What do people want from luxury when they can already afford almost anything?

As technology, automation and highly scripted customer experiences become increasingly sophisticated, this conversation asks whether the future of luxury might depend on something far more fundamental: genuine human connection. Recorded at The Luxury Conversation 2026, Dr Fabio Duma is joined by Fabian Messer, founder of FERUS, and Jane Wu, Founder & CEO of Ruihe Longevity Group, to explore Resonance and the Future of the Human in Luxury.

Drawing on their experience across luxury hospitality, brand strategy, ultra-high-net-worth client relationships and longevity, the panel considers why time, attention, stillness and feeling genuinely understood are becoming increasingly valuable forms of luxury. Jane reflects on nearly two decades working with high-end clients and explains why perfectly scripted luxury service can fail when brands lose sight of the individual behind the customer. From something as simple as noticing that a guest is left-handed to understanding when someone arriving at a hotel simply wants to be left alone, the discussion explores why true personalisation requires human judgement rather than simply better processes or technology.

Fabian considers how automation, standardisation and the demand for scalability are reshaping hospitality, while questioning whether the most resonant luxury experiences may instead emerge from places with greater character, freedom and emotional relevance.

Together, the panel asks whether luxury needs to move beyond performance and perfection — towards experiences that give people something increasingly difficult to obtain: time, presence, meaning and the freedom simply to be.