Above 1,800 metres, there’s a stillness you feel before you hear it — it settles into your chest first. That’s the silence I stepped into at Courchevel 1850, getting out of the car into air so sharp and clear it almost felt like a test, as if the mountain wanted proof I deserved to be there.
Luxury today can’t be measured by price alone. It’s shifting away from the material and toward the experiential — brands are no longer just selling products but crafting moments people will remember, and perhaps pay for the feeling those moments leave behind. This issue looks at that shift across several different worlds.
In Seychelles, my villa opened right onto the beach, with nothing marking where the resort ended and the sea began. It took me a whole day to realise that was exactly the point — the island isn’t asking you to pack your time full. It’s asking you to slow down enough to notice it.
In our cover story,Sudha Reddy, Hyderabad’s most glamourous global ambassador for style, panache and purpose is indeed painting the globe red with her tres outre style, her drop dead gorgeous jewels and the equally large causes she backs. In between red carpet moments and larger than life art openings she takes time off for Outlook Luxe to discover the real Sudha behind the many cameos that she has begun to be known for. We also sit down with veteran designers Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla, who, four decades into their fashion careers, are now turning their signature maximalism toward art and design. At Gangoly Brothers, Delhi’s oldest watch store, the father-son team reflects on carrying their family’s legacy forward since 1935. For those who crave velocity, we look at what F1 drivers choose to drive when they’re off the track. Elsewhere, take a stylish break with a monogrammed coffee at one of the world’s luxury fashion cafés — and whether your idea of escape is snow-capped peaks or a beach retreat, we’ve got both covered, from skiing in Courchevel to unwinding in Seychelles.
We also speak with Karishma Swali about taking Indian craftsmanship global through Chanakya International, and catch up on Ekta Kapoor and Sussanne Khan’s new venture into jewellery. Rounding out this issue’s pieces on style, beauty, music and longevity, the October edition closes on a reflective note with photographer Avani Rai’s personal diary entry. Happy reading!
