Sotheby's and Luxury Group Turn Connoisseurship Into an Asia Pacific Experience
Luxury Group by Marriott International and Sotheby's have expanded their global partnership with the Asia Pacific debut of "The Art of Knowing" — a masterclass series that blends digital content with in-person experiences built around craftsmanship, heritage and collecting.
Launched in Hong Kong, the initiative builds on the two companies' collaboration last year, which included private tours at Sotheby's Maison during Sotheby's Hong Kong's Luxury Week. The new series extends that relationship into both digital and in-person formats across Luxury Group's Asia Pacific properties.
Expertise Meets Hospitality
The partnership pairs each brand's core strength. Sotheby's contributes specialist expertise in collecting and craftsmanship, while Luxury Group provides the hospitality settings across its properties where the experiences take place. Together, the two brands are positioning themselves at the intersection of hospitality and connoisseurship as the series rolls out across Luxury Group's Asia Pacific destinations.
At Luxury Group, we define true luxury not just by exceptional stays, but by meaningful access and moments of authentic discovery. — Bart Buiring, Managing Director at Luxury, Greater China, Marriott International
Buiring said the collaboration is designed to bring guests closer to rare objects and the stories behind them. "Through our continued collaboration with Sotheby's, we create opportunities for our guests to experience extraordinary collectibles up close and gain a deeper understanding of the mastery, passion, and stories woven into each piece," he added.
Why Marketers Should Pay Attention
This is experiential marketing at the top of the funnel of affluence — two heritage brands using each other's assets to manufacture access rather than advertising. For marketers, the play is instructive: instead of buying attention, Luxury Group and Sotheby's are converting expertise and physical space into content and moments that money alone can't easily replicate. In a region where high-net-worth audiences are increasingly discerning and impossible to reach through conventional media, a masterclass that spans digital reach and intimate in-person discovery becomes both a loyalty engine and a differentiated brand narrative.
Background: The Partnership
Luxury Group by Marriott International and Sotheby's first collaborated last year, with private tours at Sotheby's Maison during Sotheby's Hong Kong's Luxury Week. "The Art of Knowing" marks the Asia Pacific debut of a broader, ongoing global partnership, combining Sotheby's authority in fine art and collectibles with Luxury Group's portfolio of hospitality destinations across the region.
Key Takeaways
- A new regional series. Luxury Group by Marriott International and Sotheby's have launched the Asia Pacific debut of "The Art of Knowing" in Hong Kong.
- Two formats. The masterclass series combines digital content with in-person experiences focused on craftsmanship, heritage and collecting.
- Built on prior work. It extends a collaboration begun last year, which featured private tours at Sotheby's Maison during Sotheby's Hong Kong's Luxury Week.
- Complementary strengths. Sotheby's supplies collecting and craftsmanship expertise while Luxury Group provides hospitality settings across its properties.
- Regional rollout. The experiences will expand across Luxury Group's Asia Pacific destinations, positioning both brands at the intersection of hospitality and connoisseurship.