Case Study: Aman – How a Quiet Luxury Brand Became the Blueprint for the Ultimate Lifestyle Empire

Case Study: Aman – How a Quiet Luxury Brand Became the Blueprint for the Ultimate Lifestyle Empire

When Vlad Doronin, a real estate magnate with a global vision, acquired Aman in 2014, the brand was already beloved by a niche group of elite travelers.

But Doronin saw something more: the seed of a lifestyle empire rooted not in opulence, but in peace, place, and emotional transformation.

With origins in Sanskrit (Aman = “peace”), the brand was never about status—it was about sanctuary. What began in 1988 as a single retreat in Phuket has grown into a global network of 36 rare properties and, more recently, a portfolio of skincare, fragrance, supplements, fashion, and a younger sibling brand, Janu.

Under Doronin’s leadership, Aman is not scaling in the traditional sense. It is expanding like a philosophy—exclusive, intentional, and always true to place.

In this case study, we explore how Aman has managed to evolve while preserving its mystique, and what it teaches us about brand architecture, luxury positioning, and emotional differentiation.

Positioning: Peace as the Ultimate Luxury

From the beginning, Aman refused the clichés of luxury hospitality. No logos on bathrobes. No grand entrances. No crowded lobbies. Instead, it delivered something more valuable: discretion, stillness, and deep cultural immersion.

This created a powerful market position:Aman is not for everyone—and that’s the point.

Its guests, often ultra-high-net-worth individuals, creatives, and legacy builders, return again and again for the brand’s unwavering calm and hyper-contextual design.

Each property is architected to belong to its location—not impose upon it. This commitment to local sensitivity, anonymity, and intimacy is what has made Aman a cult.

Where others sold experience, Aman sold essence.

Experience Design: The Unbranded Universe

Time at Aman is crafted like time in a private home. Staff remember your name and your rhythm. Interiors reflect place over brand—with no aesthetic formula across properties.

The product pillars include:

• No more than 40 rooms per property

• Location-first development (15 properties near or within UNESCO sites)

• Architecture-led storytelling (often with regional artisans and materials)

• Simplicity as a design language (restraint, silence, space)

Every guest touchpoint reinforces a subconscious truth: this brand exists to serve your inner life, not your Instagram feed.

From Retreat to Lifestyle: The Expansion Strategy

Unlike many heritage hospitality brands, Aman’s growth has been slow, steady, and symbolically rich. Its recent shift into lifestyle offerings is less about scale—and more about extending the Spirit of Aman into everyday life.

Key expansions include:

• Aman Skincare: Holistic skincare developed with natural, bioactive ingredients to reflect the healing environments of Aman locations

• Sva Supplements: Inspired by Eastern medicine to support sleep, immunity, and energy

• Aman Fine Fragrance: Scents that evoke signature destinations

• The Essentials by Aman: A ready-to-wear fashion collection echoing the brand’s timeless, neutral design ethos

• Janu: A new, more social sister brand with its own pace and character

What makes this brand architecture successful is that it’s value-driven, not trend-driven. Each product category exists to support a single, resonant promise: to create peace, inside and out.

Introducing Janu: Scaling Energy, Not Ego

Launched to meet a more dynamic, younger audience, Janu (“soul” in Sanskrit) is not Aman lite—it’s Aman evolved.

Where Aman is contemplative, Janu is connective. Where Aman is stillness, Janu is energy. Yet both share the same DNA of cultural respect, architectural immersion, and service as an art form.

This dual-brand model allows Aman to scale without diluting its original offering, while tapping into a growing demand for social, purposeful, and design-led travel.

Strategic Challenges

Aman’s evolution has not been without risk. Its brand is built on:

• Exclusivity

• Minimalism

• Mystique

Scaling a brand with these principles invites contradiction. Key tensions include:

• How do you grow without becoming visible?

• How do you launch retail without becoming commercial?

• How do you speak to Gen Z without betraying the silent luxury ethos?

The answer lies in brand governance. Aman expands not by replicating its image, but by protecting its values: individuality, integrity, ownership, and cultural celebration.

Every new product, retreat, and team member must align with what the company calls The Aman Way of Life—an internal philosophy that transcends marketing and informs hiring, design, and storytelling.

Lessons for Brand Builders

Aman is more than a hospitality brand—it is a masterclass in emotional positioning, experience design, and timeless brand expansion.

Here’s what other founders and strategists can take away:

• Don’t chase trends—build rituals. Aman succeeded by defining its own rhythm, not reacting to external hype.

• Design for emotion, not transaction. Every touchpoint is built to evoke safety, awe, or belonging—not clicks.

• Lead with philosophy, not features. Aman sells peace, not pillow menus.

• Expand through meaning, not margin. Each extension (skincare, fashion, Janu) reinforces the core idea—not just new revenue.

Final Takeaway

In an era obsessed with growth hacks and virality, Aman’s quiet ascent is a powerful reminder that brands become iconic not by scaling noise—but by deepening meaning.

For those building the next generation of luxury, wellness, or experience brands, Aman offers the clearest blueprint:Start with soul. Stay with soul. And let every product you build carry it forward.