Riverfront Hotel’s Chemin à la Mer, guests heard insights from Forbes’ high net worth study findings with the latest outlook on luxury for the hospitality and spirits industry, Pinterest Predicts’ trends currently shaping and influencing the cocktail community, Four Seasons’ unique approach to luxury in hotels and working with spirit brands, and the behavioral science behind how luxury experiential marketing works from Solomon Group.
The Discerning Customer Wants a Story
Guests and panelists sipped Champagne while moderator Tracie Franklin, Spirited Tracie, wove gregarious enthusiasm into introductions and questions to renowned panelists Michael Solomon, Executive Editor of Forbes; Matt Pidgeon, Managing Director of Consumer Product Goods for Pinterest; Michael Doneff, VP of Global F&B Concept & Brand Development for Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts; and Daniel Hettwer, Chief Strategy Officer of Solomon Group.
The conversation began with Michael Solomon’s unique vantage on the state of luxury, summarizing insights from Forbes’ survey of High Net Worth Consumers on their behavior and preferences when drinking. The survey shared troubling news – with a twist – people are drinking less; focusing on overall health concerns rather than financials.
“The good news is they are drinking better. They want to drink more premium spirits. In the end, they may actually be spending as much money. And … they’re looking to the bartenders to tell them what to drink,” Solomon shared that 83% of high net worth consumers ask the bartender for a recommendation.
“23 to 24% of the readers said that they look to a premium spirit as a sign of accomplishment – they look at it as a as a point of celebration. They use a spirit as a way to determine and to celebrate an accomplishment in life, “ Solomon expanded, “Luxury is not about a price point, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re not looking for the better spirits, the better brands, the better cocktails, the better ingredients.”
Pinterest also owns a similarly unique access to the consumer. The platform helps users gain inspiration, which Pinterest analyzes to keep an eye on upcoming trends. Pinterest Predicts is the company’s forecast to help brands gain consumer insights to help inform decision-making across industries. The data compiled is a crystal ball for connecting with emerging trends. Last year its 2025 predictions Cherry Coded and Italian Summer rang true; cherry colors, flavors, vibes came across in menus, fashion, and beauty; and Italian aesthetics were heavily trafficked themes, with Home Martini Nights trending up 120%, Italian Summer up 600-percent, and Garden disco parties trending 650% year over year.
“We’re seeing a shift, primarily with the Gen Z audience, to being more intentional. A preference, when they do go out, to actually splurge and to be authentic,” offered panelist Matt Pidgeon.
Luxury is Emotional Over Tangible
“We’re predicting the next year’s top trends before they actually become trends. So if you think about where influencers go to get inspiration, it’s Pinterest. Seventy percent of people under 40 look at luxury as a feeling and not a thing,” Pidgeon continued.
The bartender provides an essential connection to the modern feeling of luxury. In an increasingly digital world, it’s the story that sells products best and what consumers – at any price point – are ready to buy. Forbes’ survey showed that 81% of their high-net-worth readership’s choices are heavily influenced by the ingredients and the bartender’s expertise.
“You don’t give somebody a product; you give them a community, a relationship,” Daniel Hettwer defined. His team at Solomon Group has compiled extensive research in a white paper on experiential marketing, the opportunity of brand homes, turning liquid fandom into a lifestyle, and the behavioural science behind what drives choice in luxury hospitality spaces. The report highlights that people crave the tactile, the sensory, and the communal, and that the most successful brands are creating experiences and stories that feel personal, not promotional.
Sixty percent of those surveyed by Forbes said they are influenced by bartender recommendations when trying a new drink, with 83% of responders sharing they are likely to ask the bartender for their recommendation on what to drink. Forbes emphasizes that this desire showcases an appreciation for educated guidance and crafted experiences.
“The beauty of the bar community and what we do in cocktails is that we can take that story and reinvent it; every season, every year, ” panelist Michael Doneff added.
“[For Four Seasons’ new properties] we have to think about 2028, in a different country. On that level, we don’t chase trends,” he says. “[Four Seasons concepts] have to think long-term but cross-culturally. What’s the demographic and what’s the landscape and what generation is coming up? Not everyone can afford to stay yet, but they can visit our bar or restaurant.”
To craft successful luxury concepts, it’s about the emotions at play. Remembering a guest’s name and preferences should be woven into seasonal ingredients or unique programming.
“Authenticity isn’t about legacy necessarily. You can be a new brand and have authenticity. You can also be a very old brand and try to do things in a new way,” Solomon expanded.
Collaboration and Crossover are Gaining Ground
Hettwer highlighted the benefits of earning fans rather than singular consumers in the luxury market. Using the example of a football game, he explained that a sports fan dons the jersey, heads into a stadium, and sings the anthem. These rituals create community and, in that moment, he quipped, “the Amazon driver is equal to Jeff Bezos.”
Luxury evoked by group experience creates a bond that people return to and spend money on.
Pidgeon shared, “When you look towards the future and where the direction is going overall, and it’s very clear, within the premiumization of luxury space, it is socialization and how people socialize. It’s no more, like, let’s go out because it’s Wednesday night and there’s no real meaning behind it…[it’s] let’s put some thought together in our specific community, where we have joint interests and make something extremely intentional.”
Luxury consumers are moving beyond passive consumerism to intentional, discerning, and experience-driven engagement with spirits, whether it is suggested by a bartender or enjoyed in the comfort of their homes. Forbes’ study defines the future of spirits not just in new products but in curating meaningful experiences that “resonate with this sophisticated and evolving clientele.”
The panelists discussed the recent rise of collaboration by luxury brands across markets.
Death & Co. has evolved from cocktail bars to the hotel market, LVMH is entering the travel sector, and Four Seasons has launched its brand of luxury yacht adventures.
Hettwer proposed, “Your expansion might not be in the liquid space or the liquor space; it might be in a completely different industry.”
