Luxury Redefined: The Appeal of Craftsmanship and Hands-on Learning in High-End Event Programs

 

In an era where mass-production often overshadows individuality, the demand for craftsmanship and artisanal experiences has skyrocketed. The success of platforms like Etsy, which grew from $196 million in 2014 to an impressive $2.75 billion in 2024, reflect this shift. 

The mainstream media is full of stories of destinations overwhelmed with tourists seeking unique experiences, and that trend is evident in the luxury event space, too.

The executive or incentive event participant wants experiences that are unique, handcrafted and personal, and offer the opportunity to learn and gain insights about a destination through hands-on and engaging activations.

Here’s what I’ve learned so far about how corporate events and destinations are delivering those experiences in new and innovative ways, and how you can identify and create similar opportunities for your executive or incentive events.

What Do You Need to Create Unique Bespoke Executive-Level Experiences?

Designing executive-level events in unique or non-traditional venues with custom and personalized experiences takes time, a keen understanding of your audience and a willingness to craft and weave a brand story through every element.

Often you are creating an experience in a location that isn’t accustomed to the expectations of corporate event marketers or attendees who may not understand or appreciate the level of detail and pre-planning work required.

Many times, the basic infrastructure may lack support elements required for caterers and other vendor partners, including electrical, Wi-Fi, prep and staging areas, audiovisual equipment and lighting.

It takes discipline and the ability to see the experience in your mind’s eye from pre-event communications to a full curb-to-curb, start-to-finish perspective to create magic that will provide comfort, evoke emotion, increase brand affinity and foster new connections and relationships. 

A creative storyline that weaves in the brand, time and a willingness to see the experience 100% from the eyes of your customer are the only resources required for success.

[Related: Luxury Redefined: The Value of Personalized, Immersive and Human-Centric Luxury Experiences]

Immersive Craftsmanship in Luxury Locations

An exclusive behind-the-scenes experience where an artisan shares insights about their skills or craft has great appeal to today’s luxury event attendees, too.  

SharpEXP, my boutique experience agency, recently crafted a series of experiences in New York City designed for 30 to 50 executives in the private equity and finance industries. This target persona can easily tap into luxury restaurants, hotels, retail and more, but experiences with personalization and exclusivity are key to ensuring they carve out time to learn more about your brand, meet other customers and engage with your executives.

Tudor Boutique

We designed and hosted a private corporate customer event at TUDOR Boutique Tourneau Meatpacking in New York City’s Meatpacking District. (Tudor is a sister brand to Rolex that was founded in 1926.)

The artisan watchmaker opened the architecturally beautiful and elegant boutique in NYC in 2021; however, a cocktail reception in a stunning location is no longer enough to entice busy executives.

SharpEXP partnered with the brand to secure one of its top watchmakers and used a close-capture camera so all guests could see the intricacies of the watch movements and learn about the craftsmanship of this historic brand.

Executives participated in a custom watchmaking session where they not only learned about the intricate craftsmanship behind luxury timepieces, but also watched Chisato Uno, a New York-based artist who specializes in engraving, etching, foiling and calligraphy, hand-foil a leather watch roll with each guest’s name or initials.

Women Winemakers

For a “Women in Private Equity” event, SharpEXP interviewed and hand-picked a New York-based female sommelier, selected women-owned wines or women winemakers and featured them in a curated private tasting at the Pebble Bar near Rockefeller Center.

The sommelier, Aimée Lasseigne New, guided a tasting through sparkling wine and several white and red selections, making sure to weave in tasting notes relevant to those new to wine and those with more sophisticated palates and budgets. In order to foster guest engagement, networking was encouraged in between tastings while the sommelier mingled and answered questions.

To add a touch of personalization and interest, we tapped into Chisato Uno’s talents again, this time to engrave names and personalized messages for guests on gifted wine bottles.

Nike House of Innovation

Located on the fifth floor of Nike’s 5th Avenue store in NYC, the Nike House of Innovation offers a “Nike by You” custom design studio where guests can select a Nike-branded retail item and add design elements to create their own unique shoe or jacket.

The space and experience can be customized for private corporate groups to include lounge seating, a DJ, entertainment, catering or other personalized experiences such as an athlete who can provide training and equipment tips to runners, tennis players or hikers in the group.

All of these experiences highlight the growing demand for personalization, where attendees are not just passive observers but actively engage in learning from artisans, are inspired, and become creators.

[Related: Luxury Redefined: How and Why Luxury Meetings and Events Experiences Are Shifting]

Bee-Spoke: The Intersection of Nature, Sustainability and Luxury

Sustainability is no longer an afterthought in luxury events; it is becoming a core value. A prime example is the beekeeping experience at California’s Carmel Valley Ranch, where groups immerse themselves in nature while learning about the vital role bees play in our food supply. (They pollinate 75% of our fruits and vegetables, and according to bee experts at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, a third of the world’s food production depends on bees!)

Carmel Valley Ranch’s resident beekeeper, Rachel Sutton, and her team oversee between 35,000 to 60,000 bees on the property at any given time. The apiary experience is guided by one of the beekeepers and allows participants to explore the hive ecosystem and see how bees produce food and honey. It concludes with a honey tasting that offers varieties like wildflower, sage and lavender honey—gleaned from the bees that work amongst the 70,000 lavender plants on the property.

This type of nature-centered experience combines education with luxury—and may be an adrenaline rush based on your affinity for bees. Either way, it’s an experience guaranteed to be memorable.

Giving attendees an opportunity to connect with the environment in a meaningful way and learn how things like honey are made is exactly the kind of experience today’s luxury event attendees crave—immersive, sustainable and deeply connected to the natural world.

Education Meets Experience

For executives seeking both education and relaxation, immersive experiences in venues like the Monterey Bay Aquarium offer the perfect balance.

Corporate events hosted in such locations allow participants to learn from marine biologists, explore marine ecosystems and engage in conservation efforts. These educational tours and workshops are not just informative; they align with the growing trend toward sustainability and environmental responsibility.

For event planners, this approach provides an opportunity to offer both an enriching educational experience and a break from the traditional event setting. The combination of nature, sustainability and learning adds an extra layer of value to the event.

[Related: Lone Star to L'étoile: 8 Tips for Planning On-Trend Customer-Centric Luxury Experiences]

Today’s Lesson in Luxury

The evolving definition of luxury in the corporate event space now centers on sustainability, craftsmanship and meaningful, hands-on experiences.

As attendees seek more than just opulence, event planners are challenged to craft immersive and personalized moments that resonate on a deeper level. Finding a venue, hiring a caterer and selecting great wine does not guarantee success or deliver the business results corporate executives expect. Finding the right ensemble of venue, artisans, engagement and personalization is challenging. These layered experiences take time to create, refine and execute.

By integrating these elements, events can transform into unforgettable experiences that align with the values of today’s executives, create brand affinity, grow pipeline and nurture relationships.

With love and luxury, Laurie

Connect with Laurie

www.linkedin.com/in/lauriesharp

laurie@sharpexp.com

www.sharpexp.com

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