Alexander Chetchikov is president of the World Luxury Chamber of Commerce, the global network he founded to connect leaders across hospitality, real estate, fashion, yachting, private aviation, design, and fine dining. He entered the sector in 2008 with the launch of Luxury Lifestyle Awards, which has since assessed more than 5,000 goods and services from over 100 countries and was brought under the chamber in 2024. He began his career in marketing and communications and has spent more than 17 years in luxury.
Alexander is also founder and chief executive of World Future Awards, which recognises innovation in technology, and founder of the digital communications agency Aura. Under his leadership the chamber established World Luxury Day, the first professional holiday created for the luxury industry, marked annually on 8th October.
Through the World Luxury Chamber of Commerce and Luxury Lifestyle Awards, you’ve had a unique front-row seat to the evolution of the global luxury industry. What changes have surprised you the most over the past two decades?
“I believe the most significant change of the past twenty years has been the extraordinary digital transformation that unfolded before my eyes. Fifteen years ago, many luxury companies insisted that e-commerce and digital communication were not appropriate for their brands. They believed that true luxury could exist only in a boutique, a hotel, or through personal interaction with a client.
“Today, virtually every successful brand has entered the digital world. Companies sell online, tell their stories through digital channels, and engage with clients around the globe. Those that failed to adapt lost their relevance or disappeared from the market altogether.
“Digitalisation did not destroy exclusivity. Instead, it encouraged brands to find new ways of communicating it through technology.”
The luxury industry has always balanced innovation with craftsmanship. As AI becomes part of that equation, do you believe it will redefine what luxury means, or make the human element even more valuable?
“I am not sure that AI will completely redefine the meaning of luxury, but it will certainly transform service, client interactions, and the overall customer experience.
“AI will allow brands to understand each client’s needs and preferences more deeply. As a result, recommendations, products, and experiences will become far more personalised.
“At the same time, the human element will become even more valuable. In the luxury industry, people are not simply buying a product; they are also buying trust, emotion, storytelling, and personal attention. Technology can make service faster and more precise, but it cannot fully replace human intuition, care, and emotional connection. I therefore see the future of luxury in finding the right balance between people and artificial intelligence.”
In just a few years, World Luxury Day has evolved from an annual celebration into a growing global movement, bringing together brands, leaders, media, and communities around a shared conversation about luxury. What do you think has resonated so strongly with the industry?
“For a long time, the global luxury industry lacked a single event capable of bringing together its many sectors and participants. There were industry exhibitions, conferences, and awards, but no shared day when the entire industry could speak with one voice. When we introduced the idea of World Luxury Day, we immediately felt that people had been waiting for such an initiative. Following its launch in 2025, we received support from brands, entrepreneurs, experts, and media organisations across different countries.
“I believe the strongest factor is the idea of unity itself. World Luxury Day does not belong to any one country, company, or sector. It is an open platform for the entire global luxury community.”
This year’s theme asks a deceptively simple question: “What does luxury mean today?” For this reason, you’re inviting the global luxury community to contribute to the first World Luxury Day Manifesto. Why was it important to open this conversation to the entire industry?
“The luxury industry brings together a vast range of sectors, markets, professions, countries, and cultures. Luxury means something different to each person: exceptional quality, craftsmanship, freedom, time, privacy, unique experiences, or the ability to choose the very best. That is why we do not want to create a universal definition of luxury ourselves. Through the World Luxury Day Manifesto, we are inviting professionals from around the world to share what luxury means to them personally.
“By bringing these perspectives together, we will gain a better understanding of how luxury is perceived across different generations, cultures, and regions. The Manifesto should become the collective voice of the international luxury industry.”
Throughout your career, you’ve met some of the world’s most influential luxury leaders and worked with the finest brands. Has there been a conversation, a person, or a moment that fundamentally changed your own understanding of luxury?
“I cannot identify one person or conversation that completely changed my understanding of luxury. Instead, it developed gradually through numerous meetings, discussions, and many years of working with leaders and brands across different sectors of the industry.
“Each encounter allowed me to see luxury from a new perspective, through craftsmanship, heritage, tradition, service, or emotion. I came to understand that true luxury is not simply about expensive products. It emerges where quality, talent, history, attention to detail, and the ability to create unforgettable experiences come together.”
Looking beyond World Luxury Day, what do you believe is the next big conversation the global luxury industry needs to have?
“The next major conversation should focus on the future of the luxury industry, and not only from a technological perspective.
“We need to discuss how the market will evolve in response to cultural, geopolitical, and generational changes. How can we preserve heritage and craftsmanship while remaining relevant to a new generation? How can exclusivity coexist with sustainability? How can we embrace technology without losing the human element?
“Luxury has always reflected the values of its time. Today, the industry must decide which values it wants to represent in the future. I believe this dialogue can become the next important chapter in the evolution of World Luxury Day.”