Societies — Anniversary Edition 2016–2026

This special edition celebrates a decade of Influence Society, and a journey that has taken us much further than we could have imagined when we started in 2016.

The original idea was relatively simple: help ambitious hotels and restaurants explore the new technologies that could transform their marketing. At the time, that meant social media. Instagram was still emerging as a serious marketing channel, influencer content was new, and very few hospitality brands were thinking about how this new generation of content could shape their identity and inspire people to discover them.

But the opportunity quickly became bigger. Social media needed great content. Great content needed somewhere to live. Websites needed to become more dynamic, more visual and more connected to the brand. And so Influence Society evolved.

We moved into web design and technology, eventually developing our own CMS and proprietary technology stack. We invested heavily in that ambition, only to realise that maintaining our own platform was taking us further and further away from what we did best: imagining new ideas, crafting distinctive experiences and helping hospitality brands take advantage of what was coming next.

So we changed direction. We moved to Webflow and began building on the best technology rather than trying to build every piece of it ourselves. That decision gave us the freedom to concentrate again on brand, design, creativity and innovation.

A handful of clients became dozens, then hundreds. Our work took us from France to London, Geneva, New York, Miami and far beyond. Influence Society grew from a small idea into a global agency, recognised among the leading digital agencies in hospitality and one of the largest Webflow specialists in the industry.

Along the way, Influence Society also became more than an agency. Through our SOCIETIES events, we brought together people, ideas and conversations shaping the future of hospitality. And through this magazine, we created another space to share inspiration, explore new perspectives and celebrate the creativity of an industry we love.

And now, in many ways, the cycle is beginning again.

AI is changing imagery, video, search, websites, advertising and the way marketing teams work. Our AI Studio is already creating campaigns for hospitality brands around the world, while new tools we are developing are exploring how hotel and restaurant marketing itself could work differently.

We cannot predict exactly where this will lead. Ten years ago, we could hardly have imagined the journey that brought us here.

But if the past years have taught us anything, it is that every technological shift opens new creative possibilities. Each one challenges us to rethink familiar ideas, question established approaches and discover better ways of bringing brands to life.

That curiosity has shaped Influence Society for ten years. It is also the spirit behind this special edition of SOCIETIES: a celebration of the people, places and ideas that inspire us, and a look at the creative possibilities still ahead.

To every client who placed their trust in us, every partner who shared our ambitions, and every person who has been part of Influence Society along the way, thank you for making these first ten years possible.

Sébastien Félix, Founder & CEO

In a world of loud luxury, Jacquemus whispers, and we listen. Its emotional language doesn’t rely on slogans or logos, but on sensation: sunlit nostalgia, playful surrealism, quiet intimacy. A micro handbag on a baguette. AI lemons skipping across a beach. Moments that feel more like memory than marketing. This is luxury that lingers, not because it shouts, but because it feels. Jacquemus reminds us: emotional connection is the new brand currency. And softness, when intentional, is powerful.

In the evolving landscape of brand-building, image creation and value capture are no longer separate pursuits, they’re a unified architecture. Fashion leaders like On, Casablanca, and Our Legacy reveal how modern brands thrive not through fleeting aesthetics, but by designing ecosystems where story, product, and community reinforce one another. This is the rise of the Brand Universe: where emotional resonance meets strategic depth, and attention doesn’t just land, it lingers. In a saturated market, the brands that balance soul and system aren’t just seen. They’re remembered. And more importantly, they’re held onto.

For decades, Coca-Cola’s Christmas adverts have stirred emotion through cinematic warmth, analogue charm, and nostalgic storytelling. But the 2025 edition marks a shift, rendered entirely by AI. While technically refined, it’s a polished spectacle that trades human imperfection for algorithmic gloss. The 2025 campaign reveals a poignant truth: in the pursuit of efficiency, we risk losing the magic that made us feel. The challenge now? Reimagining festive storytelling where innovation enhances sentiment rather than replacing it. It’s not just about the future of advertising, it’s about how we remember.

In 2026, museums aren’t just about looking, they’re about lingering. From Tokyo’s interactive ateliers to rooftop gardens in Suzhou, this year’s new openings redefine cultural spaces as immersive, design-forward experiences. These eight global destinations invite visitors to explore narrative-driven galleries, architecture as storytelling, and the convergence of public space and craft. Whether perched on the waterfront in Abu Dhabi or tucked into urban Los Angeles, each museum is a study in place-making, offering moments of reflection, connection, and creative inspiration. This is culture reimagined for the curious traveller.

Photorealistic imagery and film for hotels and restaurants, guided by our art directors. Day to night, summer to snow, delivered in days, not weeks.

At just 18, Gustav Magnar Witzøe became one of the world’s youngest billionaires, but his ambitions stretch far beyond inheritance. Heir to Norway’s salmon empire, SalMar, Witzøe now invests in tech start-ups and real estate with the same precision his family brought to aquaculture. His life oscillates between luxury editorials and forward-thinking ventures, making him a symbol of next-gen wealth redefined. From fish farms to fashion spreads, Witzøe curates a personal brand that’s as strategic as it is aspirational, a billionaire building his legacy, one bold investment at a time.

Harry Styles is no longer just pop royalty, he’s embracing full-blown reinvention. With “Aperture”, a shimmering, slow-build dance ballad, Styles steps boldly into the lineage of David Bowie: genre shapeshifter, style chameleon, and cultural moodboard. Leaning into modular synths and acid-house undercurrents, he swaps chart-chasing for sonic exploration. The result is a visual and musical pivot that resists trends in favour of artistry. In a pop world dominated by maximalist female stars, Styles carves a rarefied space: quiet between releases, loud when it matters. A studied move, and a powerful one.

In a charged moment between movement and music, Bose’s “Sound is Power” campaign takes flight with NBA phenom Anthony Edwards. Crafted by MATTE, the national TVC channels the immersive finesse of Bose’s Ultra Open Earbuds, tech that lets you stay tuned in without tuning out. As Edwards hovers midair, the earbuds become more than accessories; they’re instruments of momentum. It’s not just a product demo, it’s a kinetic design narrative that syncs sound, sport, and storytelling at playoff pace.

Luxury hospitality has reached its inflection point. Once-iconic brands now drift in routine, while a new wave of design-forward, founder-led properties reshapes the guest experience with intentionality and soul. These independents build identity into every corner, architecture, atmosphere, and emotional resonance, offering a depth that templated legacy hotels no longer can. As with Uber and taxis, the shift is already happening: the discerning traveller no longer accepts the old mythology. They seek something crafted, not replicated. The future of luxury belongs to those who treat hospitality as a creative act, not a commodity.

Gemini in Chrome redefines what it means to browse with purpose. With a sleek side panel always within reach, multitasking becomes seamless, summarise pages, compare tabs, or transform images mid-search using Nano Banana. Connected deeply with your favourite Google apps, Gemini acts less like a tool and more like a co-pilot, capable of orchestrating multi-step workflows, managing details, and soon, anticipating your needs with Personal Intelligence. Crafted for focus and flexibility, it brings elevated simplicity to everyday complexity, a refined vision of browsing for those who expect more.

As travel planning becomes more intricate, Google’s new AI features offer a refreshing clarity. From intelligently curated itineraries on Canvas to real-time flight deals and frictionless bookings, AI Mode transforms Search into a bespoke travel concierge. Each interaction is shaped by your intent, fluid, conversational, and attuned to your preferences. It’s not about removing the human touch, but refining it: streamlining logistics so more time is spent exploring, not organising. A quiet evolution in how journeys begin, effortlessly, and entirely your own.

Inspired by Teenage Engineering’s minimal aesthetic, it breaks audio into layers, drums, bass, melody, minus the steep learning curve. Tactile controls replace software sprawl, letting users shape texture, energy, and rhythm in real time. With USB-C, mic, AUX, and MIDI inputs, the T.M-4 reimagines music-making as a design-led, sensory experience, where creativity flows through simplicity, not complexity.

Installed on the Kulm Hotel’s ice rink, the carousel spins in slow, deliberate rotation, its mirrored pink panels fragmenting mountains, skaters, and spectators into a kaleidoscopic loop. Counter-rotating tiers introduce a gentle dissonance, inviting riders to attune to the tension between mechanical rhythm and embodied presence. At once sculpture and experience, the work challenges the notion of amusement, offering instead a poetic, durational encounter with place, movement, and reflection.

Wrapped in white-on-white minimalism and kinetic sculpture, François and Betty Catroux’s Paris apartment in 1970 was a masterclass in space-age modernism. With smoky Perspex panels, geometric optical art, and curated African artefacts, the Quai de Béthune residence transformed heritage architecture into a futuristic stage. Betty, muse to Saint Laurent and icon of androgynous allure, embodied the era’s radical elegance. This was more than a home; it was a live-in installation, merging Op Art precision with sensual modernity. A visionary capsule of its time, reframing the future through the lens of design.

A striking fusion of legacy and innovation, Martell’s new prototype bottle reimagines what luxury packaging can be. Crafted from ultra-thin flat glass, more often found in high-end electronics or precision watchmaking, the form is feather-light yet structurally bold. Laser-welded seams and origami-like folds give it sculptural precision and gem-like clarity. This is more than a vessel; it’s a design-forward statement that brings haute technology into dialogue with centuries of craft. The result: a luminous showcase for the cognac within, and a vision for the future of sustainable luxury.

Beneath the golden sun of Alentejo, Joana Astolfi’s Casa Amarela offers more than rest, it offers narrative. This nine-suite guesthouse in Beja blends ochre-stained light, artisanal ceramics, and crafted woodwork into an immersive expression of place. The project champions tactile storytelling, where even the pool’s chequered tiles speak of playful precision. Astolfi’s design language is poetic yet practical, a testament to her refusal to silo creativity. Casa Amarela isn’t just a stay, it’s a study in joyful, contextual design.

In hotels, systems like PMS and CRS must stay deterministic, precise and fail-safe. OpenClaw offers a probabilistic layer around them, handling guest messages, triaging requests, drafting replies, and routing tasks with contextual intelligence. It listens, learns, and acts, without touching core workflows. Responses stay transparent, and memory improves accuracy over time. For modern hoteliers, OpenClaw signals a shift: AI that elevates service and lightens load, while preserving the integrity of essential systems.

Mobile-first Webflow websites for hotels and restaurants. Your team publishes offers in minutes, you keep full ownership, and there is no lock-in contract.

Perched above Ubud’s river valley, Juna Ubud Restaurant by Pablo Luna Studio blends bamboo craftsmanship with passive climate design. A circular plan and stepped roof harvest rainwater while drawing light and air into the heart of the space. Arches and A-frames define the structure, but it’s the material honesty, ulin wood shingles, SolarTuff skylight, and local joinery, that anchors it to place. Seamlessly balancing enclosure and openness, the design invites the landscape inward, transforming dining into an immersive, architectural experience. Here, climate, craft, and community form a quiet, intentional harmony.

Beneath Rockefeller Center, a new dimension of digital artistry unfolds. reSOUND New York transforms 10,977 square feet at HERO into a multisensory odyssey, where sound moves through glass harmonicas, black holes pulse with kinetic light, and poetry vibrates through wood. From d’strict’s tidal OCEAN to the infinity of choreographed light, each of the seven immersive stages invites tactile exploration and emotional resonance. This boundary-shifting experience reimagines how audiences interact with art, space, and self, positioning HERO as a future-forward cultural destination.

In his debut haute couture collection for Dior, Jonathan Anderson reframes heritage as a living force. Fossils, meteorites, and 18th-century miniatures meet Galliano’s gifted cyclamen, reimagined through sculptural silhouettes and tactile experimentation. Shown at the Musée Rodin, the work is less homage than alchemy, cutting antique fabrics, magnifying hand-embroidery, and introducing couture knitwear. Like Odundo’s ceramics, Anderson’s vision bends time and material, giving history a contemporary pulse while preserving Dior’s reverence for craft through reinvention. A grammar of forms, written in stone, silk, and imagination.

Tucked into the heart of Aspen, Moncler Grenoble’s new flagship blurs the line between performance and poetry. The 250-square-metre space, crafted by Küchel Architects, echoes the elemental drama of the Rockies, from its sculptural tree centrepiece to stone-clad interiors and cave-like entry. As only the second boutique globally for the technical line, it nods to Moncler’s alpine heritage while embracing a future-forward, LEED-conscious ethos. More than retail, this is a sanctuary for those who move through high altitudes with style and intention.

A global wave of fashion ingenuity is reshaping how, and where, we shop. In Tokyo, Y & Sons reframes the kimono as daily wear, fusing tradition with minimalist tailoring. Sydney’s Maap Lab redefines the cycling store as a hub for community and design. In London, JW Anderson’s Belgravia boutique curates fashion alongside craft-led objects. A Beams x New Balance capsule celebrates heritage with heavyweight cotton staples, while Canada’s House of Blanks perfects the humble tee. Each collaboration and launch is a masterclass in cultural fluency and tactile storytelling, setting a refined tone for the year ahead.

A masterstroke in micro-engineering, Piaget’s Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon is less watch, more design manifesto. At just 2mm thick, this ultra-slim marvel fuses horological precision with architectural poise, reimagining what a luxury timepiece can be. Sleek, radical, and obsessively minimal, it doesn’t just tell time, it distils it. A bold reminder that craftsmanship thrives in constraint, and innovation is often found in the space between. This is timekeeping reduced to its purest form, an object of design, defiance, and near-weightless wonder, destined to redefine the codes of contemporary elegance.

Inspired by the Maybach design language, this private, floating members’ club translates automotive elegance into a seaborne sanctuary. With over 50,000 square feet of deck space, sculptural interiors, and echoes of grand ocean liners past, it blends 1920s glamour with contemporary restraint. More than a yacht, it’s a design-forward refuge for those who view the ocean not as an escape, but as an extension of lifestyle and legacy.

In Instruments of Control, the genre-defying artist confronts the quiet power of algorithms, industry inertia, and his own creative autonomy. This story reframes Blake not simply as a musician, but as a designer of sound, emotion, and resistance, an emblem of thoughtful rebellion in an age increasingly dictated by unseen systems.

A new generation of turntables is reshaping the vinyl landscape with a focus on form, tactility, and tech-savvy refinement. Sony re-enters the scene with Bluetooth-enabled decks that echo the golden era of home hi-fi. Triangle and Pro-Ject’s Lunar 1 offers a colour-forward take on minimalism, pairing tonal richness with analogue purity. Meanwhile, Transparent’s sculptural turntable blends Swedish precision and streaming flexibility. At the centre of it all: Sumiko’s new Oriele cartridge, a hand-crafted, copper-orange detail that elevates playback into performance. This is vinyl, reimagined through a modern design lens.

High above the buzz of Park Avenue, the world’s largest Guerlain Spa opens within the iconic Waldorf Astoria New York. Designed by Wimberly Interiors, this 22,000-square-foot sanctuary blends Parisian refinement with cutting-edge wellness. Sixteen treatment rooms, immersive rituals, cryotherapy, and AI-assisted relaxation coalesce into a sensory-forward experience grounded in longevity. Here, Guerlain’s signature elegance meets next-generation innovation, inviting guests to slow down, reset, and reconnect in a space where beauty, performance, and stillness converge.

Beneath the sculpted grandeur of Rockefeller Center, Ralph Lauren debuts a 22,000-pound ice monument that merges craft, culture, and Olympic pride. Set against the urban geometry of Manhattan, the installation immortalises Team USA athletes in detailed relief, an ephemeral yet commanding tribute to resilience and artistry. From figure skater to Para snowboarder, each carved form wears the designer’s signature Opening Ceremony uniform, embodying a vision where athletic legacy meets aesthetic precision. Unveiled ahead of Milano Cortina 2026, this moment reframes public space as a gallery for national expression.

In a move reminiscent of sci-fi, Nippon Travel Agency Co. unveils plans for a one-hour suborbital journey connecting the US to Tokyo by 2030. Merging aerospace engineering with luxury hospitality, this near-space transit redefines time and distance. More than transport, it’s a crafted experience where design meets velocity and the journey becomes the destination. For hoteliers, it signals a shift: hospitality narratives may soon begin before guests even touch down. Round-trip fares are estimated at ¥100 million (approx. $657,000), with early phases starting in FY26.

Search and generative-engine strategies so Google, ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity understand, trust and recommend your property.

In a world of fleeting trends, the Bentley Continental GT endures. Since its 2003 debut, it’s defined modern grand touring, merging sculptural design with an effortlessly commanding presence. Its latest evolution, a plug-in hybrid V8 delivering 771 hp, signals Bentley’s electric future while staying rooted in craftsmanship. With near-limitless customisation and an interior that feels more atelier than automobile, the Continental GT is less a car and more a statement: of taste, of legacy, of motion refined to an art form.

The 2026 travel landscape is more than just forecasts, it’s a mirror of shifting values, intelligent design, and bold ideas. From speculative AI futures to deeply hotel-centric strategies, standout reports from Mews, Skift and OAG go beyond surface-level stats to shape where hospitality is headed. Their approach blends evidence and imagination, offering a rare mix of quantitative depth and visionary storytelling. For forward-thinking hoteliers, this isn’t trendspotting, it’s an invitation to lead with design, insight, and soul.

TikTok Shop isn’t just a trend, it’s a tectonic shift in retail. With over $15bn in projected US spend, it’s eclipsing legacy giants by making product discovery frictionless, visual, and algorithmically irresistible. Videos, not ads, drive nearly 60% of sales. More than 200,000 creators now participate, yet the top 1% dominate, a new class of cultural merchants. Here, commerce is entertainment. Influence is equity. And the scroll itself is the storefront. This is what happens when storytelling becomes the sale.

In an era where anyone can generate content in seconds, the true differentiator is no longer output, it’s taste. In content marketing, taste means having the judgment to know what’s worth creating. It’s a refined blend of cultural fluency, editorial instinct, and pattern recognition, an invisible framework shaped by experience. While AI can mimic, it cannot originate. Taste is what makes your voice distinct, your perspective resonant, and your content truly magnetic. For brands that lead with design and narrative, taste isn’t a luxury, it’s the foundation.

At Salone del Mobile 2026, interiors moved towards richer, more expressive forms. Lacquer appeared as a refined structural accent, giving sofas and chairs a sharper architectural presence. Dining tables became sculptural centrepieces, with marble, brutalist references and organic bases setting the tone of the room. Tubular chairs continued their modernist revival, reimagined with warmth and wit. Meanwhile, maximalist wallcoverings turned surfaces into immersive design narratives, proving that future interiors will feel crafted, confident and deeply atmospheric.

From Bangkok’s late-night Thai tapas to Phuket’s seafood-led tasting menus and Koh Samui’s sultry cocktail rooms, Thailand’s culinary landscape is a study in rhythm, place and flavour. Each address brings its own design narrative, where regional ingredients, sharp hospitality and confident interiors shape experiences that linger beyond the final course. This is dining as cultural immersion, moving from street-side energy to crafted bars and quietly ambitious kitchens with ease.

Set within a 15th-century Venetian palazzo, the hotel transforms arrival into ritual, pairing Gothic traces, Baroque detail and contemporary hospitality with quiet precision. Its 47 rooms, private apartments, canal-side dining and Wagon Bar create a world where heritage feels alive rather than preserved. This is Venice as an immersive design narrative, crafted for travellers who seek atmosphere, authorship and the rare pleasure of time beautifully suspended.

As jungle scenery unfolds beyond lacquered interiors and velvet-lined lounges, each dish reflects the rhythm of the journey itself, from refined interpretations of Penang laksa to delicately layered consommés infused with regional aromatics. More than fine dining, the experience evokes a slower era of travel where craftsmanship, atmosphere, and storytelling converge seamlessly across every carriage.

Aesop is more than skincare: its design language now extends beyond the store and into the home with Aposē, its first in-house lamp. Handmade by skilled artisans, the piece translates the brand’s famously warm retail lighting into a domestic object of calm precision. Presented inside March Studio’s eight-metre scaffolding installation at Santa Maria del Carmine, the lamp becomes both product and atmosphere, revealing how light can soften space, invite pause, and turn everyday care into a sensorial ritual.

For Biennale Arte 2026, illy transformed its signature espresso cup into a floating public artwork on Venice’s Riva Ca’ di Dio. Four oversized cups, designed by Alice Maher, Werewere Liking, Thania Petersen and Mohammed Z. Rahman, brought cultural storytelling to the water’s edge, responding to the Biennale theme In Minor Keys. Born first as an AI-generated image, the installation became a rare physical spectacle where craft, technology and brand heritage moved in perfect rhythm.

As World Cup ticket prices climb into the realm of exclusivity, Air Transat reframes the conversation through a campaign rooted in cultural discovery rather than access alone. By comparing the cost of match admission to return flights, the airline transformed frustration into aspiration, inviting supporters to experience football through the streets, cafés, and rituals of the nations they follow. The idea feels immediate yet elegantly restrained, using live data not as spectacle, but as a subtle storytelling device that places travel, emotion, and identity at the centre of the fan experience.

As artificial intelligence reshapes industries at extraordinary speed, the most enduring brands will not be defined by efficiency alone, but by their ability to continuously create, adapt, and expand cultural relevance. Inspired by the evolution of photography and modern art, the infinite game is less about replacement and more about reinvention. For founders, hoteliers, and creative leaders alike, the opportunity lies in building experiences that feel deeply human while embracing technology with quiet confidence.

Ads now appear in ChatGPT while travellers plan their trips. How distinctive hotels can reach guests before they have even named a hotel, and what to test first.

In Detroit, creativity is no longer a memory of the past but a blueprint for reinvention. Through Lumana, philanthropist and collector Jennifer Gilbert is shaping a new cultural institution rooted in design, community, and artistic exchange. Set within the evolving landscape of Little Village and Stanton Yards, the initiative reflects a broader movement redefining the city’s creative identity. Architecture, contemporary art, and civic ambition converge here with quiet confidence, positioning Detroit once again as a place where culture drives momentum and new narratives take form.

From London’s museum corridors to the layered rhythms of Mexico City and Cape Town, the world’s cultural capitals in 2026 are defined by more than landmark institutions. They are places where creativity spills into everyday life, where independent cinemas, neighbourhood galleries, and evolving food scenes shape the atmosphere as much as architecture or history. Time Out’s latest ranking captures cities that feel deeply alive, connected by a shared sense of experimentation and cultural energy. It is a portrait of urban life where art remains accessible, immersive, and inseparable from the identity of the city itself.

Pharrell Williams brings a softer rhythm to Louis Vuitton menswear, where formal codes loosen without losing precision. For Autumn/Winter 2026, silk mohair suits, cheetah-print pyjamas, patent slippers, and sacchetto loafers shape a wardrobe made for movement between ceremony and ease. Workwear details appear through riveted pockets, wool twill tailoring, and leather bands inspired by archival trunks. Finished with tarmac-embossed Aerogram bags and enamelled Monogram cufflinks, the collection turns travel, craft, and confidence into one fluid design narrative.

In Palma’s El Terreno, Terreno Barrio reimagines hospitality as a civic gesture. Designed by Ohlab, the 41-room hotel folds local craft, restored architecture and public life into one layered address. A rooftop pool, cinema, spa, restaurant and open alleyway invite guests and neighbours to share the same rhythm. Mallorcan artists and makers shape every detail, from terrazzo made with recovered rubble to lighting, brasswork and murals. It is a hotel with a strong sense of place, and a neighbourhood with a renewed stage.

From the intimacy of Chinatown dining rooms to the theatrical energy of open-fire kitchens along the waterfront, San Francisco continues to define modern dining through craftsmanship, culture, and layered storytelling. The city’s restaurant scene moves effortlessly between refined tasting menus, inventive neighbourhood concepts, and heritage institutions that feel deeply rooted in place. Each address reveals a distinct perspective on hospitality, where architecture, service, and cuisine exist in quiet harmony. It is a landscape shaped not by trends alone, but by a relentless pursuit of atmosphere, detail, and memorable sensory experiences.

In Pinheiros, Valente rises as a vertical city shaped by movement, privacy and light. Designed by FGMF for Idea!Zarvos, the mixed-use tower brings apartments, offices, shops and restaurants into one expressive structure. Its pixelated façade is more than a visual signature, creating terraces, balconies and shifting shadows that change throughout the day. With generous public edges, planting and a suspended plaza overlooking São Paulo, Valente transforms daily routines into a more fluid relationship with the city.

Working with architect Frank Greenwald, the studio preserves the home’s shingle-style character while opening its interiors to light, movement and art. Porcelain floors, pale plaster, handwoven leather and graphic contemporary works create a calm, tactile language. Designed for sand, gatherings and slow summer days, the house balances durability with quiet drama, proving that heritage can feel entirely present.

Rather than positioning AI as a separate assistant, Googlebook weaves Gemini Intelligence directly into the operating system itself, creating a more fluid relationship between creativity, workflow, and everyday computing. The result feels less like a traditional laptop and more like an ambient digital environment designed around intuition, context, and seamless interaction.

At just 9.9mm thin, LG’s OLED evo W6 transforms the television into an architectural gesture rather than a conventional screen. Designed to sit flush against the wall like a luminous canvas, the flagship display pairs sculptural restraint with quietly advanced engineering. Its wireless Zero Connect Box removes visual clutter entirely, allowing 4K video and audio to flow seamlessly from a discreet external hub. Powered by the Alpha 11 AI Processor Gen3, the W6 balances cinematic brightness, immersive colour depth, and ultra-fluid gaming performance with a distinctly refined sensibility fit for contemporary living spaces.

Google DeepMind’s latest exploration reimagines one of computing’s most familiar objects: the mouse pointer. Rather than existing as a passive navigational tool, the cursor becomes an intelligent layer that understands context, intention, and spatial relationships in real time. By combining gesture, voice, and visual awareness, the interface begins to feel less like software and more like an ambient extension of thought itself. It signals a subtle yet profound shift towards frictionless computing, where interaction becomes increasingly fluid, intuitive, and almost invisible.

With the Phone 3, Nothing reimagines the flagship smartphone as an object of industrial expression rather than pure utility. Its transparent construction, sculptural geometry, and circular Glyph Matrix create a visual language that feels closer to contemporary architecture than consumer electronics. Beneath the refined exterior, advanced imaging capabilities and AI-focused performance deliver a seamless, quietly powerful experience. The result is a device that challenges the uniformity of modern technology, offering a more tactile and design-conscious approach to how we engage with the digital world.

Audi’s forthcoming Concept C roadster reimagines the marque’s performance lineage through a lens of restraint, precision, and electric innovation. Positioned as the spiritual successor to the TT and R8, the two-seater EV introduces a cleaner, more architectural design language shaped by Chief Creative Officer Massimo Frascella’s “strive for clarity” philosophy. A retractable hardtop, tactile aluminium controls, and a concealed digital interface create an experience that feels both futuristic and deeply considered. The Concept C marks Audi’s most compelling expression yet of minimalist high-performance mobility.

One dashboard for website traffic, campaign results and revenue, per property, for independent hotels and groups alike.

Fifty years after its provocative debut, the Patek Philippe Nautilus returns with quiet conviction. The anniversary editions revisit the codes that made Gérald Genta’s design enduring: a slim porthole case, horizontal dial architecture, and an elegance that refuses excess. The 38mm platinum reference feels especially precise, echoing the vintage proportions collectors prize. Alongside white-gold variations and a rare desk clock, Patek Philippe offers not reinvention, but refinement. A reminder that true icons evolve best through restraint.

Opening on the Lower East Side, Stylus reimagines the private members’ club as an acoustic salon, where sound, architecture and culinary craft move in close harmony. Designed by O’Neill Rose Architects, with audio systems by Devon Turnbull and catering led by Michelin-starred chef Anita Lo, its two most intimate rooms explore listening as both retreat and connection. From Subliminal’s subterranean hush to Suite 48’s city-facing warmth, Stylus makes music feel spatial, social and deeply considered.

Sydney unfolds with the same relaxed sophistication that defines Zimmermann’s world, where sculptural coastlines, salt-washed ocean pools, and quietly glamorous dining rooms shape the rhythm of the city. From morning walks along the harbour to long seaside lunches at Bondi institutions, the Australian metropolis reveals a lifestyle rooted in light, texture, and ease. The recommendations from Nicky and Simone Zimmermann capture a version of Sydney that feels instinctively refined yet deeply connected to nature, where design and atmosphere exist in seamless conversation with the sea.

With the EP–136 KO II Sidekick, Teenage Engineering continues to blur the line between functional technology and collectible design. Compact yet expressive, the device channels the studio aesthetic of analogue music culture into an object that feels tactile, intuitive, and unmistakably contemporary. Beyond its technical capabilities, the appeal lies in how it transforms music-making into a visual and sensory experience, reflecting a broader shift towards technology that values craftsmanship, personality, and emotional connection as much as performance.

Inside the AP House concept, Audemars Piguet shifts the traditional boutique into something far more intimate and residential. Conceived as a refined social environment rather than a transactional showroom, each space reflects the maison’s enduring connection to craftsmanship, architecture, and cultural exchange. Warm materials, curated interiors, and discreet hospitality create an atmosphere that feels closer to a private members’ residence than a retail destination. It is a contemporary expression of luxury where horology, design, and conversation unfold with quiet confidence and remarkable precision.

At Milan Design Week 2026, glass emerged as a medium for atmosphere, reflection, and emotional depth. Across immersive installations and sculptural interiors, designers explored how transparency can soften architecture while amplifying light and movement. The most compelling pieces balanced craftsmanship with experimentation, transforming fragile surfaces into bold spatial statements that expressed modern luxury with subtle sophistication.

Expansive communal spaces, understated materials, and research-driven functionality shape an experience that feels both cinematic and deeply human. Rather than overwhelming with excess, the vessel embraces a more thoughtful rhythm at sea, where technology, craftsmanship, and exploration exist in quiet harmony. From its marine research facilities to its refined social interiors, Leviathan reflects a future where luxury is defined by intention, connection, and enduring design.

Today’s leading airlines craft experiences shaped by privacy, spatial design, and discreet technology, transforming long-haul travel into a calm and deeply personal ritual. From enclosed suites and ambient lighting to chef-led dining and tailored service, the cabin now reflects the sensibilities of contemporary luxury hospitality rather than traditional air travel. It is no longer simply about reaching a destination in comfort, but about creating a seamless atmosphere where design, precision, and emotional experience quietly converge above the clouds.

From the sculpted sandstone walls of Zion National Park to the volcanic black shores of Reynisfjara, these destinations possess an almost cinematic precision. Across the striped mineral ridges of Vinicunca and the shifting dunes of the Namib Desert, nature reveals itself as both architect and artist. The result is a collection of landscapes so visually improbable they appear digitally rendered, yet entirely untouched by simulation. A reminder that the world’s most extraordinary visuals still belong to the natural world.

Claude Skills transform repetitive prompting into a more refined and intelligent creative system. Rather than rewriting instructions for every task, marketers can build structured playbooks that preserve tone, editorial standards, and strategic thinking across workflows. Reusable SKILL.md frameworks allow AI to operate with greater consistency, drawing from style guides, examples, and connected data only when needed. It is a subtle shift away from fragmented prompting towards curated operational memory, where technology supports craftsmanship instead of overpowering it. For design-conscious teams, the result feels less mechanical and far more intentional.

Luxury hotel pricing is rarely dictated by availability alone. The most exceptional properties build value through perception, atmosphere, and the emotional weight of the experience itself. Design language, cultural relevance, architectural pedigree, and even the cadence of service all contribute to how a stay is positioned in the minds of discerning travellers. In this landscape, pricing becomes a reflection of identity rather than a transactional calculation. The hotels commanding enduring desirability are those that cultivate rarity and resonance, creating environments guests aspire to return to long before considering the nightly rate.

Hidden among the mature gardens of North Vancouver, Fred Hollingsworth’s Mahogany House is a remarkably intact expression of West Coast modernism. Completed in 1952, the single-storey residence pairs mahogany plywood with painted concrete, expansive glazing and precisely crafted cabinetry. Designed around its landscape, including a cedar tree embraced by the dining room, the house feels both rigorous and deeply connected to nature. Preserved by the same family for more than half a century, it now emerges as a quietly compelling study in material, proportion and place.

Identity, brand books, tone of voice, photography, film and music identity: one coherent world, from the logo to the lobby playlist.

Toronto’s Reina condominium offers a different perspective on residential design, shaped by an all-women team and conversations with the people who would inhabit it. Designed by Heather Rolleston of BDP Quadrangle, the building responds to everyday realities with intergenerational homes, generous stroller storage, shared resources and play areas visible from the gym. These seemingly simple decisions reflect a broader philosophy of designing from the inside out. The result prioritises connection, flexibility and daily life, demonstrating how thoughtful architecture can create community without compromising beauty.

A hotel’s website still matters, but it may no longer be where guests first decide what feels right. AI-powered search is increasingly shaping discovery, comparing properties and building shortlists before a traveller reaches the homepage. For extraordinary hotels, visibility now depends on more than imagery and interface. Brand voice, structured information and a clearly expressed sense of place must travel beyond the website itself. The next digital challenge is ensuring that when algorithms interpret your hotel, its identity remains unmistakably yours.

On Norway’s northern coast, The Whale is taking shape as a museum that appears to emerge directly from the landscape. Designed by Dorte Mandrup, its sweeping concrete roof evokes a whale surfacing or diving into the North Atlantic, while local stone helps anchor the structure to its rugged setting. Beneath the curved shell, a column-free interior will combine science, art, sound and storytelling to explore whales and their marine environment. The walkable roof extends the experience outdoors, transforming the building itself into a viewpoint across the surrounding archipelago.

Centuries of Japanese craftsmanship meet contemporary experimentation in Craft x Tech, a new exhibition at the V&A during London Design Festival. Six artisans from Japan’s Tokai region have collaborated with international designers to reinterpret techniques spanning ceramics, washi paper, textiles, cloisonné enamel and braided cord. Founded by designer and engineer Hideki Yoshimoto, the project treats tradition as a living source of knowledge rather than something fixed in the past. The resulting objects reveal how material intelligence, technology and cross-cultural exchange can give historic craft unexpected new forms.

At 94, Dieter Rams remains one of design’s most quietly influential figures. His work at Braun helped establish a language defined not by spectacle, but by usefulness, clarity and restraint. For Rams, “less, but better” was never an aesthetic formula. It was an attitude shaped by questioning whether an object was necessary and how people would actually use it. Now, the Dieter and Ingeborg Rams Foundation is preserving the drawings, photographs and conversations behind that thinking, ensuring an approach that influenced generations of designers remains as useful as the objects themselves.

Looking to nature at its most intricate, RDAI and Creative Matters have translated microscopic structures into six finely crafted rugs. The Zoometry collection magnifies butterfly wings, spiderwebs and other organic forms into graphic compositions of Tibetan wool and Chinese silk. Developed through parametric modelling before being interpreted by hand, each piece contains some 1.8 million knots, with subtle imperfections preserving the presence of its maker. The result sits between technology and tradition, revealing an unexpected visual language hidden within the smallest details of the natural world.

Inspired by the Memphis movement, Colorful Rebellion combines saturated colour, graphic geometry and modular forms to create objects that sit between functional lighting and sculpture. Firth deliberately retains the traces of digital fabrication, from visible layer lines to internal infill patterns that transform when illuminated. Developed from collaged sketches into interchangeable 3D components, the collection celebrates experimentation, allowing technology and playful imperfection to become part of the design language.

Its intense light, vivid vegetation and glittering coastline became material for experimentation. A new Royal Academy exhibition traces this enduring fascination through works by Monet, Renoir, Signac, Picasso and Matisse, each interpreting the Mediterranean landscape through a distinct visual language. From Pointillist colour and Fauvist glamour to quiet interiors framing luminous sea views, the exhibition reveals how the Côte d’Azur became both subject and studio, transforming modern art while creating an enduring image of Riviera life.

South Korea’s cultural influence is expanding from music and cinema into contemporary art. Artists including Suh Do-ho and Lee Bul are drawing international audiences, while K-pop figures such as RM have introduced a new generation to collecting and museum culture. In Seoul, established institutions are embracing this crossover as international galleries and Frieze strengthen the city’s position on the global art circuit. With Korean art increasingly appearing in major exhibitions abroad, a dynamic exchange between popular culture, artistic heritage and contemporary practice is giving the country’s creative scene new visibility.

Influence Society’s AI Studio pairs generative technology with the eye of an art director, creating photorealistic imagery and video without the constraints of a traditional shoot. Existing assets can shift from day to night, move between seasons, introduce carefully styled protagonists or expand into complete visual narratives. The approach is built around the brand, not the tool, allowing extraordinary hotels to explore more creative directions while preserving the atmosphere, design language and sense of place that make them distinctive.

Leica revisits an intriguing chapter of optical history with the Summicron-M 66 f/2, a contemporary interpretation of a lens originally developed for US Navy reconnaissance. Inspired by the rare Elcan 66mm f/2 from the late 1960s, the new release preserves its unconventional focal length, reversed aperture ring and distinctive engravings. Its rendering shifts from soft bokeh at wider apertures to exceptional detail when stopped down, echoing its surveillance origins. Limited to 660 individually numbered examples, the lens transforms a once-secret piece of engineering into a highly collectible photographic object.

Apple enters foldable territory with iPhone Duo, pairing a compact 5.4-inch exterior display with an expansive 7.6-inch screen within. Crafted from polished grade 5 titanium, its precision hinge and unusually thin profile turn a complex piece of engineering into a refined, familiar object. Inside, the A20 Pro chip powers multitasking, gaming and new camera experiences across both displays, while iOS 27 adapts fluidly as the device opens and closes. It is a significant shift in form, designed to make the iPhone feel more versatile without losing its identity.

Private gatherings for the leaders shaping hospitality brands, in Geneva, Paris, New York, Annecy, Mauritius and Miami.

As running culture gathers pace, Google is bringing AI into the rituals surrounding race day. Search’s AI Mode can shape training plans around individual goals and local routes, build running playlists through YouTube Music, and navigate an increasingly crowded world of performance gear. The approach brings planning, discovery and personalisation into one place, adapting recommendations to everything from weekly mileage to shoe fit. Less about replacing the runner’s instinct, it shows how technology can quietly organise the details, leaving more attention for the road ahead.

AI search is reshaping discovery. Before a traveller reaches a hotel website, an AI assistant may already have interpreted its story, compared it with alternatives and influenced consideration. Visibility increasingly depends on a coherent digital presence, built through clear brand information, credible third-party mentions and distinctive original content. For extraordinary hotels, this makes brand consistency across websites, editorial coverage, reviews and social platforms essential. The opportunity is not simply to appear in AI answers, but to ensure technology understands and represents the hotel with the same precision as the brand itself.

Maslow’s newest members’ club in Kensington brings work and wellbeing into the same carefully considered environment. Set within a mid-century Art Deco building, the space combines communal desks, private offices and meeting rooms with a gym, movement studio and wellness-focused café. Interiors by Mehrai Design use warm timber, tactile materials, planting, scent and soft lighting to create an atmosphere closer to a hotel than a conventional office. Informed by psychology and neuroaesthetics, the concept reflects a broader shift towards workplaces designed around concentration, movement and everyday wellbeing.

Everhaus is rethinking the private wellness club around a more connected vision of longevity. Opening in Las Vegas this winter, the concept brings fitness, preventative medicine and recovery therapies under one roof, supported by an AI concierge that learns from members’ health data to personalise recommendations and routines. Yet technology is only part of the proposition. Founder Justin Hibbert places equal emphasis on community, with dinners, salons and events designed to encourage meaningful interaction. The result is a wellness model where data-driven care and social connection work side by side.

For years, the hotel restaurant was treated as an amenity. Now, it is increasingly becoming the destination itself. Prestige dining can lift occupancy, strengthen a property’s identity and give both travellers and locals a reason to return. The most compelling restaurants go beyond the menu, expressing a distinct point of view about the place they inhabit. A famous chef may attract attention, but what ultimately matters is a culinary experience with enough character to shape how guests remember the hotel, and why they choose to stay there.

In a city defined by constant motion, New York’s most compelling spas offer something increasingly precious: space to disconnect. Across Manhattan and beyond, wellness takes many forms, from ancient thermal rituals and Japanese-inspired minimalism to clinical facials, breathwork and biohacking. Aman creates a quiet sanctuary above Fifth Avenue, while Aire retreats beneath Tribeca’s streets and QC NY transforms Governors Island into an urban escape. Together, these destinations reveal a new expression of city luxury, where considered design, restorative rituals and innovative treatments make slowing down feel distinctly New York.

Founded by Giuseppe Cipriani, creator of Harry’s Bar and the Bellini, the hotel was conceived as a secluded retreat for the cultural figures and jet-setters of the dolce vita era. Arrival by mahogany speedboat remains part of its allure, revealing a colourful waterfront of striped mooring poles, blue parasols and peach façades. Decades later, its cinematic setting continues to draw Hollywood’s A-list, particularly during the Venice Film Festival.

Its new London hub places hospitality and design at the centre of the journey, with interiors by Carver Hain Art + Design inspired by landscapes seen from above. Warm oak, tactile textiles, sculptural lighting and commissioned artworks replace the familiar language of the airport lounge with something more residential. Part terminal, part workplace and part gathering space, the result brings a considered sense of place to every stage of departure and arrival.

BAZ Yacht Design’s 33-metre MOBU 33 challenges the conventions of the performance yacht with an architectural approach shaped around social living. At its centre, a soaring 3.8-metre atrium connects the aft cockpit and main salon, while half-level transitions create an effortless flow between decks. Wide terraces and generous glazing dissolve the boundaries between interior, exterior and sea. The result is a yacht conceived less as a sequence of rooms and more as one fluid environment, bringing a distinctly contemporary sensibility to life on the water.

Kyoto’s creative renaissance is emerging through evolution rather than reinvention. Across fashion, hospitality, food and art, a new generation is drawing on the city’s deep traditions while introducing distinctly contemporary ideas. Textile maker Hosoo is bringing centuries of craft into menswear, historic townhouses are becoming galleries and restaurants, and new hotels reinterpret familiar architectural forms. What connects these projects is a respect for materials, provenance and longevity. As once-separate creative disciplines begin to overlap, Kyoto is shaping a fresh identity without losing the cultural foundations that make it distinctive.

From the polished glamour of Carbone to the intimate charm of Casa Tua, Miami has cultivated an Italian dining scene with a character distinctly its own. Michelin-recognised kitchens sit alongside neighbourhood institutions, while coastal cooking, handmade pasta and tableside rituals bring different expressions of Italy to the city. Dōma introduces contemporary energy in Wynwood, Forte dei Marmi channels refined seaside living, and Le Specialità brings Milanese craft to the Design District. Together, they reveal a city where Italian tradition is continually reinterpreted through Miami’s appetite for design, atmosphere and experience.

Set within 31 acres of Berkshire parkland, Chaddleworth House carries a story stretching back centuries. The Grade II-listed Regency residence was built between 1809 and 1811, yet the estate’s lineage reaches back to the Norman Conquest. For decades, it was home to Guinness heiress Lady Eliza Mays-Smith, a lifelong racehorse owner closely connected to Lambourn’s celebrated gallops. Now offered for £7 million after some 60 years in the same family, Chaddleworth brings architecture, equestrian culture and English heritage into one quietly remarkable estate.

Search, social and email campaigns built around your ideal guests, bringing them to your rooms, tables, spa and meeting spaces, and turning their interest into direct bookings.

Each September, Old Forester turns founder George Garvin Brown’s birthday into an annual expression of patience and craft. The 2026 Birthday Bourbon draws from 212 barrels distilled in 2015, aged for 11 years in Warehouse B and bottled at 97 proof. More than a limited release, it shows how heritage can remain desirable when every edition carries its own character. A familiar tradition, subtly reinterpreted each year and made compelling by the simple fact that it cannot be repeated.

At The Wolfsonian-FIU, Foot Notes: Shoes, Symbolism & Society considers footwear as far more than an object of fashion. Across 150 pieces, the exhibition traces how shoes have reflected changing ideas around design, identity, technology and culture since the early 20th century. Highlights range from Salvatore Ferragamo’s 1938 rainbow platforms for Judy Garland to Jeremy Scott’s sculptural Adidas sneakers. Unexpected objects and provocative artworks reveal how something as familiar as a shoe can capture the aesthetics, innovations and social attitudes of its time.

Justin Bieber is giving SKYLRK its first dedicated physical space with a five-day pop-up in Manhattan. Opening at 60 10th Avenue, the store brings the label’s pared-back approach to streetwear off-screen, with apparel, loungewear and accessories expected to fill the space. The timing places fashion alongside one of Bieber’s biggest musical moments of the year, with the pop-up running through his FIFA World Cup Halftime Show appearance. More than temporary retail, it offers a first glimpse at how SKYLRK’s understated visual identity translates into a physical experience.

Bose is leaning into the butter-yellow trend with packaging that brings an unexpected twist to its SoundLink Plus speaker. Created with CNC, the limited-edition seeding kit transforms the familiar box into an oversized block of butter, complete with foil wrapping and a minimal paper sleeve. The concept balances internet humour with Bose’s typically restrained visual language, turning a piece of consumer technology into something deliberately tactile and playful. While the packaging is not available commercially, it demonstrates how a simple cultural reference can give an established product a fresh visual identity.

Aston Martin and Brough Superior bring their two-wheeled collaboration to the road with the AMB 002 Roadster. Designed alongside the Aston Martin Design Studio, the superbike combines a lightweight carbon-fibre body with a 130bhp V-Twin engine and an intricate titanium frame weighing just 5kg. Its sculptural form introduces sharper, more animalistic details, balanced by hand-stitched leather and precisely machined components. Limited to 300 examples and built in Toulouse, the AMB 002 translates Aston Martin’s evolving design language into a machine engineered for open roads.

British luggage maker Globe-Trotter brings the visual language of Formula One to its latest collaboration with Aston Martin Aramco. Limited to 100 pieces, the collection pairs the brand’s signature vulcanised fibreboard with Aston Martin Green, vivid lime stitching and bespoke racing-inspired details. Each case is handcrafted in Hertfordshire, balancing a tradition dating back to 1897 with the precision and energy of contemporary motorsport. Numbered plaques and co-branded finishes complete a collection designed as much for collectors as for life in motion.

Watches, jewellery, fine wine, classic cars and rare collectibles are being considered for their ability to preserve value as well as tell a story. Scarcity, provenance and cultural relevance give these pieces a significance that extends beyond their material worth. For luxury brands, this signals a broader shift in how value is perceived. The most compelling objects are not simply acquired. They become part of a collection, carrying craftsmanship, identity and meaning from one generation to the next.

Much of that work is repeatedly outsourced to designers, procurement specialists, project managers and other external partners. For owners and operators with several properties and a steady pipeline of renovations, Ad Altius proposes a different model: bringing selected functions in-house. A dedicated team can develop deeper knowledge of each property, reuse expertise across projects and reduce reliance on outside suppliers. Over time, recurring renovation spend becomes an investment in capabilities that remain within the hotel group.

So, what will the next ten years look like?

Predicting the future isn’t really our style. Especially now, when ten years feels almost impossible to imagine.

Not long ago, much of the excitement around AI was focused on chatbots: asking questions, generating content, creating images. Today, AI agents are already taking actions, using tools, analysing data and carrying out work on our behalf. What feels revolutionary today could feel completely normal six months from now.

Will websites still exist in the same form ten years from now? Will people discover hotels and restaurants through social media, search engines or conversations with AI? Will brands need to create entirely different digital experiences for humans and machines? We can imagine countless scenarios, but nobody really knows.

What we can control is our mindset.

The next decade will require us to stay curious, learn quickly and be willing to change things that are working perfectly well today. It means experimenting with new ideas and, importantly, creating enough bandwidth inside our companies to actually act on them. Innovation requires time, attention and the willingness to question what we already know.

Because the next big change might not be five years away. It might be next month. It might be next week. Something new might arrive a few days from now that changes how we create, communicate or work.

Our advice for the coming decade is simple: never become too comfortable with what you already have. Keep learning, keep testing, keep experimenting. Make room for new ideas, even when the old ones are still working.

Wherever the next ten years take us, we intend to keep evolving and helping our clients explore the frontiers of marketing innovation. And all along the way, we will continue sharing ideas, creativity and inspiration through SOCIETIES Magazine.