Luggage To Fit Every Yacht And Private Jet

Another form of brand extension that we will see more of in 2008 is the increasing presence of luxury brands in living spaces—a trend that goes beyond the mere creation of furnishings. There are already Versace, Ferragamo and Bulgari hotels. Bulgari has been particularly active in this area, opening a hotel in Milan back in 2004, followed by a resort in Bali and a 12-story building in Tokyo; a resort in the Maldives is set to open in 2008. Dunhill, too, is opening what it calls a series of "homes" around the world. The hub of this network will be a membership club in London offering a restaurant, a cellar for members' wines, a cigar garden, a specially decked-out Bentley, a private cinema and four one-bedroom suites.

What is clever about this sort of operation is that it offers what one might call a serving suggestion for the brand's products: giving the customer the opportunity to "live the brand" more totally than before. It would be interesting to see branded residential communities, offering brand-specific activities. After all, there are already Cipriani apartment buildings in New York and Miami; so why not Lamborghini- or Ferrari-themed gated developments arranged around a racetrack, or a Beretta-branded hunting estate? That would certainly start the New Year off with a luxurious bang.

© 2007