Wellness has become part of the luxury lexicon with it in almost every luxury brand’s playbook. According to the Global Wellness Institute, wellness is the active pursuit of activities, choices and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health. 

We look at wellness in two ways: core and peripheral. Core wellness are products and services that directly deal with wellness, such as spa treatments, yoga, supplements, and fitness. Peripheral wellness is features that help support the experience. This is where luxury brands are placing their emphasis, creating Zen like experiences that promote relaxation, tranquility, and happiness. 

A motivating factor behind many luxury conglomerates in substantially expanding their retail spaces is to create a more holistic customer experience that includes wellness features.  Many of them are accomplishing this through reinventing their spaces to replicate a luxury residence. For example, the Wilkes-Bashford clothing store in San Francisco that dresses most of the tech moguls in Silicon Valley refer to its seven-story boutique as a townhouse. Some are going further and defining their spaces as places of worship, such as Cartier, which identifies its top four global flagship locations as Cartier Temples. 

Some of the features that luxury conglomerates like LVMH and Hermes are embracing to promote peripheral wellness include biophilic design, water works, gardens, and open-air balconies and rooftops that seamlessly flow from the indoors to the outdoors. In addition, mood-lighting, commissioned artwork, comfortable lounge areas, and soothing materials throughout the store promote a feeling of contentment and happiness. Amenities include restaurants, bars, valet parking, and concierge services. Hospitality is also following with both core and peripheral wellness features with more of its focus on core. Many luxury hotels are adding spa services, yoga rooms, tranquility spaces, and restaurants with healthier cuisine. Outdoor space is also being added to new luxury properties that feature waterways, gardens, unique vegetation, and even works of art. Marriott International, for example, recently launched its new guest model for its Luxury Group of properties that rests on tree pillars, Longevity, Connection and Transformational Experiences that form the defining points of “Era of High Life Worth”.

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