Cristian Arcangeli is the Vice President of Marketing, Commercial Strategy and Digital at illycaffè America. He came to coffee from the world of luxury fashion, having spent years at Gucci and Diesel before making the leap to illy. Under his leadership in the US, illy has quadrupled its digital business, while Cristian has spearheaded the development of wellness experiences and communities across America.
In this episode Carlota and Cristian go deep on what happens when you apply the Hermès playbook to your morning cup, why luxury brands are arriving late to a strategy illy has been running for years, and what it actually takes to turn a commodity into a world people want to belong to.
What you will hear in this episode:
• From Gucci and Diesel to illy: what made Cristian cross over from luxury fashion to coffee.
• Turning coffee from a commodity into a conscious experience.
• The three pillars of quality, sustainability, and art and how they work together in practice.
• Creating your own platforms instead of sponsoring other people's events.
• The wellness platform with Megan Roup & Mellissa Wood Tepperberg and how a workout class sells coffee.
• The slow-down café in New York and the aroma bar experience.
• The fine dining programme with Michelin-star chefs building menus around espresso aromas.
• What luxury brands can learn from illy about desirability versus exclusivity.
• Spitfire questions on luxury, 2030, three words, and advice.
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Beyond Luxury Group is a strategic advisory and new media group, guiding leaders towards the future of luxury and beyond. We work with fashion, beauty, wellness, travel, and hospitality groups and brands to accelerate meaningful, future-proof growth. Get in touch to find out how we can support your business.
Carlota Rodben is CEO and Founder of Beyond Luxury Group, bestselling author, former Head of Innovation at Chanel, and host of the Beyond Luxury Podcast, ranked top 2 globally in its category.
