The SXSW Conversation Changing How We Think About Luxury

Once upon a time, luxury was defined by excess – the bigger the logo, the louder the statement. It was weighted with status and measured in materialism. But in 2025, the landscape looks a little different.

At this year’s South By Southwest (SXSW) event, marie claire and ELLE hosted a panel in partnership with Omoda, featuring industry leaders exploring how innovation, sustainability and technology are transforming what we value – and what we aspire to own.

We’re entering an era where intelligence is the new indulgence. From AI helping us decipher what to wear to innovation in mobility and quiet, tech-integrated design in our homes, the most coveted experiences and products are those that feel intentional and considered.

Editors at SXSW panel with Omoda — *Image: Omoda*

Luxury That Thinks

Mobility, in particular, is reaching a new level of sophistication. “Cars are no longer just transport – they’re a statement,” says Narine Salmasi, Omoda Jaecoo’s General Manager (Marketing) during the SXSW panel. “ We are designing vehicles as an extension of personal style.”

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That sentiment perfectly captures the cultural shift playing out across fashion, beauty, design and mobility. Customers, particularly women, are drawn to brands that mirror their values, which are moving rapidly towards purpose-led, emotionally attuned and environmentally conscious. They want the innovation, but not at the cost of inauthenticity.

“Women are key decision-makers in most major household purchases especially when it comes to purchasing a new vehicle.” – Narine Salmasi, General Manager- Marketing, Omoda Jaecoo

Omoda Super Hybrid 9 car with woman walking — *Image: Omoda*

Experience Over Excess

Omoda is leaning into these emotional decisions as much as innovation. “The customer journey starts in the lounge room not the showroom,” says Salmasi. “We connect emotionally before the engine even starts”.

Their philosophy speaks to this new kind of luxury – one rooted in experience over excess, innovation over opulence, and purpose over performance. “With cars, you need that emotional connection now. It’s not just about specs – it’s about soul,” she adds. This idea, that technology should feel human, is shaping how we experience everything from the clothes we wear to the way we move through the world.

The panel also explored how the rise of AI, sustainability and hybrid technology is offering something deeper than just status. The new mark of luxury is choice – the freedom to choose how we live our innately hybrid lives. Omoda’s latest hybrid offering embodies just that. With both electric and petrol capabilities, the Omoda 9 Super Hybrid SUV fuses technology, sustainability and sophistication – a car that gets modern life.

If the SXSW conversation made one thing clear, it’s that the luxury of tomorrow won’t be defined by what we own, but by how we feel when we interact with it. We’re moving from collecting things to curating experiences. As Salmasi sums it up, “Omoda is proof you don’t have to choose between performance, style and purpose.”

Because in a world moving faster than ever, the most luxurious thing might just be the power to slow down and choose with intention.