How do you build a digital experience worthy of an £8,000 bag?

That was the question at the centre of this live podcast recording at Soho Works, 180 Strand hosted by Live Story and Marketing in the Madness.

Bringing together leaders from Bottega Veneta, Merkle and across luxury retail, this conversation explores what’s really happening behind the scenes as brands rethink how digital experiences are built, managed and scaled.

From slow, rigid platforms to more agile, content-led approaches, this episode looks at why many brands are struggling to deliver the kind of experiences customers now expect and how solutions like Live Story are helping teams take back control of the frontend, enabling faster launches, more creative freedom and less reliance on development.

Featuring Francesca Ricci Bitti, Global Digital Business Director, Bottega Veneta, Marta Bevilacqua, Head of Global Ecommerce & Omnichannel, Bottega Veneta and Billy Hanna, Head of Experience & Commerce Platforms, Merkle and hosted by Katie Street.

• Introduction and why luxury ecommerce is changing
• Why digital experience now defines luxury brands
• Moving beyond transactional ecommerce
• Personalisation, exclusivity, and customer expectations
• The challenge of consistency across channels
• Why traditional platforms are slowing brands down
• How Live Story enables faster, more flexible digital experiences
• Speed vs perfection: how teams are changing how they work
• AI in luxury: real use cases vs hype
• Why content is the foundation for AI and personalisation
• Breaking down internal silos and operational friction
• What brands still get wrong about customer experience
• The rise of agentic commerce and what comes next
• Final advice for luxury and ecommerce leaders

This episode was recorded live at Soho Works, 180 Strand, as part of a private breakfast event hosted by Live Story, bringing together luxury brands and digital leaders to share practical insights on how ecommerce is evolving and what brands need to do next.

Connect with us: Billy Hanna LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billyhanna/

Francesca Ricci Bitti LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/francesca-ricci-bitti-4a29568/

Marta Bevilacqua LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marta-bevilacqua-5759b441/

Live Story: https://livestory.nyc/ Merkle: https://www.merkle.com/ Bottega Veneta: https://www.bottegaveneta.com/en-gb

Katie Street LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiestreet/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/streetmate/

Marketing in the Madness LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketing-in-the-madness-podcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marketinginthemadness/

Street Agency https://street.agency/ https://www.instagram.com/street.agency/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/streetagency/