LONDON — The highest-end luxury customers can have it all, but now they want even more.
New research from Team 1 shows a fundamental shift in the way the “rich” define a fulfilling life. They prioritize friendship over status and seek genuine connection. This change is forcing some brands to rethink their marketing approach.
Team One said the findings of the Global Affluent Collective’s 2026 report, “Revising Belonging,” revealed “a growing disconnect between opportunities for connection and true feelings of belonging.” The report is based on 16 years of original research and a survey of 4,334 respondents from 18 countries.
According to the report, around 51 percent of the world’s wealthy people now “prioritize friendships over status, prefer smaller and more intentional friendship circles, and increasingly value authentic connections.”
“Wealthy people overestimate being seen. They’re correcting themselves to be understood,” said Mark Miller, chief strategy officer at Team One, a media and communications agency owned by Publicis Groupe.
Miller added that many luxury brands haven’t caught up and are “still talking about a version of success that already has an overgrown audience. [customers] No need for a new room. That’s support. It’s a tool that helps you build trust, deepen relationships, and actually show up in the moments that matter. This brief is no longer just about access. It’s a matter of affinity. ”
According to the study, 81% of those interviewed said that social success is about being accepted for who you are, not how you are perceived. About 92% said they seek approval from the “right” people, not “most” people. 80% said they build a sense of belonging through shared time and interests rather than exclusive access.
Tahni Candelaria, Team One’s director of cultural anthropology, said in an interview: “We are living in a very unique time where people are experiencing what is called ‘connection inflation.’ This describes a phenomenon in which technology has enriched connections and removed friction. So there is more room to enter, more touchpoints, more circles to join, more avenues of entry than ever before. ”
Rachel Chandler and Paloma Elsesser attended the Chanel Tribeca Artist Dinner earlier this month.
Lexi Moreland/WWD
She added that affluence does not automatically translate into a sense of belonging. “In fact, it often causes social disorientation, especially for affluent audiences, because they have unprecedented access to places and spaces that show connection and belonging, thanks to their resources.”
The question for high-end customers has changed from “Can I come in here?” “Which room is actually mine?” “Which circle do I actually want to join?” Candelaria said.
She said that today’s wealthy clients define belonging “by resonance and depth, by being understood by people who actually have an important voice in their lives. The very definition of belonging is changing from being widely seen to being precisely known.”
The new report, she added, “doesn’t want brands to be loud, but to build relationships that are beneficial to them and feel authentic. In a category that has long been built on ‘more access,’ growth will come from enabling deeper, more meaningful forms of connection rooted in a true sense of belonging.”
Miller said in an interview that brands should strive to understand the more nuanced needs of their customers.
People attending the 2025 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California.
Coachella Getty Images
He pointed to the presentation of Dior’s Diorexki High Jewelery collection last year at designer Christian Dior’s restored mansion, Château de la Colle Noire. “This event felt like a small, intimate gathering of friends away from the usual spotlight. It was an event where people felt more like a close connection (family) than props,” he said.
He also said Miu Miu’s choice to have Dr. Qin Huilan, a former surgeon and brand fan, appear on the Paris runway in 2024 is an example of treating customers like friends. “The key was not just to give her VIP access to the event, but to shine a light on her and her story. This proves that being an insider doesn’t just mean you belong to the brand, it means the brand belongs to you too,” he said.
Candelaria cited several examples of brands “hosting” people and providing personalized moments.
She said one of the panelists interviewed for the report told her about a night AmEx hosted for Platinum members at a San Francisco restaurant. The person was able to take seven friends to dinner. “It landed as authentic, so there was a sense of intimacy, and the brand was all about that relationship,” Candelaria said of the night.
She said another panelist recalled a night hosted by Gray Goose where the bartender improvised a drink to her liking and sent her martini accessories. “She didn’t feel sold to, she felt welcomed, so there was a sense of intimacy,” Candelaria said.
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