FACES x Forbes Luxury Summit

Music to start, art to inspire

The event started with a special moment: composer and Steinway artist Vincent Corver performed his musical interpretation of five works – inspired by images and memories. "When you create a moment that people never forget, that's luxury," according to Corver.

In his opening words, Forbes Editor-in-Chief Klaus Fiala remembered publishing legend Malcolm Forbes, who not only consumed luxury, but also staged it in words. FACES Founder Stefan Berger then stressed that "We don't just want to illustrate, we want to co-design."

Between digital decadence and emotional value

Prof. Felicitas Morhart of the Swiss Center for Luxury Research highlighted the challenges of luxury in the digital age – moving between AI, handicraft, efficiency, and emotion. Her message was, "Luxury must not be efficient, but it must touch people."

Farhad Vladi, the world's most renowned private-island broker, shared impressive stories from his five decades in the island business. One of his first transactions was an island on Fiji that he sold on behalf of Malcolm Forbes.

A conversation with Yann Marois of Philip Morris International demonstrated how consistently the company is working on a smoke-free future – with design, empathy, and innovative spirit. Federico Ziviani, CEO of watch brand Gérald Charles, also spoke about the balancing act between tradition and future. His definition was, "Luxury doesn't mean displaying – it means shifting borders."

In a video message, Tim Bravo, Head of Communications at Lamborghini, stressed the fact that even super sports cars need to reinvent themselves, as luxury is increasingly defined by emotion, community, and purpose.

Health as the ultimate asset

One central topic of the day was longevity. Marc P. Bernegger of Maximon hosted a panel featuring Dr. Omar Haroon and Dr. Antoinette Sarasin Gianduzzo, that revealed: health, sleep, and a mindful lifestyle are essential – not to live forever, but to live better, more consciously, and longer.

Touching upon financial health

In an interesting conversation, Gzim Hasani, our CEO, spoke about real assets as luxury assets – ranging from wine to watches to classic cars. According to his assessment, "Diversification is key. Yet true luxury means the freedom to decide – even in uncertain times."

Looking ahead

Dirk Jacobs, Head of Tourism at St. Moritz, outlined the new positioning of this legendary Swiss winter destination: away from status symbols toward experience, nature, and true experiences.

The grand finale was provided by fashion entrepreneur Philipp Plein, who talked candidly about his provocative success story – evidence that loud visions also have a home in the luxury market.