Event Director Annabelle Serres introduced “The Next Now Roadshow” at Home House Hotel in London’s West End in May as part of a European tour to promote NRF 2026: Retail's Big Show Europe. The roadshow also includes stops in Madrid, Milan, Amsterdam and Paris.
Published on Dec 11,2025 at 7:35 AM | Updated on Jul 16,2026 at 2:48 PM

The purpose of the tour is to share the vision and ambitions behind the upcoming NRF 2026: Retail’s Big Show Europe taking place 15-17 September in Paris.

The event will explore the forces shaping retail today, from the acceleration of AI to shifting consumer expectations and the evolving dynamics of luxury consumption by younger consumers.

Retail specialist Mark Faithfull provided an overview of the content pillars that will be featured at NRF 2026 Europe: Agentic AI and customer services - Demand forecasting and personalization - Creating community and embracing influencers - Licencing, IP and new business models- Retail Media. Carla Buzasi, CEO of WGSN, delivered remarks ababout the luxury sector and the next generation of consumers’ perception of luxury goods.

Unlike Millennials, who discovered luxury as a marker of success, or Gen Z, who reframed it through authenticity and individuality, Gen Alpha has grown up surrounded by premium aesthetics, designer collaborations, influencer skincare routines and gaming-based fashion ecosystems.
She said that Gen Alpha is forecast to become the largest generation in history, reaching roughly two billion people globally by the end of this year, citing McCrindle research which predicts that this the generation is expected to command an economic footprint of $5.46 trillion by 2029.
Critically for luxury brands, Gen Alpha is entering the category far earlier than previous generations. A 2024 Razorfish study found that 68% of U.S. Gen Alphas already own at least one luxury item by the age of 10, while half received their first luxury purchase earlier than their older siblings did.
 
That means they are competing to become part of identity formation during childhood and adolescence, Buzasi stressed.
 
As a result, mini-me collections from brands such as ETRO and child-focused luxury-adjacent beauty ranges like Evereden reflect how companies are creating “entry luxury” ecosystems designed to capture loyalty earlier, while experiential concepts are becoming increasingly central to brand strategy.
 
Buzasi also discussed the return of physical retail as a social experience, noting that while Gen Alpha is often defined by digital fluency, the cohort increasingly values real-world interaction.

"That preference is helping fuel the mall rat revival as younger consumers return to shopping centres not simply to buy products, but to socialise, experiment with identity and build peer visibility,” she said.

Brands are responding accordingly. Claire’s now uses Gen Z and Gen Alpha creators as collaborators shaping everything from activations to creative direction. Converse continues investing in customisation experiences that turn products into identity tools and luxury hospitality operators such as Aman Resorts are emphasising educational and culturally immersive experiences for younger guests instead of purely transactional indulgence.
 
For an in-depth discussion about the evolving dynamics of luxury consumption by younger consumers, join us at NRF 2026: Retail’s Big Show Europe.
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