Janus Thinking

The Courtauld Institute of Art, located in London’s famous Somerset House, is celebrating its 75^th anniversary this year.  The Courtauld Gallery has just launched a new membership organisation called the Samuel Courtauld Society, which gives its members greater access to the UK’s most established art world network.  The Gallery has pieces which span 700 years of art history and has the most extensive collection of Impressionist and post-Impressionist art in the UK.  

For various contributions – starting at £500 and going to levels of £5000 up – members of the Samuel Courtauld Society get invitations to private viewings of the special exhibitions held at the Gallery, free access to the Courtauld’s resource libraries, free publications and access to its staff and director.  This year’s exhibitions feature works by Walter Sickert, Auguste Renoir, and Paul Cezanne.  More information on the Samuel Courtauld Society can be found here.

For those who define luxury as something more for the mind than the mantelpiece, becoming a member of an art society is the ultimate luxury experience.  It helps us explore all disciplines of knowledge through a consistent medium, from politics, history, and philosophy to science and medicine.

What purpose do charms in jewelry serve? Should they be a staple of a woman’s daily living or are they chintzy, cheap, and better left for teenagers and the lower end of the luxury market?

The Financial Times’ most recent Watches and Jewellery section has a very interesting article about these trinkets, noting their recent rise in popularity (they’ve been Cartier’s best selling jewelry range for the past 12 months) and how charms can mean more to buyers (and those who receive them as gifts) than regular jewelry pieces. Designer Theo Fennell says:

I have always believed that working jewellery [that does something, such as a locket, opening ring, or scent bottle for the neck] holds a great fascination for people, a sense of mystery or private magic. … These pieces are charms in in the proper sense of the word—talismanic and magical.

They can also be ‘very practical,’ according to Victoire de Castellaine, creative director of Dior Fine Jewellery. He believes charms are good for ‘men who don’t want to find a new idea every Christmas.’

This statement sounds a bit disingenuous coming after Fennell’s quote; de Castellaine seems to imply that charms are perfect lazy men trying to find something suitable for their wives, rather than finding something truly meaningful. I believe that it doesn’t matter what the piece is, if it’s a gift it needs to be a pure and true representation of the love between the giver and recipient. Jewelry, especially diamonds, can be the perfect gift for loved ones, but the gift has to be carefully and lovingly considered.

This week Tiffany and the Swatch Group announced a new partnership lasting at least 20 years that will expand Tiffany’s small watch business into “one of the most important watchmakers in the world in the next five to 10 years,” according to Nicolas G. Hayek, Sr., Swatch Group chairman and co-founder.

Tiffany will continue its current lines and expand them in a new company, Tiffany Watches, which will be entirely owned by Swatch. Both companies will share their expertise to collaborate on design, engineering, manufacturing, marketing, distribution and service. Tiffany will have a seat on the company’s five-member board of directors, product design and marketing committees, and will get a share of the new company’s profits.

Many consumers associate Tiffany with fine diamonds and Swatch with cheap watches (even though Swatch does own several luxury timepiece brands, including Breguet, Blancpain, Glasshütte Original, and Omega). Tiffany will have to be careful so as not to pull a ‘DaimlerChrysler’—tarnishing the brand image of both companies (bringing the Tiffany brand ‘down’ to Swatch) and losing a great deal of money in the process (when expected synergies don’t actually happen). It sounds like Tiffany and Swatch are on the right track though, as they’ve already said distribution will be “selective” through the Swatch Group global network, Tiffany stores, and areas where rivals like Bulgari watches are sold.

Elite travel operators are increasingly seeking to combine the opulence of traditional safari travel with the experience of poverty more typically associated with charitable ‘gap-years’, creating a new range of range philanthropic yet luxurious holiday packages.

New York-based Artisans of Leisure have reported a 15% rise in requests to combine luxurious African trips with charitable visits to underprivileged health clinics, schools and orphanages in packages that can cost in excess of $50,000 per week.

The explicit purpose of twinning luxury with poverty is to solicit donations for the communities involved, whilst still providing the travel experience wealthy donors are accustomed to. Indeed the not-for-profit sector is increasingly seeking to muscle in on a market previously dominated by exclusive travel agents, recognising that big donations are easier to acquire from those that experience development issues first hand.

The increasing popularity of the packages has been linked to the role of celebrity campaigners such as actress Angelina Jolie and US singer Bono in raising awareness of development issues, a trend which is helping to fuel the rapid expansion of luxurious charitable travel.

Rapid property inflation has removed the prestige of the formerly exclusive million-dollar home according to Canadian estate agents Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd.

Seven-figure properties are increasingly being snapped-up by the middle-classes, spawning a new benchmark for luxury as the rich seek ways to distinguish themselves from their neighbours. Royal LePage have published a top ten ‘must have’ feature list for any truly luxury home, which could cost as much as $400,000 to install. LePage agents defined the new yardsticks of exclusivity as follows:

1. A car lift for the garage with an indoor car wash. Car lift is $2,500 to $6,500 while car wash is $30,000.
2. Walk-in refrigerator. Cost $7,000 to $20,000.
3. Spa, gym or yoga studio. Cost $50,000.
4. Wine Cellar. Starts at $60,000 and can go to $150,000.
5. Concierge Services. Rate of $50 to $75 per hour with a minimum purchase of 50 hours.
6. Media room. Starts at $50,000.
7. Wrapping or sewing rooms. Starts at $5,000.
8. A wired home. Cost $25,000.
9. Home elevator. Cost is $30,000 for equipment and installation with construction extra.
10. Heated driveway. Starts at $5,000 for 600 square foot driveway.

The list shows how changes in lifestyle and technology in particular are influencing the property market and the demand for new luxuries, with time saved by concierge services spent on personal indulgence such as spas whilst technology is harnessed not only to do chores such as washing the car but also to set new standards for entertainment facilities.

When Mercedes-Benz and McLaren launched the SLR Coupe in 2005 they sought to set new benchmarks in motoring by incorporating Formula 1 racing performance in a Mercedes road car. Technology that was previously the exclusive preserve of a professional motor racing class and restricted to the racetrack was now available to normal (albeit extremely wealthy) consumers.

The Coupe has now been joined by a GT Roadster, which uses an AMG V8 engine to achieve 617 horsepower and 575 pound-feet of torque, resulting in a 3.8 second 0-60 and a top speed of 206 mph. US models rest on 19-inch turbine-style nine-spoke alloy wheels, and the engines even come signed by the engineer who hand-made them.

With supply strictly limited and even the base model costing $495,000 the GT Roadster is a luxurious toy attainable only to a seriously wealthy and patient clientele. However while the Roadster’s race-track performance may receiving positive reviews, it remains to be seen whether this translates to the less suitable environment of public roads, where the 206 mph top speed may be a luxury unobtainable even to those prepared to spend half a million dollars.

Dove is asking America to help define luxury during the Oscars as part of their Dove Supreme Cream Oil Body Wash Ad Contest.

Dove wants real women to record their own 30 second TV ad at www.dovecreamoil.com, defining their conception of luxury and how they shower themselves in it. Semi-finalists will be chosen to travel to Los Angeles for the annual Academy Awards, with the finalists having their ads unveiled to America during the commercial break in the ceremony. Viewers will be asked to vote for their favourite either by text or online, with the winner unveiled during the Oscars.

The contest seeks to build on last year’s successful real-women ad, where Lindsay Miller of California won by telling viewers her shower was her concert hall. The contest not only proved commercially successful for Dove, but also landed Miller a prestigious job at a US production company.

Cunard Line has launched what it claims is the most luxurious cruise ship ever. The £300 million Queen Victoria will be officially named by the Duchess of Cornwall in Southampton before a fireworks display marks her departure on her maiden voyage around northern Europe.

Built at the Fincantieri shipyard near Venice, the ship features three swimming pools, 4,000 sq ft of shops, seven restaurants, a casino, theatre and library spread across her 18 decks. Weighing 90,000 tons Queen Victoria is capable carrying over 2,000 passengers and will meet with Cunard’s two other Queens - the QE2 and the Queen Mary 2 – in New York in January.

Cunard claim that despite not being the biggest of the Queens, Victoria is the grandest, with innovative designs and “floating firsts” such as West-End style boxes in the 830-seat theatre. The opulence is however reflected in pricing, with the cheapest rooms starting at £11,000 and grand suites complete with 24 hour butler service ranging up to £210,000.

El Paso’s Dos Lunas is launching a luxury brand of tequila which the company believes sets new ground in the market for premium spirits. Dos Lunas Grand Reserve is a10-year-old tequila served in 1,000 hand-blown Baccarat decanters, which the company plans to market at $2,500 per bottle.

Dos Lunas owner Richard C. Poe II already produces high-end silver, reposado and, soon, añejo tequilas, but wanted to create something even more extravagant. Poe explains, “We set out to create the world’s best tequila and that goal informed every decision that was made, from growth through production to packaging”.

The launch fits a trend in the US market for fast-growth in super-premium brands. Figures for the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States show sales in high-end spirits grew by 23 percent in revenue to $566 million in 2005, a trend which New York consulting firm The Beverage Marketing Corp has labelled the “premiumisation” of tequila. Indeed in 2006 a one-litre bottle of premium tequila in a two-kilo platinum and gold bottle was sold for $225,000, demonstrating a demand for luxury tequila.

The unique Rainbow Collection of 300 coloured diamonds is to be showcased by International Diamond Laboratories at the Dubai International Jewellery Week in December 2007.

The collection is thought to be the largest of its kind in the world and consists of blue, cognac, orange, purple, and yellow diamonds thought to exceed $100 million in value. The Rainbow Collection is owned by Eddy Elzas, who began his career as a diamond cleaver before progressing into brokering and eventually becoming recognised as the leading industry expert on coloured diamonds.

The showcasing of the collection at the Dubai World Trade Centre will be accompanied by a talk on the subject by Elzas, which is likely to cement the growing popularity of coloured diamonds, particularly in the Gulf market.

Leading Kuwaiti-based developer Al Osaimi Group has recently appointed firms to develop a prestigious seven star luxury hotel in the United Arab Emirates. Located on the Crescent of The Palm Jumeirah, the AED 1 billion project consists of the flagship hotel as well as a five star family resort, 178 lavish residences and spas.

The project will seek to combine Indian and Moroccan architecture and design with themed landscaping and sophisticated conference and catering facilities. The Deverana Spa, a signature of upmarket Thai hotel chain Dusit International will also provide authentic Thai-inspired rejuvenation experiences for hotel guests.

Targeted for completion in 2010, the project will be managed by Dusit, with the official launch of the project scheduled for early 2008. The unveiling of another seven star project in the Gulf region challenges the benchmark-setting Burj Al Arab in Dubai, and cements the region’s reputation for pushing the boundaries of luxury hotels.

Last month a discussion at the Paris Fashion Group heralded the continuing success and integration of Fair Trade and sustainable goods into luxury products.  Comments from the panel suggested that luxury consumers are not necessarily interested in ethical considerations, but rather in finding a unique and “industrial” product.  And this new type of demand seems to be increasing; some are even calling it a “meta-trend” for this generation of luxury shoppers.

Sylvie Benard, a spokesperson from LVMH, also noted that the brands her company represents—such as Moet-Hennessy and Louis Vuitton—do not publicise the great strides they are making in their production process.  Nonetheless, they are reducing the amount of water being used to produce their champagnes, cutting the amount of electricity being used in their flagship  Louis Vuitton store in Paris, and working with producers in the developing world to build their local economies. Although they don’t talk about this, Benard noted, “To be extravagant out front you need to be impeccable out the back.”

[via AFP]

A Boston jail (open from 1851-1990) recently reopened as a luxury hotel after a 5-year, $150 million renovation.  The former jail on Charles Street now plays host to rooms costing as much $5,500 per night and has been renamed the Liberty Hotel.

This project is not the first looking to transform cell blocks into sleeping quarters, but it might be the most luxurious.  Other projects include conversions in the UK, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand, and elsewhere in the US.

As luxury products become more accessible to the mass markets, people looking for a truly unique experience have discovered that places like this offer something which they might not otherwise ever be able to see (or let’s hope so, at least).

[via AP]

In its latest promotions, Lexus is moving further into the market for hybrid vehicles by linking its reputation as a luxury car manufacturer with the eco-friendly merits of hybrids.  Lexus claims to be the first carmaker to focus on this relationship between luxury and environmentalism and in its ads (seen online on various websites), the company talks about how:

One should not have to choose between luxury and social conscience.

Lexus is positioning itself to the luxury car buyer who is not willing to sacrifice design and performance in order to be environmentally aware (sort of like die-hard coffee fans who are unwilling to sacrifice taste but want to buy fairly traded products). Lexus’ tag line argues that it gives more to the driver and takes less from the world. This may be true, but it’s a little hard to swallow when its most expensive hybrid only gets 20 miles per gallon in city driving. Nevertheless, the company is engaging with issues that many other luxury companies aren’t. Just this week Lexus launched an online forum to discuss the impact of hybrid cars on society.