Inside the Evolution of Raffles and Fairmont: Accor’s Blueprint for Modern Luxury

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Cultural relevance has become a new currency in hospitality, prompting heritage brands to reassess their identities. Across the luxury landscape, legacy hotel brands are undergoing strategic transformations, not to erase their past, but to reframe it for a new generation of travelers who value meaning, personalization, and emotional connection as much as marble lobbies and Michelin-starred meals. 

Nowhere is this shift more evident than in the recent reinventions of Raffles and Fairmont, two storied brands with more than a century of history behind them — and an ambitious, experience-driven future ahead.

“We cannot be all things to all people,” said Claudia Kozma Kaplan, chief brand officer for both brands. “Raffles is unapologetically glamorous. Fairmont is rooted in American heritage and celebration. Both have to be crystal clear about who they are and who they’re not.”

One Vision, Two Icons

Kaplan brings both instinct and discipline to the brand evolution process. With decades of experience in luxury hospitality and fashion, her approach is rooted in understanding the DNA of a brand before deciding how to push it forward.

“The most successful brands today are always respectful of their origins,” she said. “When you look back at Raffles Singapore, we wanted to honor that legacy while also evolving it for the future.”

For Raffles, that meant preserving what Kaplan calls “tropical splendor,” a signature style of gracious service, and a distinctly Asian sense of elegance — all while pushing the brand into new global territory. 

She took a similar approach with Fairmont, albeit through a different cultural lens. “It’s a quintessentially North American brand, full of grandeur and allure,” she said. “It was born during the Gold Rush era, and there’s a romanticism in its history that I felt needed to be brought forward.” 

While both brands are navigating their own paths, the process is guided by a single creative vision, allowing for distinct expressions while maintaining clarity across the luxury division.

Raffles Puts Service in the Spotlight

Raffles has long been synonymous with sophisticated service and enchanted glamour, thanks to its origins in 1887 Singapore. But in today’s hospitality landscape, where modern luxury tends toward minimalism and informality, how do you maintain a brand identity built on splendor?

Kaplan’s answer was to lean in. “Raffles embraces glamour without compromise,” she said. “There’s a trend toward casual luxury, but that’s not who we are. If you’re looking for that, there are plenty of other fabulous brands that do it very well. We want to inspire people and create a sense of magic.”

That bold positioning is expressed through “The Butler Did It,” Raffles’ new global campaign that combines the brand’s signature butler service with cinematic visuals and a playful tone. “We wanted to show that while we’re about personalized, fabulous service, we also don’t take ourselves too seriously,” Kaplan said. “It’s clever, it’s fun, it’s fashion-forward.”

The campaign showcases the brand’s theatrical flair while emphasizing destination-specific storytelling. “It’s visually compelling in a way that disrupts traditional hotel marketing,” Kaplan explained. “We didn’t want the infinity pool or the champagne-on-the-beach clichés. We wanted something bold and different.”

The campaign’s spirit carries over into guest experiences, including signature butler-curated moments designed to reflect both place and personality. From a picnic among the UNESCO-listed Jatiluwih rice terraces in Bali to VIP landmark access in London, a temple trek in Udaipur, and exclusive museum visits in Doha, each Raffles experience is tailored by a butler to reflect the spirit of its destination.

Fairmont Channels Celebration

Fairmont, by contrast, taps into a different emotional register. Founded in 1907 and rooted in North American history, the brand has served as a social epicenter for over a century. Kaplan saw an opportunity to reinforce this heritage while aligning it with contemporary values.

“Fairmont has a grandeur and vibrancy that’s very different from Raffles,” she said. “It’s dynamic, rooted in celebration. These are places where momentous occasions happen — big weddings, anniversaries, milestone events.”

That energy animates the brand’s new campaign, “Make Special Happen,” a global positioning effort grounded in emotional connection and celebration. “We launched it at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto as a way to bridge the past, present, and future,” Kaplan said. “The idea came from within the company. It started as an internal rallying cry and became the external message.”

The campaign features cinematic storytelling that showcases a diverse cast of characters — from families to fitness enthusiasts to socialites — all brought together by the celebratory spirit of Fairmont hotels. “It’s not just about luxury, it’s about joy, about marking life’s moments both big and small,” Kaplan said.

Experiences tied to the campaign include “Make Special Happen After Dark,” “Make Special Happen in the Wild,” and other on-property activations that reflect Fairmont’s regional personality. “We have such a diverse portfolio,” Kaplan said. “Everything from castle-like resorts in Canada to sleek, contemporary hotels in Tokyo. The thread is that they are all celebratory gathering places.”

What Comes Next for Accor’s Luxury Icons 

Both brands are expanding into new global markets while staying grounded in their refined identities. Raffles recently opened its much-anticipated London property, in addition to Singapore’s Sentosa Island and Jaipur, while Fairmont prepares for launches in Tokyo and other key cities. For Kaplan, maintaining consistency through growth doesn’t require uniformity.

“We don’t want cookie-cutter hotels,” she said. “We work very closely with owners and designers to make sure each property reflects local culture while staying true to the brand. That’s the challenge, but also the opportunity.”

Technology is also playing a growing role in delivering luxury experiences. Accor is embracing AI not to replace service, but to enhance it. “We’ve developed a virtual assistant that will help personalize the guest journey,” Kaplan said. “It’s not about removing the human touch. It’s about making it more intuitive.”

Looking ahead, both brands are also leaning into well-being in a more holistic sense. “Fairmont is thinking about well-being not just in terms of spa treatments or fitness, but helping people feel good while traveling,” Kaplan said. “People used to say, ‘I’ll eat whatever, I’m on vacation.’ Now they want to stay healthy and feel their best even on the road.”

In Kaplan’s hands, the reinvention of Raffles and Fairmont feels both bold and respectful, instinctive and strategic. By tapping into heritage without being trapped by it, and by elevating emotional resonance over formulaic luxury, Accor is crafting a modern blueprint for what legacy hospitality can become.

“We’re constantly questioning ourselves and pushing forward,” Kaplan said. “Luxury is about experience now. It’s about how you make people feel.”

Explore Raffles and Fairmont for more information.

This content was created collaboratively by Accor Group and Skift’s branded content studio, SkiftX.