The New Luxury - Heritage, Craft, and the Power of True Connection

Luxury is no longer just about price tags or polished storefronts in malls. It’s not what conglomerates like LVMH or media giants like Vogue have long dictated. Real luxury is something far more intimate, more powerful, and increasingly—more relevant. Someone once told me that luxury is simply having direct access to your supply chain. That stuck with me. Because when you truly have visibility and connection to every part of what you’re making—from the origin of your ingredients to the people crafting your product—you unlock a level of quality and authenticity that no marketing campaign can fake. That is luxury. It’s not about hype; it’s about truth. And when you have that access, you can source the best. You can choose exceptional ingredients, prioritize quality over quantity, and work with producers and artisans whose skills have been handed down over generations. That generational knowledge—rooted in heritage, culture, and pride—is what makes artisan, handmade products so powerful. It's a living legacy. We’re seeing a renaissance of true heritage brands. Not the kind manufactured by marketing teams, but those rooted in family stories, traditions, and regional craftsmanship. These are the brands that represent real luxury. They’re not private-label products slapped with a premium price and a trending active ingredient. They’re made by people who live their craft, who know their suppliers, who care about the details—and who live the very lifestyle their brand represents. There’s too much greenwashing in the luxury industry. Let’s be honest: a huge portion of luxury skincare brands are private label. One "hero" ingredient, a glossy bottle, and suddenly it's the "must-have" of the year. But how many of those founders have actually visited the farms? How many know how the ingredients are harvested or extracted? Very few. So, what are you really paying for? Marketing? A lifestyle? That’s not luxury—that’s performance.

Luxury isn’t about money—it’s about passion. I’ve met many entrepreneurs who spend lavishly on vacations and personal indulgences. But when it comes to investing in their own product’s origin story or visiting their suppliers, they hesitate. Why not redirect that energy into building a real supply chain? Why not go meet your growers, your producers, your extractors? That’s what the original founders of industries did. The champagne makers. The perfume houses. The textile and leather ateliers. They lived their craft. That’s how they earned not only wealth but respect. In this new world, thanks to the internet and social media, we can bypass the gatekeepers. We can connect directly with those who are truly doing the work. As entrepreneurs, this gives us the power to create niche luxury brands with real stories, real ethics, and real value.

Finding Luxury in Seaweed
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I was recently reminded of this during a visit to Sweden, where I toured Nordic SeaFarm in Strömstad—one of the largest and most advanced seaweed farms in Europe. I’ve had the privilege of seeing many facilities in my career, from small artisan operations to industrial-scale production sites. And I can say with confidence: Nordic SeaFarm is operating at a level that rivals the finest luxury brands in the world.

I was invited on a boat tour during their harvest season and witnessed firsthand how their seaweed—Ulva, one of my favorite species—is grown, harvested, and processed. I met the founders, the workers, the processors. I saw their new plant, guided by their business director, Niklas Carlson, who gave us a full behind-the-scenes look. Their process was transparent, collaborative, and grounded in excellence. They’re not trying to do everything. They know their role in the ecosystem—they are masters of farming and processing seaweed. They also process for others, playing a vital role in scaling the industry sustainably. That level of precision, humility, and focus is, to me, the epitome of what luxury in a modern, sustainable context should be.

Seaweed is just the beginning. We're entering a new age of materials—upcycled, regenerative, bio-based. And this movement isn't just for large brands with big budgets. In fact, small brands are leading the way, breaking the rules, creating thoughtful, impactful products that carry real meaning. Today, traceability and sustainability are no longer “nice to haves.” They are baseline expectations. But beyond that, what we’re truly craving—as creators and consumers—is connection. To ingredients. To people. To purpose.
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So, what is luxury? Luxury is knowing your supply chain. Luxury is standing in the boat during a seaweed harvest, watching your ingredient come to life. Luxury is heritage, dedication, and craft. It’s presence. And above all, luxury is living what you say you are—not selling hope, but selling truth.

Learn More About Nordic SeaFarm