November 05, 2026
The Desire-Prestige Map: Four types of premium brands
Two years ago, I walked into a Rimowa store for the first time. Rimowa is a German suitcase brand. I expected a crammed store. But instead it felt like a modern art museum. At first I thought they are a new brand. Because the showroom and branding felt modern. Then I learned they were founded in 1898. How can they be modern and “old” at the same time?
In 2017, LVMH, a luxury group, bought Rimowa and turned them into a modern luxury brand. I am not interested in luxury companies but LVMH has figured something out. They create desire and value around quality and heritage. This playbook allows them to charge 3-times more than any other brand in their market. What if Swedish premium brands would adapt the same playbook?
Not to turn themselves into luxury companies who upset loyal customers. But to finally charge what they are worth. They could keep production local, hire the best people, and keep making the highest quality products. It feels like a golden key to turn your heritage and your dedication to quality into value costumers gladly pay more for. But where do you even start?
If you don’t know your problems you can’t solve them. Therefore, start by finding out where your organization stands. I found it is easiest to cluster premium brands into four types by drawing a diagram with two axis. How desirable are they and how much prestige or trust has the company created. What are those four types?
Four types of premium brands
The commodity maker
This type of company often has had great success in the past. But stopped to focus on great products, people, and a good story. Instead they cut costs to get even more profit. Which destroyed what made them great. Now they make products like their competitors, only compete on price, and lost who they are. I call them, the commodity makers. The entire company is set up for quality but they compete on price. They play a game they can never win.
The wonderful company
The company you wish you owned. Their products are best in class, their heritage turns customers into fans, and yet they feel like a modern brand. You look at them and say “what a wonderful company”. What makes them so great is not the profit they make. It’s how they make it. Often wonderful companies are owner-led or family businesses. They stay small and take good care of their people. The have prestige yet they feel modern. A paradox. They create a game they only win at. For me, Patagonia is a wonderful company.
The Firestarter
A premium manufacturer understanding culture and emotion. Often prolific at marketing. They weave their story and purpose into every product and their customers love it. Often there is an element of hype in there. They understand who their customer is and what they desire. But they haven’t passed the time-test. When the hype slows down, are your products still great? Have you built trust with your customers? Hype is a great danger for a firestarter. When they grow fast, their team and identity gets watered down. I will watch Aesop, Craighill, and Aimé Leon Dore over the next years.
The Raw Diamond
You know how some premium brands still lower prices to get more sales? They have quality products but they don’t sell. It seems their customers just don’t value quality. Their products work better than competitors but customers don’t get it. Those companies are one realization away from becoming a wonderful company. They think about customer value based on function. If our product has 10% higher quality I can charge 10% more. But value is not only functional, it’s emotional and social. Raw diamonds love function but not emotion and social. Once the flip happens, they are months away from being a wonderful company.
To figure out where your brand sits map yourself along the two axis. How desirable are you and how much prestige do you have. As a commodity maker you lost your prestige and desire. If you are a Firestarter you haven’t built prestige yet but your customers can’t wait to get your products. As a raw diamond you face the opposite, you got trust and prestige but lack emotions and desire around your brand. If you mastered the tradition-modernity-paradox you are a rare type. You created a wonderful company.
Simple models like this are always inaccurate. But it shows where you stand as a premium company and what your next move could be. Which type are you?
