designers gathered in this confidential catalogue

The luxus Latin, the word luxury evokes the pomp, the use of expensive property which gladly display. As the prefix hyper, from scientific vocabulary, he translated an intensity or a quality higher than normal, or even an exaggeration intended to produce a strong impression. The hyper luxury is therefore the customers of the super rich and new billionaires of China, India and Russia. All those who décomplexés with regard to money, do not fear the ostentation. They want to stand out of the luxury over-used, accessible and denounced as such by the American journalist Dana Thomas in his book How Luxury Lost its Luster 1. Through democratization, luxury was lost, find this Newsweek investigator. Pages to the vitriol, it tells the greed of the people of Hollywood and described these hordes of tourists walking in the floors of the great temples of the luxury of Fifth Avenue, Tiffany's including the vendors resigned, can more repeating that the House does not breakfast! Way out of the luxury, the hyper luxury must reject all the recipes of the "small" luxury to speak to customers, exponentially growing fringe. "Richer than air people, travelling in a private jet and who know how to be invisible", says Karl Lagerfeld has in mind these ultra-rich Chinese, new clients of haute couture.

Nothing new under the Sun. In their time, Napoleon I made the rich bourgeois its new nobles, then Napoleon III erected the rue de la Paix as a symbol of the Parisian luxury, so global. Then, in the 20th century, New York replaced Paris became the fief of billionaires, Rockefeller, Carnegie, Vanderbilt, Guggenheim and Astor including the luxurious homes were at the origin of a real golden age of architectural and decorative. A century later, the money flows always flows in Manhattan. Evidenced by the recent construction of a residence built by the architect Robert A.m. Stern to 15 Central Park West, described by the New Yorker of pastiche with retro opulence. More than 10 million three-room flat (but four bathrooms) and 45 million the penthouse, pastiche found takers prior even to be completed and looks like the real estate transaction the most lucrative of Big Apple in recent years. A few blocks away, always on the edge of Central Park, the legendary Plaza hotel suites have been transformed into lavish apartments sold at price of gold. Some were decorated by Versace. As luxury brands to is not missed. Under the cover of life style, they are investing the world of decoration and architecture.

The hyperluxe trend is also felt its effects in Paris in real estate, and particularly in the hotel. Opening of new palaces, arrival scheduled in the capital of major Asian carriers, Peninsula, Mandarin Oriental... All are calls to decorators and designers in fashion, promoted new stars of the world luxury. As the "old houses" are not at rest. The Bristol and the Plaza annexed neighbouring buildings to build new always larger, even more luxurious suites. Institution deemed to be in Geneva, the reserve has taken its Parisian neighbourhoods place du Trocadero, with the completion of a residence hotel of high standing, ten private with an area of 150 to 200 m2 apartments decorated by Interior architect and designer lyonnais Rémi Tessier. Winner, 2006 first prize of the World Super Yacht Awards, it also signed the arrangement of eleven villas in Ramatuelle (always to the reserve) where housekeepers and Butlers shall all, 24-hour...

In 1961, journalist and writer Lucien François published journal that could be hardly taxing of complacency toward the capitalist thing to the NRF, under the title how a name becomes a claw, a collection of his columns appeared in Combat, and, a fortiori, to the luxury. "The word luxury is I me dollars to set my words, if a singular demagogy only had made him suspect." "We say today"quality", by indecent assault by caution, hypocrisy", note, visionary, author who appears to have been to you and yours with Marcel Boussac (owner of Dior) and members of the Hermes family. At the cite this story: "one day that he had run to Marlene Dietrich, in full glory, a buckskin beautifully embroidered evening coat, and that the star is a little of its price - effarait 9 000 francs from 1935-, mile Maurice Hermès (inventor of the nose-SADDLER) the comfort in these words:" think, Madam, that you will be able carry at least five times!". "With its $ 400 shoes, Tom Ford may go get dressed!

A good half century later, while the India and China announce potential more 400 million subjects to very quick to consume high-dose of luxury purchasing power, Hermes opens its "houses" in Tokyo, Seoul, and enlarges its historic boutique of the faubourg Saint-Honoré, in Paris. Versace, is in Las Vegas that he opened his first shop Home Collection and in southern land that the Italian brand asked in 2000 its first milestones in the hyper luxury. Located on the Australian Gold Coast, the success of the "resort" Palazzo Versace - a hotel, a private, restaurants, a marina residence-, developed by the Emirates Sunland group, is strong not. Building on this success, both partners signed an agreement for the construction of fourteen other palazzi of here late 2006

the next fifteen years, including one in Dubai in 2009. All is signed Versace, from furniture to lighting through the dishes produced under license by Rosenthal. In the aftermath, Versace was given by the Swiss group Tag Aviation the complete development of an Airbus A319. This jet of sixteen spaces, available beginning 2008, includes a set of Gallery, living room, Office and bathroom. What put the helicopter Augusta and the Lamborghini Murcielago, also branded Versace, for simple toys.

It was also under alien skies the Bvlgari group, backed by the powerful Hotel Group American (and mormon) Marriott International Luxury, continues his hotel career started in Milan with the contemporary Bvlgari Hotel palace. Built on the former areas of chases, Royal and opened a year ago, the resort of Bali consists of 59 villas decorated by the Agency of the great architect Antonio Citterio. Among them, the Villa Bvlgari 1 300 m2 marketed 3 650 dollars the night does not désemplit since the opening.

Milan and Dubai yet. Giorgio Armani has signed a licence with the society of Dubai Emaar Properties for a dozen hotels and resorts fully decorated and furnished Casa Armani. Investment: 1 billion dollars and two openings planned in 2008 in these two cities. Previously, Giorgio Armani inaugurate in Tokyo November 7 the 56 metre tower was erected in the heart of Ginza, high place of luxury Tokyo, especially & Massimiliano Fuksas architects. This building of 13 floors brings the universe Armani of fashion at the decoration with, of course, restaurants, spa and "suites" of immense care. In the same vein, Giorgio Armani presented last April a small line of precious furniture of inspiration Art Deco signed and numbered (50 copies for each room). And the group plans to develop the activity of Council for development and the decoration of apartments or villas "turnkey".

Great tradition of art craftsmanship

Some French go into the exercise. It is for the moment individual initiatives and in the great tradition of the crafts. As this limited to twelve copies only series of furniture and seats of Mattia Bonetti, presented last April in the Italian gallery in Paris. Each in their style, the creators Hubert Le Gall, Hervé Van der Straeten, Louis Cane, the Domeau & Peres or Pinel & Pinel did their this approach.

Ditto for the artist Jean-Michel Othoniel known for its baroque decoration of the entrance to the Metro station Palais-Royal, in Paris. His cognac cellar, for the centenary of Kilian Hennessy, was winning last summer in Salzburg. Developed in cast aluminum, marquetry, glass of Murano and Crystal Baccarat, this extravagance to EUR 150 000 is produced in 100 copies. They are available in the new gallery of art and rare objects of Pierre - Alain Challier, Artcurial 2 defector. Is there a level of excellence and of scarcity that was one of the "true" luxury of 19th and 20th centuries.

Like Prada to debut, in 1913, when its elegant Milanese store located under the canopy of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II sold that exclusive articles from around the world, site of sale online English 20ltd 3 broadcasts that ultralimitées series. Presented as a concept and not a business by its founders, Jolyon Fenwick and Marcus Husselby, 20ltd means break the rules of the current luxury by stripping it of its packaging markété and focusing instead on the creativity and craft expertise. A bias that seduced Laudomia Pucci, Solange Azagury-Partridge, Maria Cristina Buccellati, Jean Cassegrain, Jemima Khan or even Bill Amberg... designers gathered in this confidential catalogue. The amateur y will chair in polished steel signed Barber-Osgerby, edited in 8 copies at a price of 8 225 pounds sterling (12 143 euros), a hammock in cashmere and black Fox created by the Berlin label Bless, sold 5 copies only (9,000 pounds), a service to tea or coffee money of Zaha Hadid for Alessi (99 copies)(, 20,000 pounds sterling). Or even this extraordinary football of the Scottish agency Eleven Forty Company which is to face a team of evil (Lady Macbeth, Lucifer, Caligula and Jack the Ripper...) to the good (father Christmas, Mother Teresa, Mary Poppins, Gandhi...). Count 14 500 pounds and sixteen weeks of time to become owner. The hyper luxury requires patience.

It is little known, but are red Swarovski crystals covering the shoes of Judy Garland in the wizard of Oz. Since then, the Austrian House became widely known by its small figurines of animals to collect. It is in has not waived the exceptional. Example these Italian cashmere sheets seamed crystals. As early as 2002 and minimalism was at its peak, Swarovski played the pioneers of the hyper luxury with its Crystal Palace collection. Shimmering of light in design, a universe by nature few watched by this type of excess, is brand appeal to the talent of designers like Jaime Hayon, Pierre Paulin, Arne Quinze, Rosita Missoni or Milliner Philip Treacy. The 2007 vintage is a dazzling exercise forms and talents which restores the true luxury its luster. Dana Thomas can write a suite...

1 The Penguin Press.

2 Pierre-Alain Challier, 8, rue Debelleyme, 75003 Paris. Tel.: 01 49 96 63 00.

3 Registration by mail: info 20ltd

To read

Luxury, by Christian Blanckaert, in editions of noon seeks, 17 Euro (s).