Digital Transformation in Retail Luxury: An Interview with Manuel Neto at #AdobeSummit

Luxury fashion has long been defined by craftsmanship, exclusivity, and a firm reliance on tradition. But in an era where data drives competitive advantage, even heritage brands must evolve. Capri Holdings (the parent company of Versace, Jimmy Choo, and Michael Kors) is leading that charge by integrating data analytics into its business strategy.
I had the opportunity to sit down with Manuel Neto, VP of Data Science and Analytics at Capri Holdings, during Adobe Summit to discuss how his team is digitally transforming an iconic luxury group and how Adobe has played a key role in their journey.
Table of ContentsUnifying Data Across Three Distinct Luxury BrandsThe Path to Higher Value: Standardizing Data InterpretationAdobe’s Role in Capri’s Digital TransformationOvercoming Resistance in a Legacy-Driven IndustryThe Future of Luxury in a Data-Driven World
Unifying Data Across Three Distinct Luxury Brands
Capri Holdings manages globally recognized luxury brands, each operating with autonomy. As the company sought to scale its digital capabilities, it became clear that a unified approach to data was needed.

Three years ago, we embarked on a journey to understand what the foundational needs were across our brands. It was shocking to realize that despite their differences, all three brands had very similar data needs, but each was taking different approaches and using different partners to achieve the same goals.
Manuel Neto
Neto and his team launched Project Excalibur, an internal framework designed to align all three brands under a single strategic data management structure to bring cohesion to Capri’s data strategy.

What Excalibur did for us was create a framework that brings all three brands under the same strategic management structure. We analyzed every partner, every data provider, who was using that data, and how decisions were being made. Today, anything I launch for one brand, the others are ready to adopt whenever they’re ready.
Manuel Neto
This approach has led to significant efficiency gains. For instance, when Michael Kors implemented a heat-mapping tool to analyze customer behavior on its digital platforms, Versace quickly saw the value and adopted it.

Jimmy Choo had a few extra requirements, but once they were ready, they could integrate seamlessly. This kind of cross-brand adoption has been transformational for us.
Manuel Neto
The Path to Higher Value: Standardizing Data Interpretation
A significant challenge in enterprise analytics is ensuring that data is not just accessible but also interpreted consistently across an organization. Neto and his team developed an internal methodology called Analytics Path to Higher Value, inspired by the work of analytics author Brent Dykes.

What this framework does is ensure that we’re looking at the right KPIs from both an understanding and activation perspective. We needed to standardize how we interpret key metrics, making sure everyone speaks the same data language. That way, when someone sees a number, they know exactly what it means and how it should drive decision-making.
Manuel Neto
This level of standardization also extends to the technology stack and vendor selection. While the brands can choose partners that best suit their needs, these decisions must be made collaboratively.

If two brands are using Vendor A and the third brand prefers Vendor B, that’s fine. But we all come together to discuss why and understand the gaps. That way, we create a dynamic that fosters collaboration instead of isolated decision-making.
Manuel Neto
Adobe’s Role in Capri’s Digital Transformation
Adobe has played a crucial role in Capri Holdings’ multi-year data transformation, providing technology that enables better data organization, accessibility, and activation.

The first two years were focused on foundational data—ensuring everyone embraced the same understanding of what the data looked like. Year two became all about democratization—making sure data was accessible when people needed it. Then, in year three, we focused on transformation, change management, and evolving our measurement frameworks.
Manuel Neto
One of the most significant innovations during this process was launching a consumer panel that surveyed over 7,000 customers in just one year.

We started predicting how consumers were feeling and what they were looking for. Initially, people were skeptical. But then, we saw that what customers told us in January was reflected in transactional data by March or April. That’s when leadership really started embracing this as a predictive tool for product decisions and marketing strategies.
Manuel Neto
Overcoming Resistance in a Legacy-Driven Industry
The luxury industry has historically relied on intuition, brand prestige, and creative vision to drive decisions. Introducing data analytics to an environment rooted in craftsmanship and exclusivity is no small task.

People always love data. The challenge was, are we talking about the same data? Are we interpreting it the same way? When someone looks at a KPI, does it mean the same thing to everyone in the organization?
Manuel Neto
One of the biggest hurdles was shifting internal narratives. The introduction of new data—such as customer sentiment analysis, digital heat maps, and predictive modeling—challenged long-held assumptions within the brands.

There were moments where people realized, ‘Oh my God, the way we’ve always thought about this isn’t actually true’. That’s when change management became critical. Data wasn’t just about reinforcing existing strategies—it was about painting a clearer, sometimes uncomfortable, picture that forced us to evolve.
Manuel Neto
A significant turning point came when the team identified a new product that was failing with customers.

Our consumer panels flagged it early on, and transactional data later confirmed that it wasn’t sticking. But because of the way our contracts were structured, it would take us six to seven months to stop the marketing push. That was a painful realization, but it opened our eyes to the need for more agile decision-making.
Manuel Neto
The Future of Luxury in a Data-Driven World
Capri Holdings’ journey illustrates that digital transformation (DX) is not about replacing heritage or craftsmanship—it’s about augmenting them with insights that drive smarter business decisions.

When we launched our research lab, we discovered that bringing qualitative and quantitative data together was incredibly powerful. Understanding not just what consumers are doing, but why they’re doing it, allows us to anticipate their needs and create more meaningful experiences.
Manuel Neto
Looking ahead, Neto sees an opportunity for continued refinement. The key, he says, is balancing real-time data demands with actionable decision-making.

Everyone wants real-time data, but I always ask, ‘What real-time decision are you making?’. Data should exist to drive meaningful action, not just for the sake of existing. The goal is not just to track everything, but to track the right things that will actually influence business outcomes.
Manuel Neto
Capri Holdings’ embrace of data analytics is a testament to how even the most storied luxury brands can evolve without losing their identity. With technology partners like Adobe, the company is paving the way for a future where luxury, data, and business intelligence (BI) go hand in hand.

The future has arrived. And we’ve brought it to you.
Manuel Neto