Originally by By Jeff Lien for Mode Design Group / Society Awards. Updated 8/25/2025
Trends like luxury toast – seriously, luxury toast – are to blame for your holiday gifting troubles this year. Luxury, it seems, has grown a broad definition where, with marketing spin, it can be just about anything. Luxury ice, garbage cans, doorstops, vacuums and so the list could continue ad infinitum.
So, how do we spoil the people we care about this holiday season? Money alone doesn’t buy it. The brands that create true luxury do so through masterful control of the nuances; it’s the details by which a luxury gift succeeds or fails.
The Aim of Luxury
Before the red sole on Christian Louboutin shoes became an iconic brand signature, it was designed as a thoughtful surprise, a small but meaningful gift to the wearer.
A signature detail of David Alan’s rings is a single pink diamond set inside the band, such that only the wearer is privy to its existence. The diamond is hidden yet provides a powerful secondary gift to the owner–a very intimate detail on a very personal possession.
Former CEO of Porsche Design, Roland Heiler, believes that, “the aim of luxury…is for something to be a lifelong companion.” Indeed, there may be no greater gift than a gift given and cherished.
Related Readings: Business Gift Ideas to Strengthen Client Relationships.
Historically accurate designs and techniques are utilized to craft Jacob Bromwell’s Great American Flask out of pure, solid copper. As the flask is used, as it gains stories and character, the material also grows a charming patina. It’s the sort of object that gets passed down to children and grandchildren. There is absolutely a luxury to that permanence.
Thoughtful Packaging Makes
a Lasting Impression
The electric feeling of childish excitement at opening a present is not easily shaken post adolescence. A cursory YouTube search reveals over twenty million “unboxing” videos. Experts in packaging design and user experience craft these moments with great attention to detail.
Apple touts one of the world’s most elegant unboxing experiences–no scissors are required, there are neither extraneous nor missing parts and once you press start, you find a charged battery.
Tiffany & Co packaging creates an instant connection with the recipient through its iconic blue box. It’s an unmistakable visual cue that manages to communicate the brand flawlessly. In some instances, however, the Tiffany box creates a level of anticipation poorly matched to the reality of its contents (e.g., key chain).
Society Awards provides custom package for your luxury experience. Learn more about our service here.
Where Luxury Meets Customer Service
A luxury gift encompasses far more than the physical product–it extends to the shopping experience and continued brand interactions. Customer service has become its own channel for brand differentiation in the luxury experience.
Nordstrom’s renowned service is about more than an exceptional return policy–it ‘walks the talk’ of a relationship-centered approach. One story stands out–a man in Portland walks into a Nordstrom and asks for an Armani tuxedo for his daughter’s wedding. Instead of informing the man that they did not carry Armani tuxedos, the associate took the man’s measurements and quickly sourced one from a distributor. This sort of service is what guarantees a positive experience should your gift recipient ever need attention.
Society Awards provides the upper echelon of the luxury customer service experience. Read more about it here.
If all else fails, know that the sort of house that doesn’t happily welcome a guest with Champagne likely has no business accepting company. We might suggest the 2014 Veuve Cliquot in ‘Ice Jacket’–a signature yellow isothermic cover, and functional secondary gift, that will be valued beyond the life of that first bottle, and trust us, there’s always another bottle.
The Elegance of Luxury Gifts
Luxury gifting is an art form and a strategy. When done right, it builds loyalty, enhances brand reputation and experiences, and reinforces key relationships. Choose gifts that are elegant, meaningful, and well-crafted to elevate your message and stand out in the minds of your most valued contacts.
At Society Awards we take gifting seriously, it's one of our many luxury services. We custom design our own gifting platforms, and utilize our own great selection of readymade designs. If you need help determining how to be strategic and thoughtful when looking for a luxury gift, Society Awards is here to help. For expert guidance and inspired ideas, contact our concierge here or at (212) 845-9980.
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