Edible luxury: Gastronomic Experiences as Strategic Tools in Luxury Fashion Branding

This thesis examines how luxury fashion houses utilizing gastronomic experiences as strategic tool for brand building. As the luxury market shifts from tangible products toward the staging of memorable events, this study explores the strategic thinking, operational challenges, and perceived outcomes from an industry management perspective. The qualitative research is built on in-depth interviews with 10 senior professionals from luxury fashion, hospitality, and gastronomy. Data was analyzed using inductive content analysis to extract key themes. The findings suggest that practitioners identify gastronomy as an integral part of the brand world, where luxury is reinterpreted as a multi-sensory experience. Gastronomy serves as a strategic dual purpose: providing an accessible entry point for new customer while deepening the connection with top-tier clients. Key challenges emerged, including preserving and enhancing authenticity within the brand’s DNA and the operational difficulty of maintaining global consistency. The research suggests fashion brands are using gastronomy as more than a marketing tactic. It appears to be a sophisticated way to build up cultural capital and form deep emotional attachments. By doing this, these companies are directly addressing the core paradox of modern luxury: how to achieve growth while preserving an aura of exclusivity.