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    	<title>CPP-LUXURY</title>
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        <link>http://cpp-luxury.com/en</link>
        <description>CPP-LUXURY business of luxury</description>
        <pubDate>Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:30:58 +0200</pubDate>
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        <language>en</language>
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		<title>Latest luxury openings in Spain</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/latest-luxury-openings-in-spain_2071.html</link>
		<pubDate>Sun, 05 Feb 2012 10:49:57 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

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        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/latest-luxury-openings-in-spain_2071.html
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		<description><![CDATA[
			After Barcelona and Valencia, both opened 2011, Chopard expanded in Spain with its third mono-brand in the capital of Madrid. The mono-brand boutique of Chopard opened in December 2011 and an inaugural event was organized in January this year....		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			After Barcelona and Valencia, both opened 2011, Chopard expanded in Spain with its third mono-brand in the capital of Madrid. The mono-brand boutique of Chopard opened in December 2011 and an inaugural event was organized in January this year. 
Dur&amp;aacute;n, one of Rolex&amp;rsquo;s distributors in Spain inaugurated at the end of November last year the first Rolex mono-brand boutique in Valencia, in the city&amp;rsquo;s &amp;sbquo;&amp;rsquo;Milla de Oro&amp;rsquo;&amp;rsquo; street (Golden Street). The 130 sqm Rolex boutique in Valencia features a wide selection of Rolex&amp;rsquo;s collection. The Oyster Perpetual, Rolex&amp;rsquo;s latest international success is available subject to a waiting list in Valencia. Duran also operates Joyeria Duran, one of the leading luxury watches and jewellery stores in the Spanish capital of Madrid (Calle Goya) carrying watch brands such as Vacheron Constantin, Rolex, Bvlgari, Patek Philippe, Hublot, Ulysse Nardin and jewellery brands such as 
Contemporary luxury boutique hotel Primero Primera in Barcelona reopened this month after a comprehensive renovation last year. The family owned and run hotel is housed in a 1959 building and has 33 generously sized luxury rooms.
The Perfumery inaugurated in December 2011 its second concept boutique in Barcelona last month, with a comprehensive selection of botanical beauty products, from make-up, body cosmetics to fragrances. The mix of fragrances includes international high end brands such as Summersent, Yosh, Ombre Rose, Mark Buxton , Theo Cabanel, Shaik, Juss, Carthusia etc. The second The Perfumery location is situated on Barrio G&amp;oacute;tico.
Montblanc has recently opened a new flagship mono-brand boutique in Spain, in the Northern city of Santander. The new Montblanc in Santander cover 75 sqm and features a full selection of Montblanc products from writing instruments, to watches and leather goods accessories. 
Spanish luxury leatherwear brand Loewe, owned by international luxury giant LVMH is due to re-open its flagship store on Barcelona&amp;rsquo;s Passeig de Gracia in March 2012. To highlight the importance of the opening, the event will be attended by Bernard Arnault&amp;nbsp; himself &amp;ndash; the owner of LVMH. Loewe expanded its retail network in Spain last year, opening corners with severa l Il Corte Ingles department stores, including Barcelona and Alicante.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>ONE &amp; ONLY Resorts launches new Expert Series, with unique happenings at each property</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/one---only-resorts-launches-new-expert-series--with-unique-happenings-at-each-property_2070.html</link>
		<pubDate>Sun, 05 Feb 2012 08:43:57 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[Opportunities]]></category>

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        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/one---only-resorts-launches-new-expert-series--with-unique-happenings-at-each-property_2070.html
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		<description><![CDATA[
			One &amp;amp; Only Resorts, one of the most equisit collections of luxury resort hotels and SPAs worlwide brings to life on an annual basis a series of exceptional happenings at each of its properties. Whether a culinary school, unplugged...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			One &amp;amp; Only Resorts, one of the most equisit collections of luxury resort hotels and SPAs worlwide brings to life on an annual basis a series of exceptional happenings at each of its properties. Whether a culinary school, unplugged live music or&amp;nbsp;learning and interacting&amp;nbsp;with a PGA Tour or tennis world player, the Expert Series is designed as a unique experience for One &amp;amp; Only Resorts guests.
Artist in Residence, One&amp;amp;Only Reethi Rah
Led by renowned Australian artist Christopher Hogan, guests of One&amp;amp;Only Reethi Rah during 19 October &amp;ndash; 15 December 2011 and 1 February &amp;ndash; 28 April 2012 will enjoy private art instruction while holidaying on the white beaches of The Maldives. Known for compositions reflecting the beauty found in wildlife, such as fish skin patterns and the color palettes of marine life, Christopher&amp;rsquo;s unique and distinctive style is stimulating to the eye. In particular, his creation of the &amp;lsquo;Reef Series&amp;rsquo; propelled Christopher into international recognition. In harmony with the setting of One&amp;amp;Only Reethi Rah, the artist will take inspiration from his time on the island and produce new works as well as guide aspirational artists staying at the resort. 

Global Culinary School, One&amp;amp;Only Reethi Rah
Under the expert tutelage of Reethi Rah master chefs, guests learn the delicate nuances of food presentation and world cuisine. Classes are available in a range of culinary styles from around the world such as Maldivian, Chinese, Italian, Indian, Arabian, Japanese &amp;lsquo;Washoku&amp;rsquo;, Thai cuisine or French desserts and pastries. The experience starts with a guided visit to the chef&amp;rsquo;s garden where the culinary team demonstrates how to select the finest and freshest products while guests hand pick organic ingredients for their chosen course. Upon return to the culinary school, One&amp;amp;Only Reethi Rah&amp;rsquo;s master chef guide&amp;rsquo;s pupils through an epicurean selection of the finest cooking products and condiments from around the world including wines, vinegars, oils and olives. Then guests can prepare exquisite dishes with expert guidance and enjoy their own creations in a sumptuous lunch. They leave the course with a certificate, recipe card and their very own One&amp;amp;Only Reethi Rah apron and chef&amp;rsquo;s cap. 

Mexican Culinary School, One&amp;amp;Only Palmilla
Newly opened in November 2011, the One&amp;amp;Only Herb Garden boasts a state-of-the-art outdoor kitchen for weekly complimentary culinary seminars and Iron-Chef style cook-offs led by on-site executive chefs as well as visiting chefs from the surrounding regions of Mexico. Home to the first annual Mexican Culinary Festival in 2011, the One&amp;amp;Only Palmilla Herb Garden served as the location for daily cooking demonstrations led by celebrity chefs Enrique Olvera from Pujol, Daniel Ovad&amp;iacute;a from Paxia and Edgar Nunez from Sud777. The Mexican Culinary School experience begins with a guided tour of the herb garden boasting a variety of fresh produce and indigenous chilli varietals. Guests are invited to hand pick ingredients before taking part in a demonstration led by One&amp;amp;Only Palmilla expert chefs. To complement the culinary class, Manuel Arteaga, One&amp;amp;Only Head Sommelier, shares an exclusive pairing menu of Mexican Wines and tequilas from the resort&amp;rsquo;s robust list. Daily herb garden tours are available. 

Wine &amp;amp; Dine Evenings, One&amp;amp;Only Cape Town
Home to an impressive tri-level wine loft housing over 5,000 bottles, from prestigious older vintages of Cape classics to newer wineries in emerging terroirs, One&amp;amp;Only Cape Town recently introduced their exclusive Wine &amp;amp; Dine evenings curated by Luvo Ntezo, Head Sommelier, internationally recognized as the Best Young Sommelier in South Africa. Passionate about sharing his knowledge with others, Ntezo hosts small groups (up to 30 people) to dine with himself, South African Celebrity Chef Reuben Riffel and a chosen winemaker. During the evening, diners are treated to a wine tasting seminar led by Ntezo and the selected winemaker along with a five-course pairing prepared by Riffel. 

Musician in Residence, One&amp;amp;Only Palmilla
Guests of One&amp;amp;Only Palmilla are invited to enjoy complimentary group sessions all year with renowned Mexican musician Antonio Zepeda using Pre-Columbian instruments such as ocarinas and conch shells to teach guests how to harness the spiritual and physical benefits of sound. With the help of Zepeda, One&amp;amp;Only Palmilla has created a collection of four unique musical lessons on a variety of instruments inspired by distinct realms of sound: Nature, Ancient Pre-Columbian Civilizations, Drums and Harmony. Each realm provides a different therapeutic benefit ranging from relaxation to a communion with nature. Before participating, guests are asked to select the session that best treats their physical and emotional needs. Guests not interested in playing a musical instrument may participate in a &amp;ldquo;Musical Talk&amp;rdquo; where Zepeda discusses the role of music in ancient civilizations of Mesoamerica. Each complimentary 60-minute group session is conducted at dusk or dawn on an outdoor pavilion overlooking the breathtaking Sea of Cortez. Group size ranges from four to eight.

PGA TOUR Academy, One&amp;amp;Only Palmilla
One&amp;amp;Only Palmilla is teeing off the New Year with the launch of the first international PGA TOUR Academy at its par-72 Jack Nicklaus course in Los Cabos, Mexico. Novice and veteran golfers can stay, play and perfect their game with personalized instruction from the nation&amp;rsquo;s most prestigious source of programs in one-, two- or three-day golf schools and clinics. Modeled after the flagship facility, the new PGA TOUR Academy features an unprecedented combination of technologies to help trainers focus on the four cornerstones of improvement; full swing and short game, club-fitting, fitness, and mental conditioning. The academy also uses the latest golf technology, V1 video analysis, to evaluate and diagnose swing errors and to create an individually tailored plan for each player. Guests can select from the following menu of services:

&amp;bull; two-, three- or five-day Golf schools and clinics for all levels of player 
&amp;bull; Private, Group or Family lessons with our world-class PGA and LPGA professionals 
&amp;bull; Player Development programs, including the World Golf Foundation&amp;rsquo;s new Get Golf Ready program 
&amp;bull; Club-fitting programs utilizing the most sophisticated technologies 
&amp;bull; Short-game clinics guaranteed to reduce your scores

Team Advantage Tennis Academy, One&amp;amp;Only Le Saint G&amp;eacute;ran
One&amp;amp;Only Le Saint G&amp;eacute;ran offers quality instruction to tennis enthusiasts, of all ages and ability levels. The five synthetic grass courts and the Team Advantage Tennis Academy are situated next to the natural lagoon offering an idyllic environment. Resident expert Hugo Nunes has been a welcome addition to Team Advantage and One&amp;amp;Only Le Saint G&amp;eacute;ran since 2008. Born in Portugal in 1980, Hugo started tennis at an early age, eventually playing in numerous tournaments in his home country and abroad. Along his way, Hugo has acquired ITF and USPTA level 3 coaching qualifications. With 10 years experience as a performance coach in top clubs and resorts, Nunes joins an impressive roster of tennis experts within the One&amp;amp;Only family including Leo Rolle, a former Davis Cup competitor, Rolle has been helping guests perfect their serves for more than 30 years at One&amp;amp;Only Ocean Club, Paradise Island, Bahamas. 

VIP KITE &amp;amp; Stand-Up Paddle Boarding School, One&amp;amp;Only Le Saint G&amp;eacute;ran
One&amp;amp;Only Le Saint G&amp;eacute;ran provides guests with the opportunity to learn or practice the latest rage in watersports &amp;ndash; stand up paddle boarding - or kite surfing, one of the most thrilling sports in the world. Paddle boarders and kite surfers of all levels can master techniques under the expert guidance of Julien Guillaume, an IKO Level 2 Senior approved instructor and owner of VIP KITE &amp;amp; SUP School. Together with his qualified and professional team, novices and advanced riders will enjoy private tutelage and achieve an international certification by the IKO (International Kite boarding Organisation) and the AFKite (French Kiteboarding Association). The VIP KITE &amp;amp; SUP School is available exclusively to guests of One&amp;amp;Only Le Saint G&amp;eacute;ran. 

&amp;nbsp;        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>THOMPSON HOTELS open in London, first hotel in Europe</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/thompson-hotels-open-in-london--first-hotel-in-europe_2069.html</link>
		<pubDate>Sun, 05 Feb 2012 08:10:25 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

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        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/thompson-hotels-open-in-london--first-hotel-in-europe_2069.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			American hotel chain, Thompson Hotels, known for its contemporary luxury hotels in the US,&amp;nbsp;opened this week in London&amp;nbsp;- BELGRAVES its&amp;nbsp;first hotel in Europe. The&amp;nbsp;BELGRAVES is&amp;nbsp;located&amp;nbsp;in London&amp;rsquo;s Belgravia neighborhood known for its expensive and exclusive residential properties,&amp;nbsp;being considered&amp;nbsp;among the wealthiest...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			American hotel chain, Thompson Hotels, known for its contemporary luxury hotels in the US,&amp;nbsp;opened this week in London&amp;nbsp;- BELGRAVES its&amp;nbsp;first hotel in Europe. The&amp;nbsp;BELGRAVES is&amp;nbsp;located&amp;nbsp;in London&amp;rsquo;s Belgravia neighborhood known for its expensive and exclusive residential properties,&amp;nbsp;being considered&amp;nbsp;among the wealthiest metropolis districts in the world. Belgraves hotel is located southwest of Buckingham Palace, at 20 Chesham Place, and combines Thompson Hotels' edgy New York attitude with traditional British hospitality to create a memorable guest experience.
Designed by Tara Bernerd of Tara Bernerd &amp;amp; Partners, interiors offer distinct touches of New York coupled with traditional British hospitality. An open loft-like lobby houses a large fireplace and bold art installations, while the lounge lobby features an eclectic library and cozy hideaway areas. The adjacent Hix Belgravia restaurant offers a menu inspired by chef and food writer Mark Hix, while the mezzanine level plays host to Mark&amp;rsquo;s Bar and leads to a stylish cigar garden.
In the hotel&amp;rsquo;s 85 guestrooms, a palette of gray tones and textures (such as the silver-gray floors) makes a sleek statement, while hues of aubergine on walls create a warm atmosphere. Elegant marble bathrooms finished with smoked glass and brass beaded curtains add a luxurious finishing touch.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>SHA, the ultimate wellness destination</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/sha--the-ultimate-wellness-destination_2068.html</link>
		<pubDate>Sat, 04 Feb 2012 04:52:48 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[Review]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/sha--the-ultimate-wellness-destination_2068.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			Set up three years ago by the Argentinian born family of Bataller, SHA Wellness Clinic is a unique concept which redefines embracing a healthy lifestyle through medical SPA, nutrition, relaxation SPA &amp;ndash; all guided by a sense of discipline...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Set up three years ago by the Argentinian born family of Bataller, SHA Wellness Clinic is a unique concept which redefines embracing a healthy lifestyle through medical SPA, nutrition, relaxation SPA &amp;ndash; all guided by a sense of discipline which is instilled subtly in the minds of the guests. Like in every other walk of life, whether at work or family life, discipline is a must in order to achieve the best performances. The same applies to the care that each and every one of us should take, about our own body and about our soul. It&amp;rsquo;s almost like the natural gesture of taking a thicker coat when it is cold outside or to sleep when we feel too tired. The consumer society and the hectic pace of our lives nowadays have been having an indirect negative effect on the way we take care of ourselves.&amp;nbsp; 
This is the &amp;lsquo;&amp;rsquo;wake-up call&amp;rsquo;&amp;rsquo; or I might even say &amp;lsquo;&amp;rsquo;alarm&amp;rsquo;&amp;rsquo; the instant effect that the SHA Wellness clinic had on me. 
I arrived on a beautiful and sunny early February day. I was charmed by the extraordinary views and the setting of SHA, on a hilltop, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, the beautiful city of Altea (Spain&amp;rsquo;s &amp;lsquo;&amp;rsquo;Cannes&amp;rsquo;&amp;rsquo;), Costa Blanca and the city of Benidorm. The panoramic views of the mountains of Valencia reminded me of Marrakech&amp;rsquo;s Atlas Mountains and the same hypnotic and the same time relaxing effect. Gazing to the mountains from the rooms (floor to ceiling glass windows, some suites with panoramic views) also gives you a unique feeling of protectiveness and one would feel safe.
SHA Wellness Clinic is also a five star all-suite hotel, and arriving after a week of heavy snow and freezing temperatures in Eastern Europe, I felt tired. Too lazy to go for dinner, I realized the hotel had no room-service. Then, in an almost automatic gesture, I grabbed for the minibar, to find, to my surprise, a pack of organic nuts and some cereal crackers, along with juices, waters and German beer (organic!). All I could have were the green apples and the red berries on my welcome amenity &amp;ndash; which I have to admit, never tasted better. In all luxury hotels I usually stay at, I would go for a drink (&amp;lsquo;&amp;rsquo;ideally&amp;rsquo;&amp;rsquo;, soft drink) and at least, a chocolate bar. As I tucked myself into my comfy king size bed,&amp;nbsp;I realized&amp;nbsp;I didn't feel that urge to eat.&amp;nbsp;On a subconscious level, SHA&amp;rsquo;s approach&amp;nbsp;seems to have already generated a positive effect&amp;nbsp;on me. After a very good night sleep (did not wake up during the night, as I used to) I felt rested and&amp;nbsp;, surprisingly,&amp;nbsp;without being hungry.&amp;nbsp;The macrobiotic diet&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;is carefully devised and adapted by the SHA Wellness Clinic&amp;nbsp; &amp;ndash; almost like a vegetarian diet, there are no meats (except fish), no eggs, no milk, no sugar (instead honey) and no regular bread. 

Do not expect eggs or cappuccino for breakfast, however, the high in fiber&amp;nbsp;selection&amp;nbsp;of toast and even a cake, coupled by&amp;nbsp;the freshly&amp;nbsp;squeezed organic orange juice did not leave me hungry&amp;nbsp;for the day.&amp;nbsp;At breakfast, they would inform you on the options for the&amp;nbsp;lunch menu&amp;nbsp;and at lunch they would inform you about&amp;nbsp;the options&amp;nbsp;for the dinner menu. To me, it&amp;rsquo;s more like a selection from a Business Class of an airline, where there are just two main courses to choose from, however, in SHA&amp;rsquo;s case, the options would be the healthiest!&amp;nbsp; Or maybe I came up with this&amp;nbsp;comparison&amp;nbsp;out&amp;nbsp;of&amp;nbsp;my own need&amp;nbsp;fo of a motivational&amp;nbsp;factor and it did work like magic.

Upon the careful medical health check and consultation which&amp;nbsp;are provided upon arrival, each guest is&amp;nbsp;prescribed a&amp;nbsp;specific diet (according to the needs and wishes of each guest)&amp;nbsp;which is then transmitted to the restaurant and the club lounge, which is also the tea room of the hotel. The staff would know the exact type of tea you have been prescribed and would also politely advise when and how to drink the tea. And we all know how important drinking liquids is to the human body...
SHA's very own Chef, Pablo Montoro Fernandez, trained at el Bulli, has embraced macrobiotic foods&amp;nbsp;as well as&amp;nbsp;the preparation&amp;nbsp;recipes,&amp;nbsp;together with&amp;nbsp;Michio Kushi, adding his own personal touch by&amp;nbsp;making&amp;nbsp;each and every dish not only tasty&amp;nbsp;but also great looking. Some of the dishes have a special&amp;nbsp;''local touch''&amp;nbsp;, for instance, on one of&amp;nbsp;my lunches, a local Spanish pasta recipe was served, using the the macrobiotic philosophy. 
The SPA facilities are flawless and boasts&amp;nbsp;a unique blend of Eastern (especially Asian) and Western natural therapies. The hydrotherapy area (water beds and jets, pebble bath, caldarium, tepidarium and hydro pool, overgrown taps gushing water to massage etc), the oxygen bars in the SPA lobby (for instance detox), the&amp;nbsp;flotarium&amp;nbsp;with Dead Sea water are just some of the highlights of the SPA, which also features a&amp;nbsp;very wide range of body treatments, both anti-aging and relaxing. All the SPA beauty treatments are carefully integrated with the prescription which is personalized and which includes daily exercise (fitness, outdoor walks, water aerobics) as well as holistic such as yoga and meditation. There is even a chapel, where Catholic messes are held once a month, but which most prefer as a meditation room. I had a relaxation massage and a reiki massage, on both occasions I was truly impressed by the and dedication passion of the therapists - I could feel the connectivity with the therapist, which is so rare to achieve. 
Coming back to education and discipline, speaking to Alejandro Battaller, one of the younger sons of the founding family, who is in charge with sales and marketing, I understood the idea of setting up SHA came from the dramatic diagnosis his father received over 10 years ago, most doctors who consulted him predicting a fatal outcome. All of this was overturned when his father met Michio Kushi, a guru of Macrobiotic diets. As I am not a nutritionist, therefore I would not take my review any further on nutrition, however, I would suspect that since 90% of guests are returning, they must have been&amp;nbsp;seeing results, whether they were visiting SHA for detox, weight loss, stress, sleeping disorders, eating disorders etc . Beyond the exact, measurable effects, such as weight,&amp;nbsp;in the case of those seeking weight loss, I am sure there are other&amp;nbsp;''invisible'' results such as&amp;nbsp;one's newly embraced healthy&amp;nbsp;approach to every day life,&amp;nbsp;from&amp;nbsp;eating, exercising and managing stress. Upon check out, all guests are given dietary guidelines and means of how to best implement, on a long term, the newly acquired healthy lifestyle.
As for the hotel,&amp;nbsp;the suites are huge, all, with separate living areas and a generous walk in dressing as well as large cupboards.&amp;nbsp;Service throughout the hotel is of a good five star standard, staff being polite, responsive and attentive, however, at times, the fact they concentrate more on the diet each guests should follow, especially in the restaurant and tea lounge, may, at times, be perceived as patronizing. Given that most of the guests may find the diet, at least during the first days, at challenging, if not difficult,&amp;nbsp;a hotel type of service would be more advisable, this way, guests could &amp;lsquo;&amp;rsquo;forget&amp;rsquo;&amp;rsquo; the little &amp;lsquo;&amp;rsquo;hardships&amp;rsquo;&amp;rsquo; they need to overcome.&amp;nbsp;
The way&amp;nbsp;certain services and&amp;nbsp;rules are highlighted can&amp;nbsp;certainly be improved, especially the&amp;nbsp;lack of room service and&amp;nbsp;the specific timings for each&amp;nbsp;course&amp;nbsp;may be presented in a less &amp;rsquo;&amp;rsquo;restraining&amp;rsquo;&amp;rsquo;&amp;nbsp;way. Sometimes, instead of this excessive ''diet approach'', hotel and restaurant staff could engage with guests on a different level. For instance, they could very politely, draw the attention to guests shouting out loud on their mobile phones, to place them phones on silent mode and explain that stress can be as harmful to one's body as food can be. 
In my view, the&amp;nbsp;effectiveness of embracing the SHA lifestyle approach, would be greatly enhanced by lessons and activities related to&amp;nbsp;time management and how to tackle daily stress generated by smartphones, laptops and tablets. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;
Ideally, guests should consider travelling to SHA with a friend or a group of friends and the&amp;nbsp;best time of the&amp;nbsp;year is&amp;nbsp;from April to June an September - October.&amp;nbsp;The infinity pool&amp;nbsp;and the pool deck area looked so inviting and I am sure in warm months, sunbathing&amp;nbsp;and&amp;nbsp;outdoor swimming adds to the beautiful SHA experience. 
For the singles travellers, I would suggest the SHA to take a&amp;nbsp;more dedicate approach to improve the in-room experience, so that guests could enjoy the time on their own more - aromatherapy bath menu, aromatherapy in rooms with essential oils and candles,&amp;nbsp;movies (instead of the&amp;nbsp;wide choice of TV stations), organic body beauty&amp;nbsp;products and fresh flowers (even if a small bouquet or just one flower). In -room Concierge tips with suggestions on sightseeing in nearby Benidorm, Alicante or Altea, or simply ideas for shopping or strolling around the beautiful beaches and parks could be a very welcomed approach. The idea with the communal table, which I understood is already implemented in the main restaurant is a great idea (a special stone is placed on such tables)&amp;nbsp;could&amp;nbsp;be better highlighted or explained to guests, on arrival. A daily newsdigest (news from home)&amp;nbsp;in the language of each traveller, especially, the larger nationality groups, would be a great amenity for the guests. 
Speaking to Alejandro Bataller, I realized that much of the success of the SHA is actually based on the passion and energy the entire family is putting into the project. I was impressed with the way they listen to each comment and strive to respond to guests&amp;rsquo; feedback in the fastest and most efficient manner. They have developed a concept, the uniqueness of which they are very well aware off, that is what, possibly prompted them to refrain from &amp;lsquo;&amp;rsquo;expansion&amp;rsquo;&amp;rsquo; propositions. From my own business assessment, SHA is a very complex concept which cannot be successfully replicated through franchising, licensing or standard hotel management. 
The fact that SHA is launching this year their first SHA Master educational program with&amp;nbsp;the reputed Spanish University of San Pablo, for therapists or practitioners who wish to advance their skills is the perfect next step, in a truly long term strategic approach. This way, SHA owners address the number one, most challenging factor about expansion, and that is human resources. They might find specialized medical staff or SPA professionals worldwide, but making these professionals embrace and implement the SHA philosophy is the most sophisticated and at the same time, complicated, business task. 
Oliver Petcu        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>21% record growth for Swiss watch exports in 2011</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/21--record-growth-for-swiss-watch-exports-in-2011_2067.html</link>
		<pubDate>Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:39:26 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/21--record-growth-for-swiss-watch-exports-in-2011_2067.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			&amp;nbsp;Despite the negative &amp;nbsp;impact of a strong Franc, Swiss watch exports reached a record 16 billion euros in 2011, according the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry. &amp;quot;In a partially unfavourable context, prospects remain very good for the Swiss...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			&amp;nbsp;Despite the negative &amp;nbsp;impact of a strong Franc, Swiss watch exports reached a record 16 billion euros in 2011, according the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry. &amp;quot;In a partially unfavourable context, prospects remain very good for the Swiss watch industry,&amp;quot; the federation said in a statement.
Swiss brokerage Helvea noted that December exports remained strong, growing 21 percent from a year earlier, with watches in the 3,000 Swiss franc price range making a strong showing. Overall, the industry federation said sales for 2011 were up 19.2 percent.
&amp;quot;Except for 2010, which followed a major downturn, growth in the last 20 years has never been so strong,&amp;quot; it said, noting that the trend was constant through the year. &amp;quot;These excellent results were penalised however by the strength of the Swiss franc, which put a strain on margins and selling prices,&amp;quot; it commented.
At the same time, Swiss watchmakers enjoyed strong demand globally, &amp;quot;particularly on high-potential markets less affected by exchange rate fluctuations.&amp;quot;
The five biggest markets were Hong Kong at 4.1 billion Swiss francs, the United States on 1.9 billion francs, emerging giant China with 1.6 billion francs, France at 1.3 billion francs and Singapore, 1.1 billion francs.
The world's biggest watch group Swatch announced on January 10 it had for the first time exceeded 7.0 billion Swiss francs in annual sales despite the negative impact of the strong local currency.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>OBEROI taps American interior designer for makeover of its flagship property in New Delhi</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/oberoi-taps-american-interior-designer-for-makeover-of-its-flagship-property-in-new-delhi_2066.html</link>
		<pubDate>Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:25:15 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/oberoi-taps-american-interior-designer-for-makeover-of-its-flagship-property-in-new-delhi_2066.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			Talking to The Economic Times, Mr PRS Oberoi confirmed his company&amp;nbsp;tapped renowned American interior designer Adam Tihany.for the makeover of&amp;nbsp;its flagship&amp;nbsp;The Oberoi New Delhi, India's first five star luxury hotel

Tihany, who has designed the Mandarin Oriental in Las Vegas...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Talking to The Economic Times, Mr PRS Oberoi confirmed his company&amp;nbsp;tapped renowned American interior designer Adam Tihany.for the makeover of&amp;nbsp;its flagship&amp;nbsp;The Oberoi New Delhi, India's first five star luxury hotel

Tihany, who has designed the Mandarin Oriental in Las Vegas and Geneva, the Westin Chosun in Seoul and the Joule Hotel in Dallas, will redesign the hotel's bedrooms, suites, lobby and some public rooms. According to Tihany Design 's website, the designer will use a modern interpretation of Sir Edward Lutyens influence of Indian architecture in his design concept for the iconic hotel. The renovation of the Oberoi New Delhi will begin this year and end sometime in 2014.

Opened in 1965 as Oberoi Intercontinental, it was the first hotel that MS Oberoi built-he had acquired hotels prior to this-and it matched latest international standards for luxury and service. It redefined luxury hospitality for the country's hotel industry and introduced several firsts including twin-sharing, wake-up calls, health clubs, ice makers, flower-arrangement rooms and maids, according to Bachi Karkaria's biography of the late Oberoi, 'Dare to Dream: The Life of M.S. Oberoi'. The hotel was also the first to hire female housekeeping staff in the country. PRS Oberoi says he expects the 46-year-old hotel to continue to be primarily a business hotel after the redesigning.

He says he may reduce inventory to make way for more suites, but will not add more rooms. Most of the restaurants will only be renovated. And there may not be too many changes in the spa, the new swimming pool and luxury retail spaces. Oberoi says the cost of the renovation is yet to be finalised.
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		<title>LVMH announces record results for 2011</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/lvmh-announces-record-results-for-2011_2065.html</link>
		<pubDate>Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:14:24 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/lvmh-announces-record-results-for-2011_2065.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			World's leading luxury group, LVMH announced record results for 2011, with salea reaching 23,66 billion euros (from 22 billion euros in 2010). Sales in Asia now represent 35% of all LVMH sales worlwide, while Europe registers 33% and the...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			World's leading luxury group, LVMH announced record results for 2011, with salea reaching 23,66 billion euros (from 22 billion euros in 2010). Sales in Asia now represent 35% of all LVMH sales worlwide, while Europe registers 33% and the U.S. 22%. Net profits grew by 1% in 2011 reaching 3,6 billion euros, while the operational income increased by 22%, to a total of 5,26 billion euros, the very first time it surpasses the 5 billion euro benchmark. The group's best performing brand remains Louis Vuitton.
Christian Dior, the group's second largest company also had an exceptional performance in 2011, with&amp;nbsp;its turnover increasing&amp;nbsp;to&amp;nbsp;1,28&amp;nbsp;billion euros (a 1% increase on 2010). Christian Dior which also owns majority stakes in companies such as John Galliano&amp;nbsp;reported a&amp;nbsp;21% increase in sales compared to 2010. Retail sales grew by 27% and profits climbed to 85 million euros.
The watches and jewellery division of LVMH almost doubled in size following the acquisition of Italian jeweller Bulgari last year.&amp;nbsp; Bulgari&amp;rsquo;s excellent performance across all categories confirmed the considerable appeal of its products. The collections, which were developed around the theme Serpenti, a symbol for the Maison since the 1950s were very well received.&amp;nbsp;Driven by the strong momentum at their network of stores, the other jewellery brands Chaumet, De Beers and Fred continued to develop their star collections.
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		<title>PENINSULA HOTELS Managing Director and CEO on expansion and strategic positioning</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/peninsula-hotels-managing-director-and-ceo-on-expansion-and-strategic-positioning_2064.html</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:09:18 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[Leaders]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/peninsula-hotels-managing-director-and-ceo-on-expansion-and-strategic-positioning_2064.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			In an exclusive interview with CPP-LUXURY.COM,&amp;nbsp;Mr Clement King Man Kwok, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited (HSH), the&amp;nbsp;group which owns Peninsula Hotels, speaks about his company's expansion plans, business philosophy and strategic positioning.
&amp;nbsp;
Peninsula...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			In an exclusive interview with CPP-LUXURY.COM,&amp;nbsp;Mr Clement King Man Kwok, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited (HSH), the&amp;nbsp;group which owns Peninsula Hotels, speaks about his company's expansion plans, business philosophy and strategic positioning.
&amp;nbsp;
Peninsula is among the few international luxury hotel chains which has had a slower expansion. What has been the motivation behind your strategy? 
&amp;nbsp;
Expectations on expansion have become different nowadays, from the family owned hotels which have strived to develop the best hotel in the respective city to the expansion of hotels through management agreements with developers and real estate owners. At HSH, we have a different proposition and we do things in a rather old fashioned way. We are extremely selective when it comes to deciding on &amp;nbsp;a site and business partner for a Peninsula Hotel and we also prefer to take an ownership interest in our hotels. Our investment interest is not economically driven but rather from an ownership control point of view. For instance, even in the case of smaller percentage ownership, we sit down at the table with our partners as we are owners, not just managers. It is a very important psychological differentiation. Our goal is to make each project, each Peninsula hotel, unique.
&amp;nbsp;
What were the determining features of the Paris property, formerly the Majestic Hotel, that made you sure this is the right project to enter Europe?
&amp;nbsp;
The Majestic opened as a grand hotel over a century ago and we have taken a long term strategic approach when we decided to redevelop this hotel. We are seeking to develop the best hotel in Paris, for the next 50 years and we are known for the attention to detail in the construction of all our properties.
&amp;nbsp;
As this is first Peninsula Hotel in Europe, the stakes and expectations are very high, especially considering Paris is probably the most competitive luxury hospitality market worldwide. What will be the three most important competitive advantages of Peninsula Hotel in Paris, once it will be open? 
&amp;nbsp;
My aim is to build the most luxurious portfolio of Peninsula hotels for the next 50 years and in doing so we will inevitably choose cities that are competitive markets; we are used to this. When the The Peninsula Paris opens next year, guests will find the same distinguishing Peninsula features as they would in other cities &amp;ndash; for example, the entire Peninsula approach to guest experience, from arrival through to the interior design, personal service and the Peninsula family culture that we have instilled in our staff. Put together, all of these elements make up the unique Peninsula experience.
&amp;nbsp;
In the case of your Paris property, your company is a minority stake holder. Is this a business model you will be implementing in the future at other developments? Are you considering pursuing your collaboration with Qatari Diar on other future projects?
&amp;nbsp;
Yes, we are a minority owner of the hotel but what matters more is how much control we have over the asset. With The Peninsula Paris, we are a true partner in terms of control and management. We have a very good relationship with Qatari Diar and if the stars are aligned again, we might explore another opportunity for collaboration over a hotel project.
&amp;nbsp;
Your exceptional emphasis on human resources is known to be the foundation for the consistently very high level-service you provide at all your properties. How do you approach human resources challenges with new properties such as Paris?&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;
As with the planned opening of any Peninsula hotel, we will be recruiting locally as well as transferring existing staff or sending them as a task force to assist with the hotel&amp;rsquo;s pre-opening preparations.
&amp;nbsp;
With the tremendous growth of social media and online communications in the past 5 years, the issue of engaging with consumers has become a top priority. What is your company&amp;rsquo;s approach?
&amp;nbsp;
Our hotel website is constantly updated from a visual and functional point of view. We have embraced Facebook &amp;nbsp;in the way we engage with our guests and potential customers. We also have a dedicated team which monitors review portals.
&amp;nbsp;
Which are the most important innovations introduced at your hotels in the past three years which you are most proud?
&amp;nbsp;
We have opened two Peninsula hotels in the past four years, in Tokyo and Shanghai respectively and it is these two properties which are the most technologically advanced. At HSH, we have been introducing new and innovative concepts to the hospitality industry for decades, eg. we were the first luxury hotel group in the world to introduce Chef Tables in our restaurants, television screens in the bathrooms, helipad on the hotel&amp;rsquo;s rooftop, iPod docking station and fingernail dryer in the guestroom. Some of these great ideas were initiated by one hotel and then introduced to others, while sometimes these generated by the Group &amp;ndash; we have a R&amp;amp;D facility in Hong Kong which is tasked with devising innovative features for our hotels. 
&amp;nbsp;
Your company does not have a loyalty program like most other luxury hotel chains. Please comment. 
&amp;nbsp;
The Peninsula is a luxury brand and to convey an exclusive feeling we don&amp;rsquo;t think it is appropriate to reward our loyal guests with points. We prefer to be on a more personal basis.&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;
With the changing profile of wealthy travellers nowadays and new generations who travel more and have different motivations, what is your strategic target approach?
&amp;nbsp;
Generally speaking, the Peninsula hotels enjoy a higher percentage of leisure travellers because &amp;nbsp;some of our hotels are destinations in their own right &amp;ndash; for example, the iconic Peninsula Hong Kong is so special that a couple might choose to stay there for a special weekend. Although our hotels are classically designed, the IT in our guestrooms are probably the most technologically advanced in the industry and this appeals to guests of all ages. I have been speaking to many friends and guests and an increasing number of them mention how their kids have become Peninsula fans, and form a relationship with the Peninsula for life, frequently returning to stay or to dine and visiting with their parents or friends. 
&amp;nbsp;
In recent media appearances, you have mentioned Peninsula Hotels is actively looking at India. Which is the criteria you are applying in terms of property, location, business model etc?
&amp;nbsp;
India is one of our identified markets but we have very stringent criteria for a Peninsula hotel, which makes the task even more challenging. Besides India, we have a number of cities on our radar screen, but it really depends on an exceptional opportunity presenting itself.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;
Clement King Man Kwok 
Aged 51. A Bachelor of Science in Economics from the London School of Economics and a Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants, he joined the Group in February 2002 as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, and is a Director in most of the Group entities. Mr. Kwok&amp;rsquo;s career began with Price Waterhouse and Barclays de Zoete Wedd in the United Kingdom, following which he returned to Hong Kong in 1986 to work with Schroders Asia. Prior to joining the Group, he had served as Finance Director of MTR Corporation since 1996. He is an Independent Non-Executive Director of Swire Pacific Limited, a fellow of The Hong Kong Management Association, a Non-official Member of Harbourfront Commission and serves on the Boards of the Community Chest and the Faculty of Business and Economics of The University of Hong Kong.
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		<title>LORO PIANA presents at Maison et Objet Paris its first collection dedicated to hotels</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/loro-piana-presents-at-maison-et-objet-paris-its-first-collection-dedicated-to-hotels_2063.html</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:16:48 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/loro-piana-presents-at-maison-et-objet-paris-its-first-collection-dedicated-to-hotels_2063.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			Italian luxury house of Loro Piana, known for its iconic cashmere ready to wear and accessories products, presents in Paris this week, at the Maison et Objet fair in Paris, its first Passpartout Collection entirely dedicated to luxury hotels....		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Italian luxury house of Loro Piana, known for its iconic cashmere ready to wear and accessories products, presents in Paris this week, at the Maison et Objet fair in Paris, its first Passpartout Collection entirely dedicated to luxury hotels. The Passpartout Collection has been developed by Loro Piana Interiors, a dedicated company of the group which manufactures textiles for hotels, using the highest quality woll and cashmere as raw materials. The Passepartout collection includes 79 distinct product styles, all name after legendary hotels or hotel groups such as Mamounia, Balmoral, Oberoi etc.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>With its financial situation deteriorating, UNGARO sells its flagship store location on Avenue Montaigne in Paris</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/with-its-financial-situation-deteriorating--ungaro-sells-its-flagship-store-location-on-avenue-montaigne-in-paris_2062.html</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:02:38 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/with-its-financial-situation-deteriorating--ungaro-sells-its-flagship-store-location-on-avenue-montaigne-in-paris_2062.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			Already in deep financial crisis and rapidly accummulating debt, the French fashion house of Ungaro is reported to be in talks with potential buyers for its flagship store location on Avenue Montaigne, a prime luxury retail location on the...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Already in deep financial crisis and rapidly accummulating debt, the French fashion house of Ungaro is reported to be in talks with potential buyers for its flagship store location on Avenue Montaigne, a prime luxury retail location on the prestigious luxury shopping street. The dire financial situation has prompted to dismiss 22 full time staff, as it strives for restructuring its business. C&amp;eacute;line Toledano, the daughter of Sydney Toledano (CEO of Christian Dior Couture) has been the creative director at Ungaro since July 2011, while Jeffry Aronsson who had been&amp;nbsp;appointed CEO in June 2011 already resigned in December 2011.
Following the departure of&amp;nbsp;its CEO,&amp;nbsp;Ungaro&amp;nbsp;informed retailer last&amp;nbsp; week that Ungaro would not be able to deliver its spring-summer collection because of an internal reorganization. Ungaro&amp;nbsp;confirmed&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;it would not present a collection for fall-winter and canceled appointments for pre-fall, originally scheduled to take place&amp;nbsp;last week.&amp;nbsp;Middle Easter private investor&amp;nbsp;Asim Abdullah, who acquired the brand from Salvatore Ferragamo in 2005, confirmed the reorganization but declined to comment on specific measures. Ungaro is reported to have accummulated debts over 350 million euros.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>ARMANI / CASA to design interiors of World Towers in Mumbai</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/armani---casa-to-design-interiors-of-world-towers-in-mumbai_2061.html</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:02:35 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/armani---casa-to-design-interiors-of-world-towers-in-mumbai_2061.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			Giorgio Armani and the Lodha Group, one the largest real estate developers of India have announced a partnership that has as its objective the design and the interiors of the residences and common areas of the Upper World Towers...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Giorgio Armani and the Lodha Group, one the largest real estate developers of India have announced a partnership that has as its objective the design and the interiors of the residences and common areas of the Upper World Towers in Worli, Mumbai.
Towers are part of the World World One, the building of 117 residential plans world's tallest and World Crest, twin building whose height is less (about 215 meters). The homes include exclusive World Towers, including the World Residences, 3 and 4 bedrooms, the World Villas with private pool and the World Mansions, luxury apartments on two levels with pool, gym and private elevator.
The Interior Design Studio Armani / Casa since 2003 for individuals and property developers offering a full service interior design that starts from the concept stage through to the supervision of the project. The firm is to develop, under the artistic direction of Giorgio Armani, creative result of a scrupulous research and formal architectural as well as the cultural context of the geography of place and architectural container. Defined as projects are unique in their aesthetic and perfectly integrated features and values. 
Integrated into its culture and ethos of India, the interiors of the World Towers reflect the different facets of aesthetic sensibility of Giorgio Armani in the sign of a deep sense of comfort and functionality. The goal is to create a special atmosphere by virtue of combining shapes, textures and colors perfectly distributed in every room and wrapped in a soft light.
The residences, designed for a demanding customer niche, will stand as one of the most prestigious residential projects in the world, supported by the high quality of design and the excellence of the service. The World Towers will also be the first project carried out by the Interior Design Studio Armani / Casa characterized by the presence in Asia, for each residential unit, exclusive of bathrooms Armani / Roca and Armani / Dada kitchens.
The Towers offer a unique lifestyle and experience, thanks to the curved shape and unique buildings, residents will also enjoy a spectacular 360 &amp;deg; view of the whole city, Bandra Worli Sealink including the racecourse and the Arabian Sea .
The World Towers will be located at the Lodhi Place, a plot of 18 acres at Upper Worli in central Mumbai. Designed to include all forms of comfort, convenience and luxury, Lodhi Place will create an integration of the finest residences, workplaces, cultural attractions, shopping areas and leisure facilities with large open spaces, public parks and cafes, creating a destination prestigious open to the public, residents and citizens of the World Towers in Mumbai. Since its launch in June 2010, bookings for the World Towers residences have exceeded 160 units, making this the most sought after real estate project and the initiative's most successful country.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Starwood's SPG Elite Members now benefit from 24 hour check in and check out</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/starwood-s-spg-elite-members-now-benefit-from-24-hour-check-in-and-check-out_2060.html</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:06:53 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/starwood-s-spg-elite-members-now-benefit-from-24-hour-check-in-and-check-out_2060.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			With Your24&amp;trade;,&amp;nbsp;Starwood Hotels &amp;amp; Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (St Regis,&amp;nbsp;Le Meridien, W, Sheraton etc)&amp;nbsp;will abolish set check-in and checkout times for select Starwood Preferred Guest elite members &amp;ndash; and introduce 'round-the-clock' check-in at all Starwood hotels and resorts.
While tradition has...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			With Your24&amp;trade;,&amp;nbsp;Starwood Hotels &amp;amp; Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (St Regis,&amp;nbsp;Le Meridien, W, Sheraton etc)&amp;nbsp;will abolish set check-in and checkout times for select Starwood Preferred Guest elite members &amp;ndash; and introduce 'round-the-clock' check-in at all Starwood hotels and resorts.
While tradition has long held hotel check-in to 3 p.m., Starwood is bucking convention to give its most frequent travelers complete control of their check-in and checkout times. A member who chooses to check in at 10 p.m. won't have to checkout until 10 p.m. on their day of departure, 24 hours later. Platinum SPG members who spend 75+ eligible nights at Starwood hotels can request Your24 service.
Your24 is part of a suite of new elite benefits launching March 1, 2012, making Starwood Preferred Guest one the&amp;nbsp;most comprehensive&amp;nbsp;program in the industry. With the new SPG enhancements, the more you stay, the richer it gets with more points, first of its kind benefits such as confirmable 24-hour check-in, the addition of lifetime status, access to a dedicated Starwood ambassador, confirmable upgrades and free breakfast.
Starwood recently reported that elite membership in Starwood Preferred Guest has doubled over the past five years. What's more, they are spending 60% more than they did five years ago.
Hotel chains such as Address Hotels already offer standard 24 hour check in / check out, irrespective of guest loyalty. The 24 hour check in / check out is also increasingly available at top luxury properties worlwide, for suites but the trend is likely to expand.&amp;nbsp;        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Luxury heritage brands take bold moves in re-positioning </title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/luxury-heritage-brands-take-bold-moves-in-re-positioning_2059.html</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:07:32 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[Opportunities]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/luxury-heritage-brands-take-bold-moves-in-re-positioning_2059.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			Bespoke men&amp;rsquo;s shoe company, BERLUTI, which has been in operation since 1895 is today owned by luxury giant LVMH and run by Antoine Arnault, the son and heir to the group owner Bernard Arnault. For the past two years,...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Bespoke men&amp;rsquo;s shoe company, BERLUTI, which has been in operation since 1895 is today owned by luxury giant LVMH and run by Antoine Arnault, the son and heir to the group owner Bernard Arnault. For the past two years, Antoine Arnault carefully choreographed the launch of Berluti's first ready to wear and accessories line, thus making the transition from a showmaker to a complete look luxury mens lifestyle brand.
Last week, Berluti unveiled its clothing and accessories collection, during&amp;nbsp;The Paris Fashion Week debut featured models ranging in age from 25 to 72, in a theatre stage set up. The collection was at the same time elegant, chic and luxurious, portraying a sophisticated, yet young spirited Berluti Man.
The communications campaign included a revamped Berluti website as well as print magazine ads. The advertising campaign perfectly illustrates Antoine Arnault's philosophy that bling is gone and consumer and increasingly seeking values through heritage and craftsmanship. The entire collection reminded us of Bottega Veneta's now unique understated style, which trascends through the most sophisticated old style advertising concepts.
While ready to wear seems to now take centre stage, the brand will pursue its already successful exclusive bespoke lines such as Demesures, which was created by Olga Berluti in 2006. Every year, new styles are added and the service is available at the Berluti Salon in Paris. The website and Facebook page feature innovative ideas such as Shoe Polishing Lesson with a short clip to illustrate.
The&amp;nbsp;Berluti website might make one not familiar with the brand &amp;nbsp;feel as an outsider, however,&amp;nbsp;once&amp;nbsp;''emerged'' into the Berluti world,&amp;nbsp;a strong sense of warmth and connectivity is conveyed.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;A digital graphics video shows guests around the Berluti house, with photos of founder's family on the walls and shoes presentations being alternated with library and classic furniture set up.
The same library set up, almost theatrical, was the background of Berluti's fashion show, which marked the debut of the house in clothing an accessories. A group of mixed aged sophisticated men were reading, engaging in intellectual dialogue, books being omnipresent.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;As Facebook, the brand has two pages, however, judging from the content and photos, they do not seem as being THE official pages, but rather pages created by two fans / customers.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Affluent Chinese consumers returning to Japan</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/affluent-chinese-consumers-returning-to-japan_2058.html</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:16:24 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/affluent-chinese-consumers-returning-to-japan_2058.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			Nearly one year after avoiding the country in the wake of the devastating tsunami and Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident, Chinese tourists have returned to Japan in record numbers. Coming just in time to buoy Japanese retailers, many of whom...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Nearly one year after avoiding the country in the wake of the devastating tsunami and Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident, Chinese tourists have returned to Japan in record numbers. Coming just in time to buoy Japanese retailers, many of whom have been stung by a drop in tourist arrivals in 2011, Chinese travelers flocked to Japan over the course of the Lunar New Year holiday, bringing much-needed cash to Tokyo luxury boutiques, ski slopes in Hokkaido and Kyoto tourist traps.
According to Japanese tourism authorities, the return of Chinese tourists has been as dramatic as it has been a relief, with a record 80,000 arriving in December alone, a 32 percent increase year-over-year. Authorities expect another double-digit increase in January as well.
The recovery in Chinese tourism, which started around September, serves as a reminder of how Japan relies on China&amp;rsquo;s powerful economic growth to prop up its own economy ailing from a long malaise and a shrinking and aging population. China is now by far Japan&amp;rsquo;s largest trading partner, and its direct investments in Japan have grown sharply in recent years, albeit from low levels. The rebound in Chinese tourism stands out as the number of visitors from other nations like the U.S. and South Korea remains below pre-March 11 levelsThe Japanese government has actively sought Chinese tourists in recent years, easing visa requirements in order to expand such travel. Expectations for growth are huge. As part of Tokyo&amp;rsquo;s long-term economic growth strategy, Japan hopes to increase the number of foreign visitors to the nation to 20 million by 2020 and counts on Chinese visitors to make up six million of the total. The number of visitors to Japan fell 28% to 6.21 million last year, the lowest level since 2003, due to the nuclear accident and the sharp increase in the value of the yen against the U.S. dollar and other currencies, making Japan an increasingly expensive place to travel. The number from China tumbled 26% for the full year to 1.4 million, though it was still nearly twice the level of five years ago.
Though Japan faces tougher competition for&amp;nbsp;Chinese&amp;nbsp;tourists from nearby countries like South Korea &amp;mdash; whose department stores heavily marketed Lunar New Year promotions in China this year &amp;mdash; the range of options available to tourists to Japan, and the greater ease of getting there from China, has made it an increasingly popular destination despite last year&amp;rsquo;s nuclear and natural disasters. While this has been good for retailers in cities like Tokyo, it&amp;rsquo;s been perhaps even better for ski slopes, temples and historical sites in far-flung regions of the country.
adapted from Wall Street Journal and Jing Daily        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas launches exquisit ART of ROMANCE package</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/mandarin-oriental--las-vegas-launches-exquisit-art-of-romance-package_2057.html</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:03:17 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/mandarin-oriental--las-vegas-launches-exquisit-art-of-romance-package_2057.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			The journey of a truly amorous adventure begins in the 1930&amp;rsquo;s Shanghai-inspired Dragon Spa Suite with a &amp;nbsp;three-hour indulgence for two in Mandarin Oriental's Forbes&amp;rsquo; Five-Star rated Spa. After a welcoming foot ritual for two, guests will enjoy a...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			The journey of a truly amorous adventure begins in the 1930&amp;rsquo;s Shanghai-inspired Dragon Spa Suite with a &amp;nbsp;three-hour indulgence for two in Mandarin Oriental's Forbes&amp;rsquo; Five-Star rated Spa. After a welcoming foot ritual for two, guests will enjoy a skin-softening body exfoliation. A soak in the hydrotherapy tub scented with an elixir of therapeutic natural bath essence is the next step in this total relaxation indulgence. A personalised aromatherapy massage follows as every muscle from head to foot is coaxed into submission. Each journey ends with the presentation of a gift to remind guests of the time spent together. 
&amp;nbsp;
After a three-hour indulgence guests can continue the relaxing interlude with a complimentary night in a luxuriously appointed guest room with a view of the Las Vegas Strip. The Art of Romance package is priced from USD 1500 for a Deluxe Room overlooking the Las Vegas Strip.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;The package is offered through 30 December 2012.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;         ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>AWAY-NIGHT Macau Banyan Tree </title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/away-night-macau-banyan-tree_2056.html</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:30:19 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[Review]]></category>

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        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/away-night-macau-banyan-tree_2056.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			Think Phuket countryside plonked in Vegas. I look across my pool and a semi-private river to &amp;ndash; the glaring day-glo yellow and scarlet signs of Grand Waldo Casino Hotel&amp;hellip;&amp;nbsp; But back to the beginning. A charming, diplomat-like Filipino, Jonathan,...		]]></description>
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			Think Phuket countryside plonked in Vegas. I look across my pool and a semi-private river to &amp;ndash; the glaring day-glo yellow and scarlet signs of Grand Waldo Casino Hotel&amp;hellip;&amp;nbsp; But back to the beginning. A charming, diplomat-like Filipino, Jonathan, holds my name prominently as I exit the Hong Kong jetfoil.&amp;nbsp; The Mercedes takes 18 minutes to the giant Galaxy complex, a pair of parallel 32-floor, golden glass and cream concrete towers, each topped by 3 helicopter-sized lattice balls (24ct gold, no less). One tower is the Galaxy hotel. The other, vertically split, is an Okura and the 256r Banyan Tree. Between towers, a 200m-wide area holds the 2 floor-high casino. Above this is Asia&amp;rsquo;s largest wave pool (150m sandy beach), plus separate pools for the 3 hotels.&amp;nbsp; Architects are Chhada Siembieda, Simon Kwan and, for Banyan Tree, Architrave.
&amp;nbsp;
Jonathan and escorts take me to this upper-level &amp;lsquo;outside&amp;rsquo;. I decline the buggy, and walk past lush tropical gardens and Banyan Tree&amp;rsquo;s 30m pool, flanked by Capri double loungers and 4 fully-air-conditioned solid-structure cabanas &amp;bull; Villa 506 is one of 10 &amp;lsquo;exclusives&amp;rsquo;.&amp;nbsp; The outer brass-wood door door in the 3m-high security wall, opened by pressure pad, requires a solid push. Inside a 4m walkway, between stone statues and low palms and decorative water, leads to the main door, which again requires pressure-pad entry. I am straight into the living area, with golden, cloud-patterned carpet atop honey marble flooring, fret and golden-floral papered walls, and a wooden cathedral ceiling rising to a skylight. A quartet of concave-sided beaded chandeliers breaks the height, as does a palm tree.&amp;nbsp; I look out, to my 15 x 10m blue-tiled pool with inset, raised, glass-walled really-hot hot tub: either side of the swim area are stones-base decorative pools that join, at the end, the shared &amp;lsquo;river&amp;rsquo; that runs past all the villas. I have 4 terrace loungers and a covered sala, with 4-seat dining.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Inside, I have 8-seat dining, a big desk with instant Wifi, an iPad, mobile phone and masses of sockets. The 110cm Samsung television looks across at the hospitality bar, with FrancisFrancis espresso, 6 china-capped own-filled water bottles with today&amp;rsquo;s date (in Banyan Tree&amp;rsquo;s distinctive black and white fabric pouches).&amp;nbsp; The glass-fronted minibar has Veuve Clicquot, Red Bull and Sunraysia drinks, and hotel-boxed almond cookies and Phoenix egg rolls.&amp;nbsp; A gold-labelled holder explains that for today, Sunday, the burning oil is Pine, with a Bergamot joss stick.
&amp;nbsp;
Villa 506 has a 2nd (twin-bed) bedroom and a double spa suite. The master bedroom is dominated by a centrally-set raised platform with silk bolsters either end - and a trouser press. A satin-lined black fabric box holds 5 tiny (6 x 3cm) pillows, clearly marked medium soft, hard foam, neck foam, double-curved foam and non-allergenic fibre ball. The main bathroom, totally honey marble, has pool-facing door, and clear-glass shower and toilet walls. I have a sauna, a central, circular Jacuzzi tub, and a honey-damask sofa. The long malachite stand holds 2 raised, circular basins (above, 3m wide mirror with inset television). Fret double-doors cover storage areas, with golden silk and black-white cotton robes (and slippers), and a dark green umbrella.&amp;nbsp; The safe is closest to the Japanese wash-let convenience, which causes potential door inconvenience &amp;bull; I see personalized stationery. The Guide to Services and other items stand upright in one of 2 holders, the other for Chinese versions.&amp;nbsp; I head up to the 31st floor Technogym - I am the only human, save for 2 track-suited attendants. There is just time for a quick swim in my villa pool.
&amp;nbsp;
Dinner is in Belon, the rooftop dining complex that stretches forever.&amp;nbsp; You glide elegantly down 21 dark blue glass steps into a fashion-show area that is white, bright and fun. At the mixologist&amp;rsquo;s nest, Gabriele makes signature champagne-caviar cocktails, Perrier-Jo&amp;uuml;et with 8 caper-sized liquor-filled blue balls - start drinking when they rise to the surface.&amp;nbsp; The all-white wall behind has rows of champagne glasses holding bright coloured liquids, their level rising-lowering in melodic fashion. Pass the busily-manned oyster-shucking table, then a grand piano, and to the 82-seat dining area, divided lengthwise (identical smoking, and non-smoking, sides) by a triumphant avenue of what looks like 5m-high vertical wishbones. You can see, beyond, the main cooking area, topped with dozens of $350 Ruffoni saucepans. Behind is the wine store, where flights of Latour and Screaming Eagle are about to be stored. We tour the cigar room, with its Monte Cristo-filled humidor and Macau&amp;rsquo;s best trolley of Caribbean rums.
&amp;nbsp;
Our table (non-smoking) is in an alcove bordered by a metre-high white wall that, again as a melody, gently curves, ebbs and flows. It is set with grey linens, grey metallic-look ceramics and Narumi, a small lighted candle, no salt and peppers &amp;ndash; your choice of salt is grated, over unsalted butter.&amp;nbsp; Heavy leather-covered menus open to reveal LCD-backlit pages, offering steakhouse-meets-El Bulli (chef Matias Martinez is Catalan).&amp;nbsp; The oyster selection comes mountain-high on ice, with finger bowls and plates changed with every empty shell. US prime steaks arrive simply, on slates, with sides on hot pads &amp;ndash; choose your favourite handle from a box of 6 Laguiole knives. The sommelier suggests Quinto de Carno 2005. The finale is an irresistible lemon &amp;lsquo;mess&amp;rsquo;, lemon cream, almond tart and lemon ice cream, on slate.
&amp;nbsp;
I hear how&amp;nbsp; Francis Lui, wine-loving vice chairman of K Wah Group, whose hotels include Hong Kong Grand Stanford InterCon and Stanford-owned big brands across the USA, cleverly procured one of the oh-so-few Macau gaming licences, which he partly sold on to, for instance, MGM.&amp;nbsp; Galaxy opened early 2011, sees 40,000-70,000 visitors daily and already it controls 25% of Macau&amp;rsquo;s gaming. Phase One includes the 3 hotels &amp;ndash; Okura has 25% premium over Galaxy&amp;rsquo;s room rate, and Banyan Tree is a further 25% up. Add 50 restaurants, and 9 screening rooms and, to come, Phase 2, 2 more hotels &amp;bull; Macau SAR&amp;rsquo;s government is reluctant to give work visas and yet unemployment is 2.4% &amp;ndash; is it true some job-seekers come as consultants, and somehow stay?&amp;nbsp; Banyan Tree gm Rudy Oretti operates his total 227 keys &amp;ndash; smallest, 100 sq m, with circular wood soaking tub plus a 2x2m filled &amp;lsquo;relaxation&amp;rsquo; pool - with a team of 380, though 480 are budgeted.&amp;nbsp; He anticipated 65% occupancy, 3-night average, but he gets 90% at 1.4nights (30%-80% casino-hosted), which puts increased pressure on services.
&amp;nbsp;
Villa 506&amp;rsquo;s tub is surrounded by burgundy rose petals and lit nightlights. The sleeping platform is now a bed, with finest, silk-feel linens and my requested pillows. A green turtle (fabric) sits on a card signed by Banyan Tree chairman Ho Kwon Ping explaining that $2 is added to my bill for his (real) turtle-saving Green Imperative Fund, guest initiative to have it removed. I sleep immediately. My 0445 personalised wakeup precedes an 0500 Skype.&amp;nbsp; Later, return to the gym, still empty, and shower, and have 2 eureka thoughts. Why do I increasingly dislike ceramic push-pump toiletries? Also, why do I increasingly use pool towels rather than bathroom-specific &amp;lsquo;fluffy towels&amp;rsquo; (they dry better)? 
&amp;nbsp;
I am warned that Saffron, the all-day Thai restaurant that looks like a 15m-squared wood cube, is packed, mostly with multigenerational PRCs (mainland Chinese). Wood tables bear orange fabric mats, white napkins and Narumi, WMF cutlery. This is one of the best cups of breakfast coffee in months &amp;ndash; Illy beans, WMF machine. A waiter offers test-tubes of Bellinis, each held upright in a black rubber base. I help myself to well-labelled fresh juices, eschew the 2 sparklings. An adjacent room holds the buffets and show kitchen. I luxuriate with fresh berries (strawberries already halved) and a prune-filled Ferme des Peupliers yoghurt. Hotel home-made seed-filled rye bread is toasted (medium or well?), and brought with 30g Beurre Echir&amp;eacute;, in a cocotte &amp;bull; I head to the spa, like a Phuket haven (where, among the full-size bamboos and 3m-high circular arches and water galore, are the monks?): the black ceiling is a back-lit collage of white birds. Sangzhi, one of 21 treatment rooms, has bamboo, grey stone and soft green walls, and one real living wall. I am given proper &amp;lsquo;disposable underwear&amp;rsquo; (a knitted tube briefly joined centre of the base). Orothai, one of 17 Thai therapists, asks if I want my ginger tea with or without honey.&amp;nbsp; It comes with jackfruit and voghurt, and a deep wai. There are more wais as I am popped into my departing car.
&amp;nbsp;
from The Gostelow Report - article exclusive online to CPP-LUXURY.COM&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;
Mary Gostelow&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;www.girlahead.com
&amp;nbsp;        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>PPR prepares John Galliano's Haute Couture come back? </title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/ppr-prepares-john-galliano-s-haute-couture-come-back_2055.html</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:25:05 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[
			According to Italian media, French luxury group PPR owned and run by Francois Henri Pinault is reported to be in advanced talks with ex Dior designer John Galliano for a major Haute Couture project, which would mark PPR's first...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			According to Italian media, French luxury group PPR owned and run by Francois Henri Pinault is reported to be in advanced talks with ex Dior designer John Galliano for a major Haute Couture project, which would mark PPR's first entry into the exclusive circle of Haute Couture. None of PPR's current fashion brands in its portfolio are included in the Haute Couture sphere. Gucci's Creative Director Frida Giannini signed created a very limited edition evening gowns collection, worn by celebrities such as actress&amp;nbsp;Salma Hayek at major cinema events.
After Galliano's dismissal from&amp;nbsp;Dior last year, following a media scandal, Italian Group Ittierre defied controversy and continued its licensing agreement for the Galliano ready to wear line. However, Ittierre Group itself has undergone major restructuring which led to the sale of Gianfranco Ferre house which it used to own. Therefore, it would be highly unlikely for Ittierre to be able to develop a John Galliano Haute Couture project. John Galliano S.A. is still majority owned by&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Christian Dior S.A. which holds a 91% stake of the company&amp;nbsp;and Galliano's former assistant Bill Gaytten&amp;nbsp;has since, been appointed Creative Director.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Luxury Hotel Group, GHM doubles its portfolio with new properties in China, Switzerland,  India and the UAE</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/luxury-hotel-group--ghm-doubles-its-portfolio-with-new-properties-in-china--switzerland---india-and-the-uae_2054.html</link>
		<pubDate>Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:55:27 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

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        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			GHM, a luxury resort and hotel group that manages exclusive properties anchored in Southeast Asia, is launching its third decade with plans for new boutique properties in locales well beyond its traditional geographic base. Over the next four years,...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			GHM, a luxury resort and hotel group that manages exclusive properties anchored in Southeast Asia, is launching its third decade with plans for new boutique properties in locales well beyond its traditional geographic base. Over the next four years, as the new hotels come online in China and Switzerland, in India and the United Arab Emirates, GHM expects to double the size of its portfolio.
The developments include the following: two properties, in Suzhou, China and Andermatt, Switzerland, are now under construction and expected to open in late 2012 / early 2013 and the winter of 2013, respectively.
In Kona, Hawaii GHM is collaborating with Pritzker Architecture Prize-winner Tadao Ando on the development of a new 32-villa property situated on a hardened flow of lava. Also in China, GHM has launched a new hotel brand, Ahn Luh, in collaboration with China's largest tourism group and a prominent real estate developer. The first two Ahn Luh properties are scheduled to open in two-to-three years. GHM in December last year inked a development deal with partners in the United Arab Emirates, and has identified its first project as The Chedi Khorfakkan in Sharjah. New development deals are also in the planning stages for Cuba and Brazil.
&amp;quot;In our first 20 years, we pioneered resorts in some of the world's most up-and-coming destinations, from Ubud on Bali to Quang Nam in Vietnam, establishing an ambitious presence with hotels that melded lofty, contemporary design with exquisite, local architectural elements,&amp;quot; said Hans Jenni, who co-founded GHM with Amanresorts visionary Adrian Zecha. &amp;quot;In this, the first year of our third decade, we're engineering the moves on a five-year plan of growth the likes of which we've never seen.&amp;quot;
At the Chedi Club Suzhou, GHM is opening 36 rooms on three floors of the city's tallest building, Global 188. Additionally, the Chedi will feature a destination rooftop restaurant, a fitness centre and a spa replete with 15 treatment rooms.
In Andermatt, an emerging alternative to the ski resorts at St. Moritz and Gstaad, GHM plans to debut its largest hotel to date in the 169-room Chedi Andermatt, which includes 119 luxury apartments and residences of 96 - 550 square metres. The facilities will feature an apres ski bar, a wine-and-cigar library, a private outdoor skating rink, as well as a fitness centre, restaurant, and a bar and lounge.
In its first 20 years, GHM has earned a reputation for refined hotel designs, having worked with some of the world's most sought after and creative designers. Each new GHM hotel is a study in bold design, a trend that is likely to continue as the likes of Tadao Ando bear down on projects for the group. The Kona design, for example, makes use of Ando's penchant for planes of exposed concrete and a topographically sensitive foundation.
GHM's portfolio includes:&amp;nbsp; The Setai South Beach, Miami, USA The Legian Bali, Indonesia The Club at The Legian Bali, Indonesia The Nam Hai Hoi An, Vietnam The Strand Yangon, Myanmar The Ananti Kumgang Mountains, North Korea The Ananti Club Seoul, South Korea The Chedi Club Tanah Gajah, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia The Chedi Muscat, Oman The Chedi Chiang Mai, Thailand        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>French luxury leather goods market to slow down in 2012</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/french-luxury-leather-goods-market-to-slow-down-in-2012_2053.html</link>
		<pubDate>Tue, 31 Jan 2012 07:11:23 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[
			According to French based research firm Xerfi, after 8 years of continued growth, the French luxury leather goods market will decreased by 3,5% in value in 2012. The research firm indicates the higher prices of raw materials and increasing...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			According to French based research firm Xerfi, after 8 years of continued growth, the French luxury leather goods market will decreased by 3,5% in value in 2012. The research firm indicates the higher prices of raw materials and increasing salaries of workers in Asia as the two main reasons which are likely to contribute to the ebb in the leather goods market. Xerfi advises in its research study that luxury brand should extend their product offering with lower priced goods in order to keep up with the new developments.
By contrast, internet sales are likely to continue their growth, according to Xerfi (in 2010, internet sales accounted for 2% of total sales for luxury brands). One of the examples provided is Gucci which is currently listing online in France over 600&amp;nbsp;products&amp;nbsp;priced between 500&amp;nbsp;and 3.300 euros.
adapted from AFP        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Brunello Cucinelli reports 67% growth in profits for 2011</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/brunello-cucinelli-reports-67--growth-in-profits-for-2011_2052.html</link>
		<pubDate>Tue, 31 Jan 2012 06:42:38 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

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        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/brunello-cucinelli-reports-67--growth-in-profits-for-2011_2052.html
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		<description><![CDATA[
			Ahead of its IPO on Milan's stock exchange this year, Italian luxury ready to wear&amp;nbsp;house specialize in cashmere, Brunello Cucinelli reports an 18% increase in its turnover for 2011, compared to 2010, which was at the level of 103...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Ahead of its IPO on Milan's stock exchange this year, Italian luxury ready to wear&amp;nbsp;house specialize in cashmere, Brunello Cucinelli reports an 18% increase in its turnover for 2011, compared to 2010, which was at the level of 103 million euros. Founded in 1978 and with 710 employees, Brunello Cucinelli has 59 mono-brand boutiques worldwide and plans further expansion in Asia and South America.
In 2011, the company made investments of 16 million euros, especially in its own production facilities, Brunello Cucinelli having proven recession proof thanks to its heritage Made in Italy and the decision in the early 2000 to develop a complete range of products for a ''total look''.
In 2010, Brunello Cucinelli launched its online store which is operated by leading Italian luxury e-tailer Yoox which also manages brands such as Emporio Armani and Zegna.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Luxury Italian shoemaker a.testoni inaugurates its mono-brand boutique in Kiev</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/luxury-italian-shoemaker-a-testoni-inaugurates-its-mono-brand-boutique-in-kiev_2051.html</link>
		<pubDate>Tue, 31 Jan 2012 06:28:17 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

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		<description><![CDATA[
			Luxury Italian shoemaker a.testoni inagurated this weekend its mono-brand boutique in Kiev, Ukraine which opened end of December 2011.&amp;nbsp;Situated within the Mandarin Plaza shopping mall, the a.testoni boutique is operated in franchising and is one of 70 mono-brand sales...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Luxury Italian shoemaker a.testoni inagurated this weekend its mono-brand boutique in Kiev, Ukraine which opened end of December 2011.&amp;nbsp;Situated within the Mandarin Plaza shopping mall, the a.testoni boutique is operated in franchising and is one of 70 mono-brand sales points worldwide. The new boutique feature both mens and womens collections, including the Black Label.
The inauguration&amp;nbsp;was marked by an event at the Hyatt Regency&amp;nbsp;Hotel in Kiev attended by local VIPs and celebrities as well as a.testoni's Vice President Marco Fini who highlighted with the occasion the growing importance of Eastern Europe for the Italian luxury shoemaker.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Louis Vuitton opens its Maison flagship store in Rome</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/louis-vuitton-opens-its-maison-flagship-store-in-rome_2050.html</link>
		<pubDate>Mon, 30 Jan 2012 07:16:25 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

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        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/louis-vuitton-opens-its-maison-flagship-store-in-rome_2050.html
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		<description><![CDATA[
			Situated in the Lucina Square within the former&amp;nbsp;Etoile, Rome's very first cinema, built in 1907, the new Louis Vuitton&amp;nbsp;Maison flagship store&amp;nbsp;covers three floors. One of&amp;nbsp;the 14 Maison type of flagship stores of Vuitton worldwide, the Louis Vuitton&amp;nbsp;Maison Etoile&amp;nbsp;Rome is...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Situated in the Lucina Square within the former&amp;nbsp;Etoile, Rome's very first cinema, built in 1907, the new Louis Vuitton&amp;nbsp;Maison flagship store&amp;nbsp;covers three floors. One of&amp;nbsp;the 14 Maison type of flagship stores of Vuitton worldwide, the Louis Vuitton&amp;nbsp;Maison Etoile&amp;nbsp;Rome is the only one to include a library room, which is actually&amp;nbsp;dedicated to Italian cinema, especially Rome's iconic Cinecitta film studios.&amp;nbsp;
Interior designer Peter Marino recreated a Baroque style interior placing&amp;nbsp;emphasis on the main, grand&amp;nbsp;staircase which resembles the strip of a film.&amp;nbsp;The thin columns and the&amp;nbsp;transparent ceilings add to visibility and natural light. Onix and travertin have been Marino's&amp;nbsp;preferred materials for the interios of the store.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Marino designed desks that look like travel trunks, covered in a goat hide patchwork as well as tables made with python skin.
Apart from the already ''standard'' feature in a Maison type of flagship such as a&amp;nbsp;Bag Bar, a Trunk Room, Haute Maroquinerie (high end leather goods), the Vuitton Maison in Rome includes some exceptional features such as a unique 19 seat cinema, which will screen short movies by famed directors. The entire collection of trunks and luggages made for the&amp;nbsp;''The Darjeeling Limited''&amp;nbsp;movie by Wes Andersen is also on display at the new Vuitton Maison in Rome.
The event inaguration in Rome&amp;nbsp;was&amp;nbsp;attended by French actress Catherine Deneuve and her daughter Chiara Mastroiani, Cate Blanchett&amp;nbsp;along Italian celebrities.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>The best European luxury lifestyle destinations MUNICH versus MILAN </title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/the-best-european-luxury-lifestyle-destinations-munich-versus-milan_2049.html</link>
		<pubDate>Sun, 29 Jan 2012 08:54:06 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[Review]]></category>

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        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/the-best-european-luxury-lifestyle-destinations-munich-versus-milan_2049.html
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		<description><![CDATA[
			With the aim of creating awareness of Europe's best luxury lifestyle destinations, CPP-LUXURY.COM is launching a series of comparative reviews, the key criteria being&amp;nbsp;shopping and hotels. The first edition of the series includes MUNICH versus MILAN with a comparison...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			With the aim of creating awareness of Europe's best luxury lifestyle destinations, CPP-LUXURY.COM is launching a series of comparative reviews, the key criteria being&amp;nbsp;shopping and hotels. The first edition of the series includes MUNICH versus MILAN with a comparison between&amp;nbsp;Russian, Brazilian and Indian&amp;nbsp;travellers to both cities, during a chosen set of dates.
While in terms of the travel costs the two cities are slightly similar, in terms of luxury lifestyle experience, especially luxury shopping, Munich ranks slightly higher than Milan, especially in&amp;nbsp;customer service&amp;nbsp; - attitude of sales staff and&amp;nbsp;proficiency of English.&amp;nbsp;Most&amp;nbsp;Italian sales staff at&amp;nbsp;Milan's major luxury stores tend to be less intuitive and in many cases have what some call ''an attitude issue''.
Milan's upper edge over Munich&amp;nbsp;in luxury retail lies in&amp;nbsp;the fact that some of the leading international luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton, Prada or&amp;nbsp;Gucci have much larger stores, with a wider selection of products and&amp;nbsp;even tailor made&amp;nbsp;/ bespoke services. For instance,&amp;nbsp;Louis Vuitton's Milan which re-opened at the end of 2011&amp;nbsp;has a&amp;nbsp;''Maison'' status, being among the few international locations with a more luxurious interior design&amp;nbsp;and&amp;nbsp;themed product and service spaces such as Travel Bar and bespoke or custom made (i.e. Vuitton store in Milan offers a custom made service for shoes).
As for pricing, luxury branded products, especially fashion, accessories and jewellery are on average 10% lower than in Russia&amp;nbsp;and on average 15% lower than in India. Tax Free deductions are available for&amp;nbsp;both Russian and Indian nationals, when travelling to Germany or Italy. &amp;nbsp;
In terms of hospitality, most of Milan's top luxury hotels within immediate proximity to Montenapoleone Street are properties which have not been renovated in the past 10 years. We have not included the Armani&amp;nbsp;Hotel, as the hotel's opening (November 2011) is too recent&amp;nbsp;for an objective evaluation of product and services.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;
from MOSCOW, Russia 
MUNICH
Dates: 22- 25 March, 2012 - Best return business class fare: US$ 1.200 /person (SwissAir - connecting flight) / Top luxury hotel: Mandarin Oriental, Munich - Superior Junior Suite US$&amp;nbsp;1.545 / person&amp;nbsp;(3 nights, breakfast, mini bar, wi-fi internet taxes - included) / Airport transfers: Mercedes S Klasse US$ 350 (return) / Airport: Franz Jozef International Airport - is rated as one of the best in Europe&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; TOTAL TRAVEL expenses: US$&amp;nbsp;3.095 / person&amp;nbsp;
Luxury shopping: 5 minutes walk from the hotel (mono-brand stores) on Maximilianstrasse- Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Cartier, Versace, Hermes, Loro Piana, Bottega Veneta, Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Giorgio Armani, Bvlgari, Daks, Escada, Bally, Prada, Tiffany, Tod's, Salvatore Ferragamo, Ermenegildo Zegna, Michael Kors, Moncler, Tom Ford.
MILAN
Dates: 22- 25 March, 2012 - Best return business class fare: US$ 1.250 /person (SwissAir - connecting flight) / Top luxury hotel:&amp;nbsp;Four Seasons Hotel&amp;nbsp;Milan&amp;nbsp;- Superior Junior Suite US$&amp;nbsp;1.868 (3 nights, breakfast, taxes&amp;nbsp;included) - wifi and minibar not included / Airport transfers: Mercedes S Klasse US$ 400 (return) / Airport:&amp;nbsp;Malpensa, Milan&amp;nbsp;- Italy's best but not among the leading in Europe TOTAL TRAVEL expenses: US$ 3.518
Luxury shopping - mono-brand stores on Montenapoleone:&amp;nbsp;5 minutes walk from the hotel (mono-brand stores) - Louis Vuitton, Dior,&amp;nbsp;Versace, Hermes, Loro Piana, Bottega Veneta, Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Giorgio Armani, Daks, Cartier, Bally, Prada, Tod's, Salvatore Ferragamo, Ermenegildo Zegna, Sergio Rossi, Brioni, Kiton, Tom Ford, Celine, Frette, Larusmiani.
from SAO PAOLO,&amp;nbsp;Brazil 
MUNICH
Dates: 22- 25 March, 2012 - Best return business class fare: US$&amp;nbsp;4.100 /person (TAM Airlines - non stop flight) / Top luxury hotel: Mandarin Oriental, Munich - Superior Junior Suite US$&amp;nbsp;1.545 / person&amp;nbsp;(3 nights, breakfast, mini bar, wi-fi internet taxes - included) / Airport transfers: Mercedes S Klasse US$ 350 (return) / Airport: Franz Jozef International Airport - is rated as one of the best in Europe&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; TOTAL TRAVEL expenses: US$&amp;nbsp;5.995 / person&amp;nbsp;
Luxury shopping: 5 minutes walk from the hotel (mono-brand stores) on Maximilianstrasse- Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Cartier, Versace, Hermes, Loro Piana, Bottega Veneta, Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Giorgio Armani, Bvlgari, Daks, Escada, Bally, Prada, Tiffany, Tod's, Salvatore Ferragamo, Ermenegildo Zegna, Michael Kors, Moncler, Tom Ford.
MILAN
Dates: 22- 25 March, 2012 - Best return business class fare: US$&amp;nbsp;3.800 /person (TAM -&amp;nbsp;non stop flight&amp;nbsp;/ Top luxury hotel:&amp;nbsp;Four Seasons Hotel&amp;nbsp;Milan&amp;nbsp;- Superior Junior Suite US$&amp;nbsp;1.868 (3 nights, breakfast, taxes&amp;nbsp;included) - wifi and minibar not included / Airport transfers: Mercedes S Klasse US$ 400 (return) / Airport:&amp;nbsp;Malpensa, Milan&amp;nbsp;- Italy's best but not among the leading in Europe TOTAL TRAVEL expenses: US$ 6.068
Luxury shopping - mono-brand stores on Montenapoleone:&amp;nbsp;5 minutes walk from the hotel (mono-brand stores) - Louis Vuitton, Dior,&amp;nbsp;Versace, Hermes, Loro Piana, Bottega Veneta, Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Giorgio Armani, Daks, Cartier, Bally, Prada, Tod's, Salvatore Ferragamo, Ermenegildo Zegna, Sergio Rossi, Brioni, Kiton, Tom Ford, Celine, Frette, Larusmiani.
from MUMBAI, India 
MUNICH
Dates: 22- 25 March, 2012 - Best return business class fare: US$&amp;nbsp;2.580 /person (Qatar Airways) /Top luxury hotel: Mandarin Oriental, Munich - Superior Junior Suite US$&amp;nbsp;1.545 / person&amp;nbsp;(3 nights, breakfast, mini bar, wi-fi internet taxes - included) / Airport transfers: Mercedes S Klasse US$ 350 (return) / Airport: Franz Jozef International Airport - rated as one of the best in Europe TOTAL TRAVEL expenses: US$ 4.475 / person
Luxury shopping: 5 minutes walk from the hotel (mono-brand stores) on Maximilianstrasse- Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Cartier, Versace, Hermes, Loro Piana, Bottega Veneta, Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Giorgio Armani, Bvlgari, Daks, Escada, Bally, Prada, Tiffany, Tod's, Salvatore Ferragamo, Ermenegildo Zegna, Michael Kors, Moncler
MILAN
Dates: 22- 25 March, 2012 - Best return business class fare: US$&amp;nbsp;2.200 /person (Gulf Air) / Top luxury hotel:&amp;nbsp;Four Seasons Hotel&amp;nbsp;Milan&amp;nbsp;- Superior Junior Suite US$&amp;nbsp;1.868 (3 nights, breakfast, taxes&amp;nbsp;included) - wifi and minibar not included / Airport transfers: Mercedes S Klasse US$ 400 (return) / Airport:&amp;nbsp;Malpensa, Milan&amp;nbsp;- Italy's best but not among the leading in Europe&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; TOTAL TRAVEL expenses: US$ 4.468 / person
Luxury shopping - mono-brand stores on Montenapoleone:&amp;nbsp;5 minutes walk from the hotel (mono-brand stores) - Louis Vuitton, Dior,&amp;nbsp;Versace, Hermes, Loro Piana, Bottega Veneta, Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Giorgio Armani, Daks, Cartier, Bally, Prada, Tod's, Salvatore Ferragamo, Ermenegildo Zegna, Sergio Rossi, Brioni, Kiton, Tom Ford, Celine, Frette, Larusmiani.         ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Chanel, Christian Dior and L'Oreal fined 40 million euros for price fixing</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/chanel--christian-dior-and-l-oreal-fined-40-million-euros-for-price-fixing_2048.html</link>
		<pubDate>Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:52:29 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

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        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/chanel--christian-dior-and-l-oreal-fined-40-million-euros-for-price-fixing_2048.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			A French court has fined perfume giants including Chanel, Christian Dior and L'Oreal a total of 40 million euros ($53 million) for colluding to keep prices high.
A Paris appeals court upheld the fine imposed in 2006 by the French...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			A French court has fined perfume giants including Chanel, Christian Dior and L'Oreal a total of 40 million euros ($53 million) for colluding to keep prices high.
A Paris appeals court upheld the fine imposed in 2006 by the French competition watchdog, which said the companies involved had reached illicit agreements on price fixing, enforced by procedures to monitor prices in outlets and backed up by commercial threats for non-compliance.
Thirteen leading perfume and luxury goods companies were fined: Jean-Paul Gaultier, Issey Miyake, Chanel, Clarins Fragrance Group, Hermes, Christian Dior, Clinique, Estee Lauder, Guerlain, l'Oreal, LVMH Fragrance Brands, Sisheido Europe and YSL. Distributors Marionnaud, Sephora and Nocibe were also fined.
In its original ruling, which concerned events between 1997 and 2000, the price watchdog said said the companies &amp;quot;had arrangements with distributors... to put an end, for each product under the brand name, to any competition between retail outlets for these products&amp;quot;.
The agreements saw &amp;quot;price police&amp;quot; ensuring distributors were sticking by the deal, and &amp;quot;pressure and threats of commercial reprisals for those distributors that refused to apply the prices imposed by the brand&amp;quot;, it said.
from AFP        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Lars Wagner, Mandarin Oriental's Ambassador to Europe</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/lars-wagner--mandarin-oriental-s-ambassador-to-europe_2047.html</link>
		<pubDate>Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:33:45 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[Leaders]]></category>

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        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/lars-wagner--mandarin-oriental-s-ambassador-to-europe_2047.html
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		<description><![CDATA[
			With a career in hospitality spanning 26 years,&amp;nbsp;German born, Lars Wagner has&amp;nbsp;been for the past 5 years's the General Manager of Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Munich, the undisputed leading luxury hotel in the Bavarian capital, a top hotel in...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			With a career in hospitality spanning 26 years,&amp;nbsp;German born, Lars Wagner has&amp;nbsp;been for the past 5 years's the General Manager of Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Munich, the undisputed leading luxury hotel in the Bavarian capital, a top hotel in Germany and the whole of Europe.&amp;nbsp;
Mandarin&amp;nbsp;Oriental, Munich&amp;nbsp;is also the best perfoming and the highest rated* Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group property worldwide. (*independent review websites such as Tripadvisor but also lead travel magazines).&amp;nbsp;Lars Wagner's ultimate achievement for any hotelier&amp;nbsp;is by far the fact that Mandarin Oriental Hotel&amp;nbsp;in Munich is recognized an institution, loved by the local elite - top business men, top executives, celebrities and the most sophisticated clientele from abroad. Events such as the Chinese New Year Gala at the Mandarin Oriental is a ''must attend'' event on Germany's elite social scene.
With the exception&amp;nbsp;Hong Kong (Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong) and Tokyo, none of the other Mandarin Oriental Hotels worlwide have&amp;nbsp;achieved the same status. In terms of quality of service,&amp;nbsp;Mandarin Oriental &amp;nbsp;is simply flawless. Apart from being a hotel, Mandarin Oriental, Munich could easily be a training centre for the Mandarin Oriental chain, as it perfectly reflects the values Mandarin Oriental stands for - ''the Hermes of hospitality''
In an exclusive interview, Lars Wagner&amp;nbsp;shared with&amp;nbsp;CPP-LUXURY.COM&amp;nbsp;his expertize, vision and business philosophy.&amp;nbsp;
Mandarin Oriental Munich has been constantly rated as one of the best luxury hotels not only in Germany but in Europe as a whole. Which are the key ingredients for continued success and therefore consistency in product offering and services?
It is all about a dedicated and committed team of colleagues and department heads who live and breathe Mandarin Oriental&amp;rsquo;s mission; &amp;ldquo;to completely delight and satisfy our guests. We are committed to making a difference every day; continually getting better to keep us the best&amp;rdquo;. 
This is something we instil in our colleagues every day in order to deliver superior service. Our staff has come to understand that &amp;ldquo;service from the heart&amp;rdquo; means much more to our sophisticated travellers than any hardware which anyone can offer. Continuous training on how to delight our guests, on how to anticipate guests&amp;rsquo; needs as well as how to apply genuine &amp;ldquo;wow&amp;rdquo; factors are key to success. This is led by a team of executives that are the best and live and drive our service culture.
Within the Mandarin Oriental Group, Mandarin Oriental Munich is one of the smallest properties. To what extent is size an advantage and a challenge?
Being a property with only 73 rooms, space will be a challenge, however one that we are constantly addressing in order to delight our guests with offering a product that corresponds with guests&amp;rsquo; evolving travel needs and expectations.
Over the past few years the hotel has relocated its administrative offices to a neighbouring building in order to gain further space for additional facilities for our guests.&amp;nbsp; We have become creative in turning unused space into revenue generating areas that many years ago nobody would have thought of. Our latest idea was to turn the Sales and Marketing office into a Fitness &amp;amp; Wellness Centre which the hotel never had due to its size restrictions. We are now at the stage of offering all the services and facilities you would expect from an international luxury hotel, whilst having the greatest advantage of TIME: It&amp;rsquo;s the TIME our colleagues can spend with guests that is so much appreciated by our international travellers and this is what I believe is reflected in the fantastic awards and recognition we are receiving around the world. 
We at CPP-LUXURY.COM have recognized Mandarin Oriental, Munich as one of the most creative luxury hotels worldwide, from the point of view of allocation of space (roof top swimming pool in summer, roof top restaurant in winter, a new fitness centre) but also from a marketing point of view, coming up with the most innovative and attractive offers and packages &amp;ndash; from dinner with a world famous soprano, a Valentine&amp;rsquo;s package (2012) with a high end jewellery git, to the complimentary use of a Mercedes Benz car. What is your strategic approach in developing all these projects?
We believe that only innovation and creativity can set us apart, not only from our local but also international competitors. It is so important that a hotel has a story to tell. Whilst we try to integrate the local community with our exclusive opera packages, we also try to appeal to the international traveller with the said Mercedes Benz package, our partner for many years. Travellers and locals seek experiences where exclusivity is packaged with a down to earth approach, i.e. taking a picture with Anna Netrebko during an exclusive dinner event or enjoying a simple beer on the roof terrace of a luxury hotel in a chalet environment. The contrast between luxury and simplicity has been fascinating and attracted many clients and these are just some examples of what has helped put our hotel on the international map. 
You have recently introduced complimentary mini-bar and wi-fi internet in your junior suites, both amenities being progressively introduced by many international luxury chains. How important are these perks for your customers and how do you think potential customers will be motivated by these additional amenities ?
Our complimentary minibars which have been in place for the past ten years have always been a competitive advantage. In many of our feeder markets this has been a very simple and successful USP. 
Only recently the hotel introduced, after having invested into our own upgraded 100 mbit hotel WiFi system, complimentary internet for Junior Suites and higher categories. We find that our clients want to buy a suite product with proof of value and that is what we have implemented.
How important is the internet for your marketing / communications strategy? How far do you think engaging with consumers should go?
75% of all travellers prior to making a final decision on their hotel booking consult various websites on the internet. It is therefore extremely important that channels such as your very own website, Facebook, TripAdvisor are managed and monitored with a lot of care and diligence. Consumers expect a very active and engaging interaction with the hotel on social media websites and we treat this just as importantly as any other interaction with our existing and potential clients.
Mandarin Oriental Munich offers every year special Ramadan packages and organizes a grand evening event for the Chinese New Year. How important are Middle Eastern / Arab and Chinese consumers? What are the three top nationalities of the most loyal guests at the Mandarin Oriental Munich. 
Since Munich has developed a great reputation as a tourist, shopping and medical destination in the Middle East we have become creative in enticing some Middle East families during the Ramadan period to Munich. This is very attractive long stay business and by providing the right environment like a shuttle service to the mosque, a prayer mat and compass in our rooms and by being able to provide authentic Halal food to this clientele by our very own Lebanese Chef. The hotel&amp;rsquo;s annual Chinese New Year event has become the most important social party of the year for the local community. Since our company roots are in Hong Kong and since we want to say thank you to our local community we have taken advantage of this Chinese New Year event. 
Your career in luxury hospitality spans over 26 years, your previous tenures including Four Seasons and Hyatt. For the past 4 years, you have been leading the team at the Mandarin Oriental Munich. What are the three most important professional achievements in your career to date?
Constantly striving for and achieving good results, even during the economic downturns is something that makes me very proud. We have a large number or repeat guests and continuously surprising our guests with new ideas, innovative changes and offering them a home away from home is as important as my first point. &amp;nbsp;It goes without saying though that the most important milestone was becoming and holding the title of a General Manager. Being part of that exclusive club makes you soooo proud and motivates you to keep going for years to come.
What motivates you to excel in your work time after time, without falling into a routine? How do you instil this motivation to your team?
The best part of our job is that no day is like the previous one and you never know what the chocolate box will offer you tomorrow. Running your hotel as an entrepreneur allows you to be creative and innovative. I can say that at Mandarin Oriental, Munich we are blessed with this advantage which allows our managers to take on that spirit which in turn motivates them tremendously. Our colleagues will to drive for excellence combined with a &amp;ldquo;service from the heart&amp;rdquo; approach has led us to where we are today.
How do you think hospitality is different from other luxury industry sectors? Have you ever been tempted to work in a different luxury industry field? 
I believe that our industry is not very different to other luxury industry sectors like luxury cars or high end fashion labels. It&amp;rsquo;s all about providing genuine and intuitive service to your customers; it&amp;rsquo;s all about attention to details as well as caring and listening not only to your customers but also your employees. It is the last meter in the chain that executes and delivers the mission and vision. 
What is your favourite past time in Munich? Which are your personal favourite spots in the city?
The English Garden in Munich in summer is what Central Park is in New York with the difference being that Munich has an amazing array of beer drinking spots for locals and tourists alike in the green oasis. Another of my favourites is to cheer on a Saturday the Bayern Munich soccer team with 69.000 other fans in the Allianz Arena to the Champions League final.&amp;nbsp;
interview by Oliver Petcu&amp;nbsp;        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Waldorf Astoria Hilton to open in Berlin in May</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/waldorf-astoria-hilton-to-open-in-berlin-in-may_2046.html</link>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Jan 2012 06:28:28 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

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        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/waldorf-astoria-hilton-to-open-in-berlin-in-may_2046.html
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		<description><![CDATA[
			Hilton Worldwide plans to open its first Waldorf Astoria Berlin hotel in Germany this year near Kurfuerstendamm, West Berlin&amp;rsquo;s best-known shopping street.&amp;nbsp;Hilton will manage the&amp;nbsp;property owned and&amp;nbsp;develope by&amp;nbsp;Swan Operations of Abu Dhabi which &amp;nbsp;invested about 220 million euros ($289...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Hilton Worldwide plans to open its first Waldorf Astoria Berlin hotel in Germany this year near Kurfuerstendamm, West Berlin&amp;rsquo;s best-known shopping street.&amp;nbsp;Hilton will manage the&amp;nbsp;property owned and&amp;nbsp;develope by&amp;nbsp;Swan Operations of Abu Dhabi which &amp;nbsp;invested about 220 million euros ($289 million) in the project.
&amp;ldquo;Berlin is Germany&amp;rsquo;s only international metropolis and it&amp;rsquo;s in constant transformation,&amp;rdquo; Friedrich Niemann, the hotel&amp;rsquo;s general manager, said in a press&amp;nbsp;briefing.&amp;nbsp;&amp;ldquo;While the city can&amp;rsquo;t support the kind of room rates that you see in London or Paris at the moment, prices are moving in the right direction.&amp;rdquo; The Waldorf Astoria is taking bookings from Sept. 1, with prices ranging from 350 euros a night to about 4,385 euros for the King Ambassador Suite.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Rizoli launches in March DIOR JOAILLERIE book to celebrate Dior’s fine jewelry</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/rizoli-launches-in-march-dior-joaillerie-book-to-celebrate-dior---s-fine-jewelry_2045.html</link>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:42:40 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

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        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			International publisher Rizoli is launching in March this year an exceptional book DIOR JOAILLERIE, the first such book to celebrate the timeless beauty and craftsmanship of Dior&amp;rsquo;s fine jewelry designs, signed by Creative Director Victoire de Castellane.
Captured throughout the...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			International publisher Rizoli is launching in March this year an exceptional book DIOR JOAILLERIE, the first such book to celebrate the timeless beauty and craftsmanship of Dior&amp;rsquo;s fine jewelry designs, signed by Creative Director Victoire de Castellane.
Captured throughout the book&amp;rsquo;s 300 pages, the exquisite craftsmanship of Dior Fine Jewelry is showcased with vivid photography, fully highlighting the allure of pieces de Castellane creates. Adding to that is poetic and insightful text from jewelry historian Mich&amp;egrave;le Heuz&amp;eacute; which offers readers the perfect complement to the &amp;lsquo;eye and ear candy&amp;rsquo; featured in .
Mich&amp;egrave;le Heuz&amp;eacute; is a jewelry historian and gemologist. In 2005, she was curator for an exhibition on avant-garde French jewelry, and she made a documentary about French jewelry in 2008. She has contributed to numerous magazines, exhibition catalogues, and books, including L&amp;rsquo;Estampille: L&amp;rsquo;Objet d&amp;rsquo;Art.         ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Patek Philippe host major exhibition in Dubai</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/patek-philippe-host-major-exhibition-in-dubai_2043.html</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:59:16 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

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        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/patek-philippe-host-major-exhibition-in-dubai_2043.html
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		<description><![CDATA[
			Hosted at the Madinat Jumeirah, the exhibition organized by family owned luxury watch maker Patek Philippe will include a selection of 400 exceptional watches from US$ 10.000 to US$ 1,5 million.&amp;nbsp;The exhibition will also include handcrafted clocks and &amp;quot;the...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Hosted at the Madinat Jumeirah, the exhibition organized by family owned luxury watch maker Patek Philippe will include a selection of 400 exceptional watches from US$ 10.000 to US$ 1,5 million.&amp;nbsp;The exhibition will also include handcrafted clocks and &amp;quot;the great flower&amp;quot; pocket-watch, which was designed for the Arabian market circa 1660.&amp;nbsp;The exhibition set-up recreates on a large surface of over 1.500 sqm the headquarters and ateliers of Patek Philippe in Geneva.
Speaking about the exhibit, Thierry Stern, President of Patek Philippe said ''&amp;nbsp;10 years ago people were really focused on design and the jewellery pieces. Today, they&amp;rsquo;re passionate about the movement. When you buy a watch the most important thing is the movement, which you don&amp;rsquo;t see. ''        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Mandarin Oriental Munich welcomes the Chinese New Year, with Dragon style grand party</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/mandarin-oriental-munich-welcomes-the-chinese-new-year--with-dragon-style-grand-party_2042.html</link>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:17:46 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[
			Munich's leading hotel, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel hosted this evening its annual traditional gala evening event to mark the Chinese New Year. Over 500 guest, including German celebrities and VIPs attended the event in a beautiful Asian inspired decor...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Munich's leading hotel, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel hosted this evening its annual traditional gala evening event to mark the Chinese New Year. Over 500 guest, including German celebrities and VIPs attended the event in a beautiful Asian inspired decor throughout the entire hotel. The highlight of the evening&amp;nbsp;was the&amp;nbsp;allegorical dance staged by two 3 meter long dragons, who would spell their good luck charm on attendees.
All guests were given a ''good luck'' envelope, which traditionally at the Chinese New Year needs to include&amp;nbsp;money -&amp;nbsp;a 10 Yuan real blll&amp;nbsp;in each envelope. The entire team of the Mandarin Oriental headed by Mr Lars Wagner&amp;nbsp;wore genuine Chinese costumes.&amp;nbsp;
Probably most impressive about the entire evening&amp;nbsp;was that the hotel team would&amp;nbsp;know personally&amp;nbsp;almost each single guest, recreating a very warm,&amp;nbsp;family atmosphere. Congratulations for such an amazing achievement, hotels rarely being able to be equally loved by foreign travellers&amp;nbsp;and locals, who are both regular guests of the hotel, whether for accommodation, lunch&amp;nbsp;or dinner at&amp;nbsp;the hotel's Michelin starred restaurant The Mark, The Mandarin Bar or the Bistro MO.&amp;nbsp;
This weekend also marks&amp;nbsp;the end of the winter season at the Mandarin Oriental Munich, whose incredibly creative team are now&amp;nbsp;dismantling the roof top&amp;nbsp;chalet (The Alm) which recreated a perfect mountain chalet with the best panoramic views of Munich, to prepare&amp;nbsp;for the Spring Summer season with a&amp;nbsp;beautiful&amp;nbsp;swimming pool emerging on the roof top, together with a beach style bar.
Congratulations to the entire team at Mandarin Oriental Munich! 
Oliver Petcu in Munich        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title> Luxury brands from Facebook and short movies to old style promotion</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/luxury-brands-from-facebook-and-short-movies-to-old-style-promotion_2041.html</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:37:47 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[Analysis]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[
			During the latest Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week, many were surprised to learn they were no longer on Chanel&amp;rsquo;s invitees&amp;rsquo; list. Despite organizing two shows, the French maison opted for the usual location for the past years, the Grand...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			During the latest Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week, many were surprised to learn they were no longer on Chanel&amp;rsquo;s invitees&amp;rsquo; list. Despite organizing two shows, the French maison opted for the usual location for the past years, the Grand Palais, however, the large scale of the d&amp;eacute;cor would limit the number of seats in the audience. Much like in the days of Christian Dior himself, the house of Dior hosted a small event at its Avenue Montaigne headquarters, with a much smaller audience than Galliano&amp;rsquo;s previous lavish haute couture shows. While many are still intensely debating and betting on Galliano&amp;rsquo;s successor at the helm of Dior&amp;rsquo;s creative direction, could it be that its owner, Bernard Arnault would not want to find a replacement for Galliano, considering the current creative director most appropriate, but in a silent manner.&amp;nbsp;Many other couture houses presented this season&amp;rsquo;s collections with a trunk show, recreating a more intimate atmosphere.
Gucci organized in December last year a lavish party at LACMA in Los Angeles honouring Clint Eastwood and John Baldessarini, Leonardo di Caprio being the host of the evening. There was no fashion show, instead a sophisticated sit down dinner, with many Hollywood celebrities attending. What was probably most striking about the event, was that less than half of the attendees were actually wearing Gucci, whether accessories, shoes or clothing. The event made less headlines on the internet, as it would have probably made a year ago. The two pages allocated by Vanity fair and short articles in several Vogue editions covered the event in a more discreet, but at the same time, desirable way. After all, isn&amp;rsquo;t luxury about exclusivity?
With the occasion of the opening of its brand new flagship store in Paris, on Faubourg St Honore, French iconic leather goods maison of Moynat, now owned by Bernard Arnault (LVMH), a discreet and simple cocktail party was organized on the premises of the very elegant store, which is steps from Goyard and Hermes, direct competitors of Moynat in the eary 1920&amp;rsquo;s. There was no live internet broadcast, no Facebook page and the website of Moynat would simply display photos of the new store. Speaking to concierges at several of the top luxury hotels in the area, I was told, customers were returning to the hotel disappointed most of the Moynat collection sold out.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;
The third weekend of January, this year, the French house of Chanel took everyone by surprise hosting a grand event in Las Vegas which took place at the Wynn Hotel. As a very sensible anticipation of the Chanel Haute Couture, which took place a week later (the set up being the interior of an airplane, with a 70&amp;rsquo;s mood), Chanel&amp;rsquo;s invitation to the Las Vegas event was &amp;lsquo;&amp;rsquo;Fly with Chanel&amp;rsquo;&amp;rsquo;, the maison actually flying in over 200 VIP guests, among them high profile fashion editors. The evening was marked by an exquisite fashion installation with models dressed as birds in a metal frame (similar to a bird cage), live music performance and an haute cuisine sit down dinner, the setting being of an old time club, with simple colourful lighting.
Luxury Swiss watchmaker Brequet opted for a very exclusive dinner to mark the opening of its flagship store in Bal Harbour, Florida. The Brequet&amp;nbsp;event&amp;nbsp;included a demonstration by Mr. Stephane Aubert, the brand&amp;rsquo;s master engraver. On display at the boutique for an exclusive preview were four historic pocket watches from the 18th and 19th centuries, previously on loan to the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. The timepieces will be on display through February 29th. After the celebratory evening at Breguet&amp;rsquo;s new U.S. flagship store, select members from the Breguet family, brand VIPs, Haute Living special guests joined Michael Nelson, Brand President for Breguet in North America, in the St. Regis Hotel&amp;rsquo;s Astor Ballroom Foyer for an intimate dinner curated by Executive Pastry Chef Antonio Bachour and Executive Resort Chef Jordi. The menu included slow-braised kobe beef short rib with potato-cherry wood smoked bacon trinxat, green beans, baby carrot and braising essence, as well as a decadent dessert made with lime gelee, tropical fruits, coconut sorbet and meringue.
With the financial turmoil around the world, the international luxury brands with the best sales performances, were, surprisingly, brands which are anti-bling in their product development, therefore no logo or extremely discreet logos, as opposed to the early and mid 2000, when logo-mania reigned. Bottega Veneta, Loewe, Celine, Hermes and Mulberry are some of the brands which have registered impressive double digit growth rates, defying the economic conditions.
Even traditional &amp;lsquo;&amp;rsquo;luxury bling&amp;rsquo;&amp;rsquo; markets such as Russia and China have been shifting slowly but surely towards less bling and no logo luxury products. There could be several factors which I believe play into this developing trend: one &amp;ndash; consumers wish to appear more sophisticated (bling being considered by many as &amp;lsquo;&amp;rsquo;bad taste&amp;rsquo;&amp;rsquo;; second &amp;ndash; wearing a less overt product customers unconsciously perceive the respective product of better quality (no need for a logo to identify a certain product) and third &amp;ndash; a growing number of international top celebrities promote anti-bling by wearing mostly less overt and no logo products.Despite being featured in Louis Vuitton campaigns, Catherine Deneuve, Stefi Graff, Madonna or Angelina Jolie can hardly be seen wearing new Vuitton collection products (some may wear vintage) in their everyday life, photographed as such in lifestyle and tabloid media worldwide.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;
Bernard Arnaud, the owner of luxury giant LVMH is also signalling a turn towards less bling and more old style marketing across all the brands of the group. One of his companies, iconic French luxury shoemaker Berluti, headed by his son Antoine Arnaud, launched last week its first ever ready to wear and accessories line with a theatre like catwalk. With the occasion of the event, Antoine Arnault spoke openly, in a rare public appearance, about the end of bling and the international trend of luxury consumers returning to values such as heritage, craftsmanship, durability etc.
The rumours of Marc Jacobs moving from Louis Vuitton to Dior and his position at Louis Vuitton to be taken over by Celine&amp;rsquo;s Phoebe Philo (know for her understated style), coupled with the fact Marc Jacobs later even confirmed such talks, are a clear signal that Louis Vuitton is slowly embarking on a process to develop less bling products. In my view, this would not only represent a feasible long term re-positioning strategy but also a measure to limit counterfeiting. Creating a counterfeit bag with no logos but with an intricate crafted finishing (like in the case of Bottega Veneta&amp;rsquo;s intricate leather) is likely to pose more challenges for counterfeiters.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;
The latest moves by major luxury brands clearly indicate a return to old style marketing, through events such as dinners, more private fashion shows and at the same time, less and less public exposure through the internet and social media platforms. It would actually be kind of weird to watch the Chanel or Gucci dinners live streamed on the internet. This does not mean that the internet would become of lesser importance, however, its use will be more and more segmented and targeted. For instance, products with a much wider target such as fragrances, sunglasses and beauty products will benefit even more from an increased strategic presence on the internet. This new trend which I would consider as &amp;lsquo;&amp;rsquo;going back to old style&amp;rsquo;&amp;rsquo; will increasingly contribute to a much more clear luxury positioning and segmentation between so called democratic brands such as Burberry and Coach, which will be considered premium and Chanel, Dior, Bottega Veneta,, Mulberry which will evidently deepen their luxury positioning and perception.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;
Oliver Petcu        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>GUCCI inagurates first mono-brand store in Lisbon, Portugal</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/gucci-inagurates-first-mono-brand-store-in-lisbon--portugal_2040.html</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:47:12 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[
			GUCCI inagurated last week its first flagship store in&amp;nbsp;Portugal, in the capital city of Lisbon.&amp;nbsp;Situated on &amp;nbsp;Avenida da Liberdade,&amp;nbsp;neighbouring&amp;nbsp;Prada , Louis Vuitton&amp;nbsp;and Longchamp , the new Gucci store covers 200 sqm and reflect Creative Director Frida Gianini's store concept....		]]></description>
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			GUCCI inagurated last week its first flagship store in&amp;nbsp;Portugal, in the capital city of Lisbon.&amp;nbsp;Situated on &amp;nbsp;Avenida da Liberdade,&amp;nbsp;neighbouring&amp;nbsp;Prada , Louis Vuitton&amp;nbsp;and Longchamp , the new Gucci store covers 200 sqm and reflect Creative Director Frida Gianini's store concept. The store carries most leatherwear - shoes, bags, small leather accessories. VIP Welcome service with champagne is offered to most clients, while, exceptionally, the store can even be closed for private sales.
adapted from http://infiniteluxury.com.br        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Emerging markets drive sales for LUXOTTICA</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/emerging-markets-drive-sales-for-luxottica_2039.html</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:37:28 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

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        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/emerging-markets-drive-sales-for-luxottica_2039.html
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		<description><![CDATA[
			Italian based luxury eyewear maker Luxottica SpA said Tuesday that fourth-quarter sales grew 12% on strong demand from emerging markets, solid U.S. consumer confidence, a sharp rebound in Australia, and said this year was off to a strong start.
The...		]]></description>
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			Italian based luxury eyewear maker Luxottica SpA said Tuesday that fourth-quarter sales grew 12% on strong demand from emerging markets, solid U.S. consumer confidence, a sharp rebound in Australia, and said this year was off to a strong start.
The Italian eyewear maker said net sales rose to &amp;euro;1.51 billion ($1.97 billion) in the last three months of the year from &amp;euro;1.35 billion a year earlier.
This year is off to a strong start, buoyed by the launch of the Coach Inc. collection, a new brand for Luxottica, which has been well received by customers so far, said Luxottica Chief Executive Andrea Guerra.
Luxottica owns worldwide eyewear retailer Sunglass Hut and brands Ray Ban and Oakley, while it&amp;nbsp;licenses the eyewear collections of: Chanel, Prada, Ferragamo, Ralph Lauren, Bvlgari, Versace.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Davos hosts eight annual Klosters Snow Polo Tournament</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/davos-hosts-eight-annual-klosters-snow-polo-tournament_2038.html</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:53:55 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

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		<description><![CDATA[
			Klosters in the Swiss mountain resort of Davos hosted&amp;nbsp;this weekend its eighth annual Klosters Snow Polo Tournament. &amp;nbsp;The four-day event organized by Alpine Polo Club was sponsored by premium British menswear company Hackett Ltd., Swiss watchmaker Parmigiani Fleurier SA,...		]]></description>
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			Klosters in the Swiss mountain resort of Davos hosted&amp;nbsp;this weekend its eighth annual Klosters Snow Polo Tournament. &amp;nbsp;The four-day event organized by Alpine Polo Club was sponsored by premium British menswear company Hackett Ltd., Swiss watchmaker Parmigiani Fleurier SA, luxury car maker BMW and French champagne brand Taittinger.
Eight teams of three horses and riders apiece, instead of the usual four, battled it out in a slimmed-down version of summer polo, which was first played in Switzerland by British cavalry officers in St. Moritz in 1899. The horses wear flat shoes with studs to grip the snow and riders.
The resort&amp;rsquo;s association with the British Royal family makes Klosters the ideal place for London-based Hackett to promote its clothing that is a &amp;ldquo;romantic vision of Englishness,&amp;rdquo; said Jeremy Hackett, 58, the firm&amp;rsquo;s co-founder. &amp;ldquo;I feel like James Bond arriving in Zurich into a Cold War sort of atmosphere,&amp;rdquo; said Hackett, adding that polo helps give his company &amp;ldquo;authenticity.&amp;rdquo; &amp;ldquo;It&amp;rsquo;s a way of adding credibility to the brand.&amp;rdquo;
Parmigiani, which gives watches to the players on the winning team, was attracted by Klosters being the only snow polo tournament played at night, according to Catia Hoffmann, communications director at Parmigiani. &amp;ldquo;We like to do events that are a little different, not the standard things like golf or Formula One,&amp;rdquo; she said. &amp;ldquo;It&amp;rsquo;s a special atmosphere, very exclusive, but also very welcoming.&amp;rdquo;
At Klosters, the polo matches attract a crowd of over 3.000, recreating an electric athmosphere. In a thrilling final that was very even to the last second the Parmigiani team emerged as absolute winner of the tournament, scoring the &amp;quot;golden goal&amp;quot; in the 5th chukker.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Haute couture continues to defy financial crisis </title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/haute-couture-continues-to-defy-financial-crisis_2037.html</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Jan 2012 02:52:42 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[Opportunities]]></category>

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        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/haute-couture-continues-to-defy-financial-crisis_2037.html
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		<description><![CDATA[
			Italian designers have once again proven their stance at Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week, withVersace marking a powerful come-back&amp;nbsp;while Giorgio Armani,&amp;nbsp;Giambattista Valli and Riccardo Tisci for Givenchy continued to make headlines with their Haute Couture collections.&amp;nbsp;Much like the previous...		]]></description>
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			Italian designers have once again proven their stance at Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week, withVersace marking a powerful come-back&amp;nbsp;while Giorgio Armani,&amp;nbsp;Giambattista Valli and Riccardo Tisci for Givenchy continued to make headlines with their Haute Couture collections.&amp;nbsp;Much like the previous Haute Couture Week in Fall 2011, all fashion houses have expressed a strong defiance of the world financial crisis, Fabio Mancone of Giorgio Armani&amp;nbsp;summing up&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;quot;couture customers are better equipped to face economic uncertainty than others&amp;quot;.
Less immediately explicable is why this rarefied Parisian world should currently be dominated, both artistically and economically, by Italians. Backstage after her first couture show in eight years, Versace was twice asked why she had returned, and she gave two different answers. The first time, she said simply &amp;quot;because I missed it.&amp;quot; The second time, she said it was because in the aftermath of the hugely successful mini-collection by Versace for H&amp;amp;M, &amp;quot;I didn't want people to forget that Versace is a haute couture house.&amp;quot; The timing suggests a third possible motive, or at least a happy coincidence: with Christian Dior still hunting for a replacement designer for John Galliano, the Dior shows have been scaled down, from stadium-sized spectacles to in-house salon presentations seating 240 people each time.
When Versace designs haute couture, she does not begin misty eyed and reverent about the great traditions of couture, eager to pay homage to the ghosts of embroiders past. Instead, she focuses on the Versace customer, and designs the collection of her dreams. &amp;quot;The Versace woman is very conscious of her body. But she has a hint of classicism in her&amp;quot; said the designer after the show.
The starting point for each dress was a corset whose edges were trimmed in curving, polished gold metal. The gold gleam neatly advertised that these dresses are painstakingly made to measure &amp;ndash; there's not a lot of give in metal, after all &amp;ndash; while adding the late-night, sexed-up undertone which is key to Versace.
LVMH, the luxury giant behind the Christian Dior label, is at pains to reassure the fashion world that the 11-month wait for a replacement designer for Galliano has done nothing to damage sales. Antoine Arnault, scion of the LVMH fortune, recently described the LVMH attitude to Dior as &amp;quot;zen&amp;quot;. Monday was the second haute couture show by Bill Gaytten, who has taken the helm at Dior after serving as Galliano's right hand for 15 years. His couture debut last July having taken a critical mauling, this was a retrenchment by Gaytten and Dior. Staged in the Avenue Montaigne headquarters, it was an intimate, old fashioned presentation. The remarkable engineering that goes into a couture silhouette is indeed a thing of beauty and wonder, and as a collection to keep the Dior tills ringing this was a resounding success.
adapted from The Guardian
At the same time, Dior's understated show and continued lack of an officially appointed creative director could very well mark Bernard Arnault's latest strategic approach to luxury branding. His son, Antoine Arnault who heads French menswear brand Berluti voiced his father's conviction about the end of bling and the return to old fashioned approach to events. Chanel has been sensibly banking on the same trend and despite its show being held in a huge location (Grand Palais) has created a large decor which almost halved the usually large crowd.
Other international luxury brands which have been&amp;nbsp;booming&amp;nbsp;despite the international economic crisis, irrrespective of the region globally,&amp;nbsp;thanks to a anti-bling and no-logo strategy are: Loewe (LVMH), Celine (LVMH), Bottega Veneta (PPR), Mulberry.
CPP-LUXURY.COM        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>TIFFANY could enter India by the end of the year</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/tiffany-could-enter-india-by-the-end-of-the-year_2036.html</link>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Jan 2012 09:09:24 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

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		<description><![CDATA[
			American&amp;nbsp;jeweller Tiffany is in talks to enter India through a 51% joint venture with actress-turned-luxury entrepreneur Reena Wadhwa, who already has a joint venture with Italian luxury brand Gucci.&amp;nbsp;(Reena Wadhwa, who is married to investment banker and Ambit Group...		]]></description>
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			American&amp;nbsp;jeweller Tiffany is in talks to enter India through a 51% joint venture with actress-turned-luxury entrepreneur Reena Wadhwa, who already has a joint venture with Italian luxury brand Gucci.&amp;nbsp;(Reena Wadhwa, who is married to investment banker and Ambit Group CEO Ashok Wadhwa)
Wadhwa confirmed she has been in talks with Tiffany's, but said nothing has been finalised. Tiffany &amp;amp; Co Vice President, Emerging Markets, Laurent Cathala said: &amp;quot;We have been pursuing discussions with potential partners and will announce the details of a business structure in India when we have finalised our plans and have signed the appropriate agreements.&amp;quot; 

The company is fighting falling sales in the US and most European countries. During the festival season, better sales in Asian countries helped Tiffany's post a 7% rise in worldwide sales. 

The company's management recently identified India as one of the key markets for the future. &amp;quot;We view India as an attractive long-term growth opportunity for Tiffany's,&amp;quot; said Cathala, who heads Tiffany's emerging markets business, which covers the Middle East, Gulf countries, Europe, Africa, Turkey and India, and is based in Dubai. 

Cathala is leading Tiffany's negotiations with Wadhwa being held out of Dubai, said the unnamed person quoted earlier. 

Wadhwa had converted her company Luxury Goods Retail Pvt Ltd into a joint venture with Gucci in 2009, with the Italian firm holding 51% share. Gucci ended a franchisee deal with the Murjanis to form the joint venture.&amp;nbsp;
Most international luxury jewellery brands which are present in India have been underperforming, considering market size, the main reason being the highly developed local luxury jewellery&amp;nbsp;market and&amp;nbsp;the failure to develop product offerings as well as marketing strategies adapted to the&amp;nbsp;Indian market. However, given Tiffany's&amp;nbsp;wide product range,&amp;nbsp;some of democratic luxury&amp;nbsp;level, it might be&amp;nbsp;the exception among luxury jewellers, with the potential to actually perform very well.&amp;nbsp;
adapted from Economic Times        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>PARK HYATT Sydney to re-emerge even more gorgeous once re-opened next month</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/park-hyatt-sydney-to-re-emerge-even-more-gorgeous-once-re-opened-next-month_2035.html</link>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:35:39 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[Review]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[
			One of the joys for any fit person in Sydney is running, or walking, over the harbour bridge.&amp;nbsp; And when they started Bridgeclimb about 11 years ago, the gal was one of the first up there.
You need to allow...		]]></description>
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			One of the joys for any fit person in Sydney is running, or walking, over the harbour bridge.&amp;nbsp; And when they started Bridgeclimb about 11 years ago, the gal was one of the first up there.
You need to allow three hours for the whole trip, safety briefing, getting into special togs, being roped to the rest of the party and then slowly making your way up and over the top of the metal structure and back down the other side.&amp;nbsp; It is well worth it &amp;ndash; once.
These days, a gal does not have three hours to spare.&amp;nbsp; She simply takes the run over the bridge, up the steps from Cumberland Street (five minutes from the Shangri-La) and then 15 minutes across to Kirribilli on the other side &amp;ndash; and back again.&amp;nbsp; There are superb views.&amp;nbsp; You pass right over Park Hyatt Sydney, of which more anon.
There is always so much to see in the harbour. Looking across to the Opera House there is a criss-crossing of ferries, leaving from Circular Quay for Darling Harbour, Manly, Mosman, Parramatta, Watsons Bay and what have you.
At this time of year there is invariably a cruise ship, in port for about 24 hours and then off again.&amp;nbsp; It happens, today, to be Silver Shadow, one of the big sisters of the fabulous super-duper Silver Cloud on which lots of us had such a memorable time sailing through the Panama Canal at the beginning of this very month.
Later, washed, dried and tarted up, it was time to walk from Circular Quay along to Campbells Cove.&amp;nbsp; You pass a masted Tall Ship and look at that criss-cross of ferries. Sydney&amp;rsquo;s water police were headquartered at Campbells Cove for a century until 1986.
Four years later the Park Hyatt opened (it had originally been planned as a Regent but that is another story). The S-shaped building follows the curve of Hickson Road as it in turn follows the extreme convex shape of Campbells Cove.&amp;nbsp; This luxury hotel was originally four floors, with just a mini spa and mini pool on its roof.
Thanks to a multi-million (think many times over) dollar spend by its Japanese owners, Daisho, Park&amp;nbsp;Hyatt Sydney re-opens on February 13th, 2012 after an 11-month re-think. This is more than a re-do, not quite a total re-build. From the outside, all windows&amp;rsquo; balconies now have clear glass rather than metal walls. Inside, thanks to designers BARstudios, public spaces are airy and light, with many walls that are totally Sydney sandstone, from nearby Gosford Quarry, etched with aboriginal-type cartoons by G. W. Bot.
There is other art, from sculpture to photographs, by such local talent as&amp;nbsp;Tim Johnson, Australian Photographer of the Year Robert Billington, sculptors Bruce Armstrong and Robert Bridgewater, and print maestro Julia Silvester.
Cleverly, walls between meetings area and The Dining Room &amp;ndash; retro name for the restaurant &amp;ndash; are one-way glass. Conventioners can see diners but not vice versa. &amp;nbsp;Four former bedrooms have been converted to a proper gym and and five-room spa (using Natura Biss&amp;eacute; products).
The wow of the whole, however, is the newly-added FIFTH floor. The rooftop now has a double-sized pool with three fixed cabanas.&amp;nbsp; It also has, privately secured from pool activities, three and a half totally gorgeous suites (the largest has a second bedroom that can be sold by itself).
The largest, the Sydney Suite, is 2,500 sq ft with an additional 1,000 sq ft of outside deck that curves around 270 degrees, giving umprecedented views from the Harbour Bridge round past the Opera House (so &amp;lsquo;close&amp;rsquo; you feel you can touch it) to Circular Quay and the CBD, Sydney&amp;rsquo;s Central Business District.
The wealthy world and his wife will bag one of these suites, if not all of them for extended family and&amp;nbsp;security and the like. Cannot wait to return, but meanwhile it was time for lunch.
Since the Dining Room is still a criss-cross of yellow-jacketed workers drilling and polishing and measuring in a theatre of protective plastic, we walked back to Central Quay to the Customs House.
This is a destination in its own right. The ground floor has large glass panel (about 20 feet long) looking down to a model of Sydney, and there is a library with free newspapers of the world, and computers.
Rise to the fifth floor roof and you emerge at Caf&amp;eacute; Sydney, run by Martin Allies&amp;rsquo; Caf&amp;eacute; Deco group out of Hong Kong.&amp;nbsp; Definitely book ahead. Great views across to the Opera House, great food, &amp;lsquo;great&amp;rsquo; (that is to say HIGH) prices.
The gal went back a couple of days later and her bill for a pretty small tomato and mozzarella starter, one piece of spinach naan and her share of a litre bottle of mineral water was $44. Everyone in Australia SHOULD be size-zero slim&amp;hellip;.
Mary Gostelow
www.girlahead.com        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>PRADA inaugurates enlarged flagship in Paris with exhibit at  Palais d’Iéna</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/prada-inaugurates-enlarged-flagship-in-paris-with-exhibit-at--palais-d---i--na_2034.html</link>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Jan 2012 07:44:47 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

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		<description><![CDATA[
			Italian luxury house of PRADA&amp;nbsp;inaugurates today its enlarged flagship store in Paris on Faubourg St Honore. With the occasion of the opening, Prada will host a ''24 Hour Museum'' exhibition at&amp;nbsp; Palais d&amp;rsquo;I&amp;eacute;na, which was conceived by Italian artist...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Italian luxury house of PRADA&amp;nbsp;inaugurates today its enlarged flagship store in Paris on Faubourg St Honore. With the occasion of the opening, Prada will host a ''24 Hour Museum'' exhibition at&amp;nbsp; Palais d&amp;rsquo;I&amp;eacute;na, which was conceived by Italian artist Francesco Vezzoli&amp;nbsp;in collaboration with&amp;nbsp;AMO, the&amp;nbsp;creative studio&amp;nbsp;of&amp;nbsp;Rem Koolhaas.&amp;nbsp;The one-off event which&amp;nbsp;takes place at&amp;nbsp;Palais d'I&amp;eacute;na, a modernist pavilion built by Auguste Perret in 1937 will include opening night party, public and press tours, and visits by schoolchildren - will&amp;nbsp;be a staging of a &amp;quot;fake&amp;quot; museum, examining the modes in which art is presented and consumed, and the role of the museum as a social condensor.
AMO has designed three types of exhibition spaces for the concrete interiors of the Palais d'I&amp;eacute;na: one classical and propagandistic, framed by the monumental curving stairs; one experimental contemporary, featuring a cage surrounding the main hall, illuminated with pink neon; and one named &amp;quot;Storage or Salon de Refus&amp;eacute;s&amp;quot;, inspired by forgotten museums and warehouses. Vezzoli's statues - featuring the faces of contemporary celebrities - will be installed throughout the spaces.
The result is an ephemeral &amp;quot;total museum&amp;quot; that hosts a sequence of rituals unfolding through the 24 hours. Prada has also launched a dedicated website http://www.24hoursmuseum.com/. Through a dedicated app on Facebook, virtual visitors can create their own portrait. Once created using a photo from one's Facebook photo album, one can share it on Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr. The framed photo will then also be featured on the 24 Hour Museum website.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>CANALI's latest move illustrates uncertainty related to FDI legislation changes in India</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/canali-s-latest-move-illustrates-uncertainty-related-to-fdi-legislation-changes-in-india_2033.html</link>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:58:57 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/canali-s-latest-move-illustrates-uncertainty-related-to-fdi-legislation-changes-in-india_2033.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			Italian luxury brand Canali&amp;nbsp;proposed a majority&amp;nbsp;51%&amp;nbsp;stake to form a joint venture with its long time&amp;nbsp;Indian franchisee, Genesis Luxury Fashion,&amp;nbsp;according to The Economic Times (India Times).&amp;nbsp;Although Canali had the option to set up a wholly-owned subsidiary, following the government's decision...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Italian luxury brand Canali&amp;nbsp;proposed a majority&amp;nbsp;51%&amp;nbsp;stake to form a joint venture with its long time&amp;nbsp;Indian franchisee, Genesis Luxury Fashion,&amp;nbsp;according to The Economic Times (India Times).&amp;nbsp;Although Canali had the option to set up a wholly-owned subsidiary, following the government's decision last month to allow 100% foreign direct investment in single-brand retail, it has opted to stick to the previous ceiling. 

A higher shareholding would have required it to mandatorily source 30% of its products from Indian small and medium enterprises. Small and medium enterprises are defined as companies that have a total investment in plant and machinery not exceeding $1 million.&amp;nbsp;

Canali is the first luxury brand to invest in India since the government removed the cap for foreign companies in December 2011. Genesis, a franchise for several global luxury brands, has been operating five Canali stores in India - two in the National Capital Region, at the DLF Emporio Mall and at the Oberoi hotel in Gurgaon, and one each in Mumbai's Palladium mall, Hyderabad's Taj Krishna hotel and Bangalore's UB City mall.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>REGENT to open luxury resort hotel at PORTO MONTENEGRO</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/regent-to-open-luxury-resort-hotel-at-porto-montenegro_2032.html</link>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:28:32 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/regent-to-open-luxury-resort-hotel-at-porto-montenegro_2032.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			Adriatic Marinas d.o.o and Regent Hotels &amp;amp; Resorts (owned by Taiwan based&amp;nbsp;FIHC)&amp;nbsp;announced the launch of the Regent Porto Montenegro, a bespoke luxury hotel and residential development located in the Adriatic&amp;rsquo;s premier superyacht marina.
Designed by Reardon Smith Architects, the future...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Adriatic Marinas d.o.o and Regent Hotels &amp;amp; Resorts (owned by Taiwan based&amp;nbsp;FIHC)&amp;nbsp;announced the launch of the Regent Porto Montenegro, a bespoke luxury hotel and residential development located in the Adriatic&amp;rsquo;s premier superyacht marina.
Designed by Reardon Smith Architects, the future Regent Porto Montenegro, due May 2014, will comprise of&amp;nbsp;80 units of hotel guest rooms and residences. The hotel will play an integral role in Porto Montenegro &amp;ndash; the historical Austro-Hungarian naval base in the UNESCO protected Bay of Kotor.
The terracotta roofed building, inspired by Venetian aesthetics and drawing on the countless Italianate palazzi around the Bay, attests to the prominent record of the area&amp;rsquo;s 400 years under Venetian rule. A central, double-height atrium with expansive views of the sea surrounded by towering mountains, leads out onto a tranquil water garden featuring a submergible stone catwalk connected to a &amp;lsquo;private island&amp;rsquo;for exclusive events and dining.
A ground-floor caf&amp;eacute;, fine dining restaurant, cigar lounge and library bar will provide a range of dining and entertaining options, created by interior designers Pisano Atelier. Two hotel swimming pools are planned, one indoor and one outdoor on the rooftop, as well as a signature Regent Spa and fitness centre.
On the upper levels, 80 hotel rooms, suites as well as multiple room residences provide sophisticated, contemporary living spaces notable for their multifunctional design. Each of the luxurious residences and penthouse apartments, the latter with private plunge pools and rooftop terraces, benefit from the bespoke hotel services and can be included in the rental pool, either in their entirety or in parts, by closing off self-contained living areas within the unit, allowing for maximum flexibility.
Today, Porto Montenegro also announced the doubling of its berth capacity from 185 to&amp;nbsp;370 berths, as well as the re-development of a yacht repair and refit facility in cooperation with ASY Bijela in the Bay of Kotor. These partnerships with Regent Hotels &amp;amp; Resorts and ASY Bijela are key steps for Porto Montenegro in becoming the most comprehensive and luxurious homeport in the whole of the Mediterranean.
Regent Hotels &amp;amp; Resorts will inaugurate this year a luxurious resort in Bali, the Regent Resort Hotel Bali, while in 2013, it is scheduled to open a resort hotel in Abu Dhabi.         ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Heir to luxury empire LVMH signals end of bling</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/heir-to-luxury-empire-lvmh-signals-end-of-bling_2031.html</link>
		<pubDate>Sun, 22 Jan 2012 10:37:41 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/heir-to-luxury-empire-lvmh-signals-end-of-bling_2031.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			Antoine Arnault, the 34-year-old, heir to Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy, (LVMH) world's largest luxury group &amp;quot;We are going to enter an era in which logo and ostentation is going to be less successful.It will be about real quality.&amp;quot;
The group...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Antoine Arnault, the 34-year-old, heir to Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy, (LVMH) world's largest luxury group &amp;quot;We are going to enter an era in which logo and ostentation is going to be less successful.It will be about real quality.&amp;quot;
The group founded by his father, Bernard - France's wealthiest man, and according to Forbes magazine the fourth richest in the world - spans fifty of the world's best known high-end brands. Antoine Arnault currently heads luxury mens maison Berluti, iconic luxury shoe maker, which&amp;nbsp;last week launches its first ever ready to wear and accessories collection.
Antoine Arnault also stressed that despite worldwide financial turmoil, the sector is enjoying an &amp;quot;anti-crisis&amp;quot;, highlighting&amp;nbsp;that the global appetite for luxury goods is poised for a bling-busting shift. &amp;quot;People are going to want more quality, and less ostentation,&amp;quot; he said. &amp;quot;Especially in a world in economic crisis: you don't want to be seen with evidently expensive products. Just something that is beautiful. Men seem to be a little bit more selfish these days, and spend a bit more on themselves and a little bit less on their wives or girlfriends.&amp;quot;
Speaking about Berluti's new venture Mr Arnault said &amp;quot;The collection is more Aston Martin than Ferrari. I love Aston Martin. And you know we had the file on our desk [to possibly purchase the company]. A few years ago we talked about it, it's luxury too. But it was too much.&amp;quot; Despite passing on Aston Martin, Arnault says he hopes LVMH will buy more old, high-end luxury companies. He said: &amp;quot;The group needs to continue to grow, to preserve savoir faire, craft and heritage.&amp;quot;
Speaking of Marc Jacobs and the rumours of his move to Dior, Antoine Arnault said&amp;quot;The only thing I want is that he stays with us. The discussions were very peaceful, very calm with Marc and my father, and everything is fine between us.&amp;quot;
adapted from telegraph.co.uk        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Richard Mille presents in Geneva an ultra performant tourbillon with polo player Pablo Mac Donough</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/richard-mille-presents-in-geneva-an-ultra-performant-tourbillon-with-polo-player-pablo-mac-donough_2030.html</link>
		<pubDate>Sat, 21 Jan 2012 04:46:50 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[Equestrian]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/richard-mille-presents-in-geneva-an-ultra-performant-tourbillon-with-polo-player-pablo-mac-donough_2030.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			Polo is possibly one of the toughest sports for any tourbillon watch to have to deal with. Known as the &amp;quot;king of sports&amp;quot; polo is uniquely elegant and highly physical.&amp;nbsp;For Pablo Mac Donough, leading Argentinian Polo player, Richard Mille...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Polo is possibly one of the toughest sports for any tourbillon watch to have to deal with. Known as the &amp;quot;king of sports&amp;quot; polo is uniquely elegant and highly physical.&amp;nbsp;For Pablo Mac Donough, leading Argentinian Polo player, Richard Mille had an idea for a totally new case design inspired by the tonneau shape and engineered to tolerate the extreme shocks likely to occur during a polo match.
He created an &amp;quot;armored&amp;quot; case in titanium carbide with two raised arcs leading to two viewing window, which is ideal when see from the rider&amp;rsquo;s saddle. Since the movement itself is ultra light and tightly unified, it is less susceptible to the centrifugal and centripetal forces generated during a game. The RM 053 Pablo Mac Donough is a limited edition of 15 pieces in microblasted titanium and titanium carbide

Polo has always played a very important role in the Mac Donough&amp;rsquo;s lives. It is therefore no surprise that the Argentinean began playing polo at only 6 years old in the Nueva Escocia Polo Ranch, Buenos Aires, where Pablo&amp;rsquo;s father breads his own horses. Pablo Mac Donough played as a pro soon after he finished high school. At 23 years old, Pablo Mac Donough became part of La Irenita where the breeding program for polo horses is held. His career kicked off in 2001 when he won the Camara de Diputados Cup in Buenos Aires. In 2003, he began playing for Ellerstina, one of the best Argentinean Polo teams of the last decade, where he played eight seasons and won the 2010 Argentinean Triple Crown.

Pablo Mac Donough and his team La Dolfina competed in the final of the prestigious Argentinian Open on Friday November 9th at the Campo Argentino de Polo de Palermo. La Dolfina were up against Ellerstina, the current title-hol&amp;shy;ders, in this major final which brought together the two best teams in the world.
La Dolfina dominated the match from the start and by the end of the third chukker, were already leading 7-2. La Dolfina riding off the field with a comfortable five goal, 9-4 when the first half ended. Ellerstina managed to score off a penalty a minute into the fifth chukker which closed the gap somewhat. However, despite a fierce fight in the sixth chukker, La Dolfina continued to dominate and were ahead by 11-7. La Dolfina&amp;rsquo;s defence was impregnable in the final chukker which ended with a win to Pablo Mac Donough&amp;rsquo;s team of 16-10.
Like the brand&amp;rsquo;s other partners, Felipe Massa, Rafael Nadal or Bubba Watson, Pablo Mac Donough wears a Richard Mille whilst playing, in this case an RM 010 Black Night, which is tested to the extreme during his many games throu&amp;shy;ghout the Polo season.
Each of the brand&amp;rsquo;s partners provide a grueling testing ground for Richard Mille watches, whether it be in F1, tennis, golf or polo. Polo is a physically demanding sport which provides Richard Mille with the perfect opportunity to test the durability of his watches in a real life laboratory situation and enable him to push the boundaries of Haute Horlogerie.
&amp;nbsp;        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Spain's luxury market to continue growth in 2012</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/spain-s-luxury-market-to-continue-growth-in-2012_2029.html</link>
		<pubDate>Sat, 21 Jan 2012 08:26:12 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

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        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/spain-s-luxury-market-to-continue-growth-in-2012_2029.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			With the occasion of its latest reunion last week in Barcelona, Spain's Luxury Association, which aims to develop the local luxury market as well as to support Spanish luxury brands to expand, announced&amp;nbsp;that the Spanish luxury&amp;nbsp;market will continue to...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			With the occasion of its latest reunion last week in Barcelona, Spain's Luxury Association, which aims to develop the local luxury market as well as to support Spanish luxury brands to expand, announced&amp;nbsp;that the Spanish luxury&amp;nbsp;market will continue to consolidate in 2012. In 2012, according to Spain's Luxury&amp;nbsp;Association the Spanish luxury sector&amp;nbsp;registered a 25% growth&amp;nbsp;thanks to internationalization and the consolidation of manufacturing and logistics. Spain's Luxury Association registered in 2011 the ''Luxury Spain'' brand which, as a denomination, will serve to further promote internationally luxury made in Spain.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Bottega Veneta to open mens flagship store in New York</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/bottega-veneta-to-open-mens-flagship-store-in-new-york_2028.html</link>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Jan 2012 08:51:05 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/bottega-veneta-to-open-mens-flagship-store-in-new-york_2028.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			Italian luxury brand BOTTEGA VENETA announced the opening of a men's dedicated flagship store in New York, in May this year. The new Bottega Veneta Men's flagship store will be located on Madison Avenue on the corner of 67th...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Italian luxury brand BOTTEGA VENETA announced the opening of a men's dedicated flagship store in New York, in May this year. The new Bottega Veneta Men's flagship store will be located on Madison Avenue on the corner of 67th Street and will feature men's ready to wear, accessories, shoes and bags. Bottega Veneta operates two other store in New York, on Fifth Avenue, and a recently opened one dedicated exclusively to women's lines also on Madison at number 849.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Romania, the best performing Eastern European luxury market in 2011?</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/romania--the-best-performing-eastern-european-luxury-market-in-2011_2027.html</link>
		<pubDate>Sat, 21 Jan 2012 02:11:28 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[Analysis]]></category>

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        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/romania--the-best-performing-eastern-european-luxury-market-in-2011_2027.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			Valentino, Gucci, Alfred Dunhill, Max Mara, Burberry, Gerard Darel&amp;nbsp;and Ermanno Scervino are some of the international luxury brands which have&amp;nbsp;made headlines&amp;nbsp;with developments in 2011, in Romania, the second largest E.U. market in Eastern Europe&amp;nbsp;after Poland. Gucci inaugurated its mono-brand...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Valentino, Gucci, Alfred Dunhill, Max Mara, Burberry, Gerard Darel&amp;nbsp;and Ermanno Scervino are some of the international luxury brands which have&amp;nbsp;made headlines&amp;nbsp;with developments in 2011, in Romania, the second largest E.U. market in Eastern Europe&amp;nbsp;after Poland. Gucci inaugurated its mono-brand store in Romania in 2011 and so did Alfred Dunhill, Valentino and Ermanno Scervino.
Max Mara announced the relocation of its mono-brand store to a three times larger space, while Gerarrd Darel opened a second mono-brand store within a large shopping mall. British luxury brand Burberry signed a franchise agreement for the opening of its first mono-brand store in Romania, due March 2012. German luxury brand Escada, which used to be present in Romania with 3 mono-brand boutiques till 2007, announced it is re-entering the market with a mono-brand boutique for its first line, with the same franchise partner it used to operate its boutique.
But to what extend do these developments reflect the real potential of the market? Unfortunately, the buying power has continued to decrease among Romania's wealthy, CPP's research estimating that over 20% of the segment have actually disappeared from the databases of luxury brands (all sectors). And the economy, although applauded by the E.U. for being among the first to cut costs, has remained flat in 2011, foreign direct investments decreasing and a banking sector highly reluctant to finance the private sector, not to mention the alarming market share Greek banks hold in the Romanian economy?
So where does this apparent boom come from ? With the exception of Max Mara which has been present on the Romanian market for over 10 years, with a coherent business performance and a solid database of clients, Alfred Dunhill which has been in multi-brand distribution for almost 5 years before the distributor deciding to open a mono-brand store and Gucci which has had an important database of loyal Romanian customers at its flagship stores in Europe, all the other openings raise a question of feasibility or better to say, business sense. However, the annual turnover of Gucci or Max Mara in Romania is below 1,5 million euros. Valentino, Escada and Ermanno Scervino might have indeed notoriety among Romanian consumers, but would their presence in Romanian with a mono-brand store be justified from a long term business point of view? Definitely not!
Even though, the openings demonstrate one thing - the availability of cash for the franchisees, hardly experienced in luxury retail, however, lusting for self promotion and recognition, thus fuelling their need to show off among their piers. Are they to be blamed in any way? No! But rather the brands themselves,&amp;nbsp;which&amp;nbsp;have&amp;nbsp;coalesced into such ventures, being very well aware&amp;nbsp;of an imminent mid&amp;nbsp;term failure.&amp;nbsp;Afterall , Escada opened and close three stores&amp;nbsp;after less than 4 years&amp;nbsp;of operation in Romania, so did Bally, Versace, Gianfranco Ferre, Cerutti, Vivienne Westwood and Lancel in the past decade.&amp;nbsp;
In the case of Valentino, Ermanno Scervino and Escada,&amp;nbsp;the&amp;nbsp;low rents (decreased up to 50%&amp;nbsp;in the past 4 years only)&amp;nbsp;and the magnetic presence&amp;nbsp;of Louis Vuitton within the same premises, the shopping gallery of the JW Marriott Hotel must&amp;nbsp;also have played an important part in the&amp;nbsp;opening decisions.&amp;nbsp;The new openings have indeed brought a&amp;nbsp;desperately needed breathe of air for the&amp;nbsp;JW Marriott Grand shopping gallery, yet, the operators of the&amp;nbsp;gallery have&amp;nbsp;failed to recognize the&amp;nbsp;mid term&amp;nbsp;risk of such a mix.&amp;nbsp;In less than 5 years, one&amp;nbsp;of &amp;nbsp;the&amp;nbsp;spaces within the shopping gallery, has been occupied by four tenants: theBally mono-brand boutique, Rafar shoes multi-brand boutique, IT Ittierre multibrad store&amp;nbsp;and today by Ermanno Scervinno. During the 5 years, the only constant performers have been: Louis Vuitton, Casa Frumoasa&amp;nbsp;(luxury menswear and accessories) multi-brand &amp;nbsp;and Rolex (mono-brand),&amp;nbsp;over&amp;nbsp;30% of the gallery remaining deserted, with shops moving from one location to the other.
Personally, I wonder what would happen if Louis Vuitton were&amp;nbsp;to&amp;nbsp;decide to move out of the JW Marriott Grand shopping gallery, let's&amp;nbsp;say to a street location such as Calea Victoriei, which today concrentrates&amp;nbsp;70% of the major luxury stores in Bucharest -&amp;nbsp;Gucci, Zegna, Max Mara, Hugo Boss, Belstaff, Emporio&amp;nbsp;Armani,&amp;nbsp;Guess, Frey Wille, Rolex&amp;nbsp;and&amp;nbsp;the most important luxury&amp;nbsp;watches and jewellery stores Helvetansa (largest retailer of Richemont Group brands), Cellini and Micri Gold (Bvlgari, Damiani, Chopard etc).&amp;nbsp;
Regarding the upcoming opening of Burberry,&amp;nbsp;real estate must have been playing a&amp;nbsp;crucial role in the decision to enter&amp;nbsp;Romania.&amp;nbsp;While&amp;nbsp;the entire media&amp;nbsp;advised Burberry would&amp;nbsp;open in the&amp;nbsp;former Stefanel&amp;nbsp;space on Calea Victoriei (in the meantime&amp;nbsp;taken by Max Mara), the&amp;nbsp;local franchisee of Burberry opted for a much&amp;nbsp;cheaper rent option, on a lateral street of&amp;nbsp;Calea Victoriei, with very limited visibility and&amp;nbsp;derelict buildings in the surroundings.&amp;nbsp;In a review of all Burberry locations in Eastern Europe, Bucharest&amp;nbsp;is&amp;nbsp;by far&amp;nbsp;scoring lowest from all points of view, the decision of&amp;nbsp;the brand to&amp;nbsp;go&amp;nbsp;for this location seeming&amp;nbsp;at least odd. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;
In sharp contrast with the fashion sector, all other luxury sector of the Romanian market stagnated in 2011, with slight improvements compared to 2010 in the cars, haute parfumerie, SPA.&amp;nbsp;Due to the grey market, especially imports by un-authorized dealers and the growing market of counterfeits, the luxury watches sector has continued its poor performance, most of the major official retailers being forced to cut stocks and rely on imports only made for confirmed orders. Spanish jeweller Carrera Y Carrera was the only major international brand to enter the Romanian market, with a corner within a boutique on Calea Victoriei in the capital of Bucharest.
High-end technology, especially audio-video,&amp;nbsp;a sector which was previously disregarded, has continued to post double digit growth, brands such as Sony, LG, Samsung registering solid sales for their high end products especially LED television sets. Like elsewhere in Europe, traditionally luxury positioned Bang &amp;amp; Olufsen has seen its sales drop, slightly, the only store in Romania underperforming in comparison with other regional stores such as those in Kiev, Budapest, Belgrade and Prague.
Despite the attraction of gold as investment, sales of high end international luxury jewellery brands have stagnated in 2011, the most prominent brands being Boucheron (mono-brand corner),Damiani (multi-brand in two locations), Bvlgari (multi-brand in one location) and Cartier (multi-brand in one location). Wealthy Romanian&amp;nbsp;continued to buy expensive jewellery pieces&amp;nbsp;abroad, especially in France, UK and Switzerland. Higher prices, limited selection of collections and lack of customer experience have also been to the detriment of local sales.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;
There are no major international luxury brands seeking entry in Romania, 2013 being taken into consideration by brands such as&amp;nbsp;Prada (most likely directly operated stores),&amp;nbsp;Bottega&amp;nbsp;Veneta (franchise) and Tiffany.&amp;nbsp;
Similarly with Ukraine and Bulgaria,&amp;nbsp;the&amp;nbsp;grey and counterfeiting luxury gods market&amp;nbsp;has been growing at a&amp;nbsp;double digit rate in the past three years due to several reasons: the financial crisis, the lack of coherent action&amp;nbsp;by local authorities in most cases corruption driven, ignorance of luxury brands, growing criminality among lohn producers. Major suppliers are China and Turkey, especially for counterfeit products, while in &amp;nbsp;Romania, Bulgaria and Serbia the production of&amp;nbsp;''invented'' products using original parts&amp;nbsp;(especially accessories)&amp;nbsp;usually stolen from lohn factories, &amp;nbsp;has been booming. This creates a very dangereous precedent, which is almost impossible to track down and required concerted efforts by the luxury brands, authorities and producers.
Oliver Petcu
CPP Luxury Industry Management Consultants Ltd has been actively covering Romania since 2004. Late March this year, CPP will release the latest annual Luxury Market Review Report on Romania.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Only 3 international luxury hotel chains make it to Tripadvisor's Top 10 Luxury Worldwide</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/only-3-international-luxury-hotel-chains-make-it-to-tripadvisor-s-top-10-luxury-worldwide_2026.html</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:50:12 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/only-3-international-luxury-hotel-chains-make-it-to-tripadvisor-s-top-10-luxury-worldwide_2026.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			Tripadvisor, the world's largest review portal release this week the winners of its TRAVELERS' CHOICE AWARDS 2012 as voted by its contributors. Surprisingly, the Top 10 Worldwide Best Luxury Hotels only include three luxury hotel chains, Shangri-La, whose Tokyo...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Tripadvisor, the world's largest review portal release this week the winners of its TRAVELERS' CHOICE AWARDS 2012 as voted by its contributors. Surprisingly, the Top 10 Worldwide Best Luxury Hotels only include three luxury hotel chains, Shangri-La, whose Tokyo property holds the top spot, Ritz Carlton (Osaka at no 7) and St Regis (Bali resort at no.10).
Opened less than 2 years ago, Shangri-La Tokyo has managed to beat established players and was voted number one of all luxury hotels in Asia.&amp;nbsp;In Europe, the Imperial Vienna ranks no 1 among the top 25 luxury hotels, while Ritz Carlton's Al Bustan Palace in Muscat holds the top spot in the Middle East.
To the detriment of established travel print magazines, Tripadvisor has become a critical&amp;nbsp;influential rating&amp;nbsp;platform for hotels worldwide, most hotel chains recognizing its importance by placing direct review links on their websites for each property. Accor's SOFITEL and FOUR SEASONS are among the luxury chains which feature Tripadvisor reviews on the webpage of all their properties worldwide.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>HRH Sheikha Mozah of Qatar and her immense contribution to society worlwide</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/hrh-sheikha-mozah-of-qatar-and-her-immense-contribution-to-society-worlwide_2025.html</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Jan 2012 04:23:10 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[Leaders]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/hrh-sheikha-mozah-of-qatar-and-her-immense-contribution-to-society-worlwide_2025.html
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		<description><![CDATA[
			Praised for her commitment to progressive education, including promotion of literacy through her special international role at UNESCO, her extensive community welfare activities and projects in Qatar, as well as &amp;nbsp;her strong advocacy for closer relations between the Islamic...		]]></description>
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			Praised for her commitment to progressive education, including promotion of literacy through her special international role at UNESCO, her extensive community welfare activities and projects in Qatar, as well as &amp;nbsp;her strong advocacy for closer relations between the Islamic world and the West, have earned her the reputation as the most powerful and influential female leader in the entire Middle East. Meet Her Highness Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned, First Lady of Qatar a role model for women around the world. She is as much dedicated to her family, as she is to every single of her projects whether related to education, healthcare, community welfare, arts or luxury. Despite the resonance of her work not only in Qatar, but also regionally and on an international scale, she remains one of the most discreet personalities of this calibre in the world. In her very rare public appearances which are not related to her projects, she may be spotted at the New Year Concert at the Vienna Opera (January this year) or at the Prix de l&amp;rsquo;Arc de Triomphe, in Paris, one of the most prestigious equestrian events in the world. 
One can only imagine her schedule, which includes State visits abroad, attending congresses and conventions, looking after her business ventures, while being a wife and a mother at the same time. Qatar Foundation which she chairs has probably overtaken Qatar&amp;rsquo;s reputation as a country, which is a true mecca of higher education and research in the most various fields. &amp;nbsp;In 2003, Qatar Foundation inaugurated Education City, a prototypical campus of the future, bringing branches of renowned international universities to Qatar to provide top class degree programs. 
This year, she is busy with the inauguration of Sidra Medical and Research Center , a revolutionary healthcare and medical research project. Demonstrating her commitment to this vision, Her Highness through Qatar Foundation has endowed Sidra with US$7.9 billion, the most generous cash endowment to a medical and research center anywhere in the world. As perhaps the most ambitious and far-reaching project at Education City to date, Sidra will be a true center of excellence for the care of women and children, and will also offer select medical and surgical services for adults. Sidra will also allow medical students to learn in an all-digital, state-of-the-art facility under the guidance of faculty from Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, a branch of the renowned New York University. In addition, Sidra's biomedical research center will open a significant new chapter in Qatar's history, allowing the nation to contribute to the discovery of scientific knowledge in regard to diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other serious illnesses that afflict people here and around the world.
According to several reports in international media, HRH Sheikha Mozah is actively involved being a fervent supporter of the very first Qatar Fashion Week, which is also scheduled for 2012. Another project which she is closely supervising and which is rapidly taking shape is the grand Msheireb development, a city in city project in the heart of Doha which will include several hotels, including the first Mandarin Oriental in the Middle East, a Park Hyatt Hotel, as well as luxury retail, museums, art galleries etc. The project is scheduled to be delivered in stages, starting with 2014, a team including some of the best architects and construction companies in the world working intensely on the project. &amp;nbsp;
She may indeed be a top connoisseur haute couture buyer herself (often seen wearing Chanel, Stephane Roland and Dior), even more reason for her to be actively involved in a similar project. Several years ago she founded Qatar Luxury Group, a project which took the world by surprise. In the ateliers of QLG in Doha, the finest Italian and French craftsmen can produce from the the most intricate and complex haute couture gown to the finest quality shoes, made of the best leathers available in the world, not to mention, the jewellery atelier which is equipped with the latest technology for the most complicated pieces or precious stone cuts. In 2011, QLG completed the acquisition of French leatherwear house Le Tanneur with other project to follow suit, including hospitality, with the opening of an innovative luxury restaurant concept with 3 starred Michelin Chef. &amp;nbsp;
Although not involved directly, her influence is also felt on other major luxury businesses now owned by Qatar, such as the iconic London department store of Harrods and the future Peninsula Hotel in Paris.
And probably what is most impressive about Her Highness and her involvement in luxury, is not only her impeccable taste and sensible business skills, but also her understanding of luxury and her perception that luxury is about heritage, crafts and creativity, the three elements which she has been so actively promoting through her projects. And her ambitions will hardly stop here &amp;ndash; we shall probably see yet another major international luxury maison becoming part of her family but also her incredible drive and passion which have been inspiring for her team, projects such as Msheireb advancing at a staggering pace.
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		<title>Seaplane service now connects Dubai with Yas Island in Abu Dhabi</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/seaplane-service-now-connects-dubai-with-yas-island-in-abu-dhabi_2024.html</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Jan 2012 02:13:22 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/seaplane-service-now-connects-dubai-with-yas-island-in-abu-dhabi_2024.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			Abu Dhabi&amp;rsquo;s Yas Marina (part of the multi-functional Yas Island), operated and managed by Camper &amp;amp; Nicholsons Marinas, has signed a partnership agreement with Seawings, the seaplane tour operator based in Dubai, to begin routes to Yas Marina and...		]]></description>
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			Abu Dhabi&amp;rsquo;s Yas Marina (part of the multi-functional Yas Island), operated and managed by Camper &amp;amp; Nicholsons Marinas, has signed a partnership agreement with Seawings, the seaplane tour operator based in Dubai, to begin routes to Yas Marina and Yas Island.
From January 2012, Seawings will offer a 40-minute&amp;nbsp;ride from Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club to Yas Island&amp;rsquo;s Yas Marina. Upon arrival at Yas Marina and adjacent to the renowned Formula One Yas Marina Circuit, guests have the opportunity to access a range of restaurants, such as Cipriani, Yotto and Stars &amp;lsquo;N&amp;rsquo; Bars, and can visit the neighbouring Yas Viceroy Hotel.
Yas Island also features the Ferrari World Abu Dhabi theme park and the Yas Links Golf Course, as well as a cluster of six more hotels.
adapted from hoteliermiddleeast.com        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Vacheron Constantin expected production for 2012 already sold out</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/vacheron-constantin-expected-production-for-2012-already-sold-out_2023.html</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:36:59 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/vacheron-constantin-expected-production-for-2012-already-sold-out_2023.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			Vacheron Constantin, the oldest Swiss watchmaker in continuous operation, said it has sold all of its expected production for the year. The Geneva-based company, which has been in business for more than 250 years, sold out its planned 2012...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Vacheron Constantin, the oldest Swiss watchmaker in continuous operation, said it has sold all of its expected production for the year. The Geneva-based company, which has been in business for more than 250 years, sold out its planned 2012 output of 19,000 timepieces in the first two days of the annual SIHH watch fair in Geneva,&amp;nbsp;CEO Juan-Carlos Torres said today in an interview. Vacheron Constantin expects to have a &amp;ldquo;great&amp;rdquo; year and to increase its revenue, though growth in the overall industry may moderate, he said without being more specific.
The maker of the Patrimony range of complicated watches and Metiers d&amp;rsquo;Art collection of timepieces decorated with enamel, gems and engraving is expanding its existing watch-manufacturing operations to meet rising demand, according to Torres.
Vacheron Constantin also plans to open about eight boutiques this year, adding to its existing network of 29 stores worldwide. The new boutiques will be located in cities including Macau and Paris.
The watchmaker, now part of Richemont Group, the world&amp;rsquo;s second-biggest luxury-goods company, plans to add another watch plant to its existing facility in Geneva, according to Torres. The brand&amp;rsquo;s capacity is set to rise to 21,000 pieces next year and to about 30,000 watches between 2015 and 2017, he said.
adapted from Bloomberg News        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>CHANEL hosts grand event in Las Vegas this weekend</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/chanel-hosts-grand-event-in-las-vegas-this-weekend_2022.html</link>
		<pubDate>Sun, 22 Jan 2012 10:26:50 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/chanel-hosts-grand-event-in-las-vegas-this-weekend_2022.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			French luxury maison of CHANEL&amp;nbsp;flew in over 200 VIP guests to Las Vegas for a lavish event which&amp;nbsp;took place over the weekend at the WYNN Hotel, also home of Chanel's flagship boutique in the Sin City.&amp;nbsp;The attendees&amp;nbsp;had&amp;nbsp;a&amp;nbsp; first look...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			French luxury maison of CHANEL&amp;nbsp;flew in over 200 VIP guests to Las Vegas for a lavish event which&amp;nbsp;took place over the weekend at the WYNN Hotel, also home of Chanel's flagship boutique in the Sin City.&amp;nbsp;The attendees&amp;nbsp;had&amp;nbsp;a&amp;nbsp; first look opportunity at Chanel&amp;rsquo;s opulent &amp;ldquo;Num&amp;eacute;ros Priv&amp;eacute;s&amp;rdquo; fashion and high jewellery installation. Chanel organized a similar event at the Harrods in London in November last year.
Chanel's Las Vegas event featured an exquisit dinner attended by celebrities Jessica Alba, Rachel Joe,&amp;nbsp;Diane Kruger, Vivian Wang, Anouck Lepere and many others as well as prestigious&amp;nbsp;fashion editors.
Live music mixed by Alexa Chung and a live performance by Imelda May were the highlights of the event. Fashion installations with models dressed as swans and jewellery pieces presented in special curtain sets completed the event.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>LVMH's L Capital fund ready to invest 200 to 300 million dollars in 2012</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/lvmh-s-l-capital-fund-ready-to-invest-200-to-300-million-dollars-in-2012_2021.html</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Jan 2012 08:41:08 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[Opportunities]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/lvmh-s-l-capital-fund-ready-to-invest-200-to-300-million-dollars-in-2012_2021.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			Established&amp;nbsp;in 2001, the investment fund of LVMH Group&amp;nbsp;(world's largest luxury group)&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;L Capital has invested in over 25 companies, announcing a total of&amp;nbsp;investment of over 1,5 billion euros made during the past 18 months. In 2012, L Capital could invest...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Established&amp;nbsp;in 2001, the investment fund of LVMH Group&amp;nbsp;(world's largest luxury group)&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;L Capital has invested in over 25 companies, announcing a total of&amp;nbsp;investment of over 1,5 billion euros made during the past 18 months. In 2012, L Capital could invest up to US$ 300 million. Since 2 years ago, L Capital Asia was launched with a focus on the region, especially India and China. L Capital Asia has recently finalized minority investments in 2 Chinese ready to wear companies. Daniel Piette, CEO of &amp;nbsp;L Capital&amp;nbsp;has recently spoken exclusively to FashionMag about the criteria of investments. Piette indicated middle sized companies specialized in high end clothing companies as the ideal target. Apart from high end clothing, L Capital is also considering fragrances, cosmetics, selective retailing, gourmet, yacts and hotels. While China and India are the top priority countries of investment, L Capital has been working on projects Malaysia,South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and Taiwan.
L Capital Asia has already invested US$ 638 millions in Sincere Watch &amp;amp; Jewelry, Culina, Emperor Watch and Jewellery, Charles &amp;amp; Keith, Ming Fung, and Genesis Colours, Indian luxury retailer. &amp;nbsp;L Capital has recently taken a minority share of Chinese ready to wear company Xinhe, which includes 5 brands as well the Ochirly ready to wear company. Piette confirmed the investments in the two companies have been motivated by their exceptional business performance and rapid expansion of their retail network. 
Investing in stakes between 5% and 20%, L Capital Asia is looking to aid these companies develop over the following 3 to 6 years, when an exit would be made. Apart from the financial participation, L Capital is actively involved in strategic business analysis matters at the respective companies, with the aim of further developing their marketing positioning, online sales and distribution locally, but also abroad L Capital is also providing support with logistics and technology systems. 
Asked by FashionMag whether on exit, these companies will be prepared to enter the LVMH Group, Piette provided a firm negative response, adding &amp;lsquo;&amp;rsquo;These brands are not at the luxury level of LVMH, but rather we designate them as &amp;quot;AAA&amp;quot; pour Affordable, Aspirational et Alternative. These would be accesible luxury brands, which could provide an alternative to luxury brands. 
As for the financial objectives on exit, L Capital is looking for companies which can achieve an average sales growth of 30%. From the total of 1,2 billion euros, L Capital retains 600 millions euros to further invest. In 2012, L Capital is considering investing between 200 and 300 million dollars. 
&amp;nbsp;
Speaking on the state of development of the various countries in Asia, Piette said there is a time difference in development of 5 to 10 years between the smaller countries and China, however, there may be positive surprised in the rate growth of these countries.         ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Europe and India pursue talks on free trade </title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/europe-and-india-pursue-talks-on-free-trade_2020.html</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 18 Jan 2012 06:32:24 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/europe-and-india-pursue-talks-on-free-trade_2020.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			Ahead of the European Union - India summit which will take place in Delhi on February10th, Catherine Ahston, E.U.'s high commissioner for Foreign Affairs arrived today in New Delhi with the aim of boosting the long expected free exchange...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Ahead of the European Union - India summit which will take place in Delhi on February10th, Catherine Ahston, E.U.'s high commissioner for Foreign Affairs arrived today in New Delhi with the aim of boosting the long expected free exchange trade deal between the EU and India. As part of the discussions will&amp;nbsp;be&amp;nbsp;sensitive issues such as reducation of import taxation especially on cars, fine wines and spirits.
France in particular is seeking that India recognizes officially more than&amp;nbsp;''controlled designation of origin'', a initial significant step being made last year when India recognized designations such as champagne and cognac. The sensitive imbalance on customs taxation (91% tax on European products imported in India and 95% tax on Indian products exported to Europe, especially in the case of textiles.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Bang &amp; Olufsen reports fall in sales of its stereos and TV sets in Europe</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/bang---olufsen-reports-fall-in-sales-of-its-stereos-and-tv-sets-in-europe_2019.html</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 18 Jan 2012 06:01:15 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/bang---olufsen-reports-fall-in-sales-of-its-stereos-and-tv-sets-in-europe_2019.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			Bang &amp;amp; Olufsen, the maker of luxury stereos and television sets, fell the most in two months in Copenhagen trading after net income missed estimates.
B&amp;amp;O fell as much as 5.6 percent, the most since Nov. 15, after reporting second-quarter...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Bang &amp;amp; Olufsen, the maker of luxury stereos and television sets, fell the most in two months in Copenhagen trading after net income missed estimates.
B&amp;amp;O fell as much as 5.6 percent, the most since Nov. 15, after reporting second-quarter net income of 28.8 million kroner ($4.94 million). That compares with an average estimate of 33.5 million kroner in a Bloomberg survey of four analysts.&amp;nbsp; B&amp;amp;O, based in Struer, Denmark, said revenue at its AV unit, which includes its stereos and TV sets, declined 8.6 percent in the second quarter as European sales slumped.
Bang &amp;amp; Olufsen has been failing to keep up with strong competition from Asian brands which have been delivering high end products with improved technical performances. Bang &amp;amp; Olufsen's positioning as a design technology company has also been losing stance, high end consumers opting more for technology rather than design features when it comes to TV sets.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Giorgio Armani: The French will continue to buy out Italian luxury brands</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/giorgio-armani--the-french-will-continue-to-buy-out-italian-luxury-brands_2018.html</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:50:29 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/giorgio-armani--the-french-will-continue-to-buy-out-italian-luxury-brands_2018.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			In a short statement after the Armani fashion show during the on-going Milan Fashion Week, Mr Giorgio Armani insisted he regards himself as&amp;nbsp;a business man and not a financier, responding to questions on a possible take over of his...		]]></description>
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			In a short statement after the Armani fashion show during the on-going Milan Fashion Week, Mr Giorgio Armani insisted he regards himself as&amp;nbsp;a business man and not a financier, responding to questions on a possible take over of his company. He also added ''I am convinced the French will continue to buy companies in Italy. The French are very much after well structured companies which offer value, however, I doubt their scouting of talents interest'' added Armani.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>PRINTEMPS to unveil interactive windows, with fashion movies and 3D installations </title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/printemps-to-unveil-interactive-windows--with-fashion-movies-and-3d-installations_2017.html</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:36:41 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/printemps-to-unveil-interactive-windows--with-fashion-movies-and-3d-installations_2017.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			Leading Parisian department store PRINTEMPS&amp;nbsp;is pursuing its collaboration with&amp;nbsp;SHOWstudio and Nick Knight&amp;nbsp;for the&amp;nbsp;conception and implementation of its interactive fashion store windows, this time entrusting Paco Rabanne, Gareth Pugh and three additional designers who will thus join this one &amp;ndash;of...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Leading Parisian department store PRINTEMPS&amp;nbsp;is pursuing its collaboration with&amp;nbsp;SHOWstudio and Nick Knight&amp;nbsp;for the&amp;nbsp;conception and implementation of its interactive fashion store windows, this time entrusting Paco Rabanne, Gareth Pugh and three additional designers who will thus join this one &amp;ndash;of &amp;ndash;a kind interactive project which will expresses Nick Knight&amp;rsquo;s vision of new couture.
Fashion movies directed by Nick Knight will be broadcasted in the store windows. In each movie the main character will be presenting the latest fashion look from the involved designer. &amp;nbsp;A 3D sculpture created based on that very movie cill come out of the screen to interact with the actual all dressed-up dummie in the window. 
&amp;nbsp;
Passers-by will also be able to interact with the movies and have the opportunity the create an amazing visual effect on the movie itself.&amp;nbsp;Placed within some of the dummies onboard cameras will also be able to shoot the crowd and relay this interactive footage live online.&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;
It is for the first time, Printemps is running an entirely interactive windows project, inviting everyone to freely images which will be included in the Printemps windows during Paris Fashion Week. Submit your images&amp;nbsp;to the Printemps project here.         ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Asia boosts once again Burberry performance Q3</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/asia-boosts-once-again-burberry-performance-q3_2016.html</link>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Jan 2012 04:18:29 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/asia-boosts-once-again-burberry-performance-q3_2016.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			British luxury brand Burberry posted a 22 percent rise in third-quarter revenue as wealthy shoppers and tourists, particularly in Asia, showed their resilience to shaky economies in Europe and the United States.
Burberry confirmed today&amp;nbsp;it made 574 million pounds ($880...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			British luxury brand Burberry posted a 22 percent rise in third-quarter revenue as wealthy shoppers and tourists, particularly in Asia, showed their resilience to shaky economies in Europe and the United States.
Burberry confirmed today&amp;nbsp;it made 574 million pounds ($880 million) of revenues in the three months to Dec. 31.That compared with an average forecast of 569 million pounds in a Reuters poll, and with first-half growth of 29 percent.
Sales in the Asia-Pacific region jumped 39 percent to 210 million pounds, accounting for the largest proportion of the total, while strong demand from tourists drove sales in major cities like London, Paris and Hong Kong, Burberry said. Sales at retail outlets open over a year climbed 13 percent, just ahead of a forecast 12 percent increase.
adapted from Reuters        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Zegna and Ferragamo optimistic about future, yet prepared for challenges</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/zegna-and-ferragamo-optimistic-about-future--yet-prepared-for-challenges_2015.html</link>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Jan 2012 04:39:53 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/zegna-and-ferragamo-optimistic-about-future--yet-prepared-for-challenges_2015.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			Italian luxury mens fashion and accessories house of Ermenegildo Zegna anticipates high single-digit percentage revenue growth, led by customers from outside Europe, after record sales and profit in 2011, said the company&amp;rsquo;s eponymous chief executive officer. Asia will be...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Italian luxury mens fashion and accessories house of Ermenegildo Zegna anticipates high single-digit percentage revenue growth, led by customers from outside Europe, after record sales and profit in 2011, said the company&amp;rsquo;s eponymous chief executive officer. Asia will be the real growth propeller, followed by the U.S.,&amp;rdquo; Zegna said in a Jan. 14 interview before the Trivero- based company&amp;rsquo;s fall-winter 2012/2013 menswear show in Milan.
Standard &amp;amp; Poor&amp;rsquo;s decision last week to downgrade the sovereign credit ratings of nine of the euro area&amp;rsquo;s 17 members, including Italy, will hurt local demand for luxury goods on the continent, regardless of customers&amp;rsquo; net worth, said Zegna. &amp;ldquo;It&amp;rsquo;s very much psychological,&amp;rdquo; Zegna said. &amp;ldquo;We have to be ready for bumps&amp;rdquo; until European leaders find a solution''.
Zegna plans to boost sales by introducing more leather accessories and extending its personalization service with more devoted space in stores, CEO Zegna said. The suitmaker will also open as many as 30 boutiques this year, including 10 in China and outlets in Africa, he said.
Zegna&amp;rsquo;s sales climbed 14 percent to 1.1 billion euros in 2011, the CEO said, citing preliminary figures. He declined to provide a number for profit, saying only that it reached a record. Demand was strongest in China, Korea and Southeast Asia, followed by the U.S., where sales rose by at least 10 percent excluding currency moves, the CEO said.
While GDP growth is slowing in China, demand for luxury goods is increasing in so-called second-, third- and fourth-tier cities, Zegna said. &amp;ldquo;I think this will continue but we do not expect a major slowdown in China,&amp;rdquo; he said. &amp;ldquo;We cannot expect to keep growing at 30 percent.&amp;rdquo;
The euro&amp;rsquo;s decline is boosting the value of sales in countries that use other currencies, said Salvatore Ferragamo SpA CEO Michele Norsa. The Florence-based company is &amp;ldquo;confident&amp;rdquo; for the year ahead after an &amp;ldquo;excellent&amp;rdquo; 2011, which included better-than-expected holiday sales, Norsa said yesterday before Ferragamo&amp;rsquo;s show.
adapted from Bloomberg        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>First SOFITEL Hotel in India to open in Mumbai</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/first-sofitel-hotel-in-india-to-open-in-mumbai_2014.html</link>
		<pubDate>Mon, 16 Jan 2012 09:33:35 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

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        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/first-sofitel-hotel-in-india-to-open-in-mumbai_2014.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			Sofitel Mumbai at the city&amp;rsquo;s financial hub in the Bandra Kurla Complex, is the first incursion of the luxury French hotel brand into India. Sofitel is the luxury brand of French hospitality group Accor, which includes: Novotel, Pullman, Ibis...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Sofitel Mumbai at the city&amp;rsquo;s financial hub in the Bandra Kurla Complex, is the first incursion of the luxury French hotel brand into India. Sofitel is the luxury brand of French hospitality group Accor, which includes: Novotel, Pullman, Ibis etc. The property in Mumbai is operated by Sofitel under a franchising agreement. 

This five-star luxury&amp;nbsp;Sofitel Mumbai,&amp;nbsp;which opens later this month, offers 302 rooms and suites, nine function spaces, five of Mumbai&amp;rsquo;s most innovative dining outlets and&amp;nbsp;the Sofitel So SPA. Bernd Schneider, General Manager of Sofitel Mumbai BKC explains the challenges of this opening: &amp;ldquo;In India, we have the wonderful opportunity to launch our brand in one of the world&amp;rsquo;s most dynamic and fastest growing economies. India is still in the early stages of its own growth potential and we are very excited to be a part of this journey.&amp;rdquo;

&amp;ldquo;We are privileged to be located in Bandra Kurla Complex, the fastest growing financial hub in a city that is already at the epicenter of the incredible economic growth being witnessed by India. Bandra Kurla Complex is also the site of the Bharat Diamond Bourse&amp;rdquo; as Bernd says, link reminded with one of the restaurant named Le Bar Diamantaire.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>CARTIER's more discreet watches shine at SIHH, claiming second largest luxury watchmaker position</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/cartier-s-more-discreet-watches-shine-at-sihh--claiming-second-largest-luxury-watchmaker-position_2013.html</link>
		<pubDate>Mon, 16 Jan 2012 09:01:28 +0200</pubDate>
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		<description><![CDATA[
			French jeweler Cartier&amp;nbsp;whose customers have included the tsar of Russia and actress Elizabeth Taylor, says it's pulling ahead of luxury rivals with watches that match the tenor of the times for less ostentatious displays of wealth.
Cartier is gaining &amp;quot;a...		]]></description>
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			French jeweler Cartier&amp;nbsp;whose customers have included the tsar of Russia and actress Elizabeth Taylor, says it's pulling ahead of luxury rivals with watches that match the tenor of the times for less ostentatious displays of wealth.
Cartier is gaining &amp;quot;a lot&amp;quot; of market share, in part because the economic slowdown is steering consumers toward more discreet timepieces such as the brand's best-selling Ballon Bleu collection, Chief Executive Officer Bernard Fornas said in an interview in Geneva. He declined to estimate how much share the Paris-based unit of Richemont&amp;nbsp;Group may capture.
&amp;quot;Bigger watches are losing a bit of ground today,&amp;quot; he said. &amp;quot;When you are in crisis periods you show off less and you have shapes that are more discreet and more ergonomic. The feel- guilty factor is very important.&amp;quot;
Cartier is ensuring it maintains geographical reach and is also benefiting from growth in the branded jewelry market, Fornas said. The luxury icon may open 20 to 30 boutiques this year, many of them in Asia, Europe and South America, adding to a network of 310 outlets. The company is expanding development of its own movements, or the motors inside watches.
Richemont doesn't disclose the brand's sales, though the whole jewelry business, which also includes Van Cleef &amp;amp; Arpels, had revenue of 3.48 billion euros ($4.47 billion) in the last fiscal year. Overall sales rose 24 percent to 2.62 billion euros in the third quarter ended Dec. 31, fueled by demand for watches in China, the company said today.
Cartier's revenue may grow 25 percent in the fiscal year ending in March, compared with 20 percent for the group, according to Weber. About 45 percent of the brand's sales may come from watches, 35 percent from jewelry and the rest from accessories, he said.
At this week's SIHH watch fair in Geneva, Cartier will show complicated timepieces and watches decorated with jewels. It also will introduce the Tank Anglaise, adding a model to a range first sold in 1919. The watch, available in three colors of gold as well as a gold and steel version, will be Cartier's biggest introduction since the Ballon Bleu, according to Fornas.
Ballon Bleu watches first reached the market in 2007 and are characterized by round cases and a crown set with a sapphire. Prices of standard models start at less than 10,000 euros, while diamond-encrusted or complicated versions can retail for hundreds of thousands of euros.
&amp;ldquo;We will launch the Tank Anglaise, as the latest addition to the house collection that already includes the Tank Fran&amp;ccedil;aise and Tank Am&amp;eacute;ricaine,&amp;rdquo; Mr. Fornas said. In addition, the company plans to introduce the Rotonde de Cartier Minute Repeater Flying Tourbillon, its first minute repeater and a model developed completely in-house.
Cartier is also reinforcing its heritage by introducing a women&amp;rsquo;s model, Promenade of a Panther, using the company&amp;rsquo;s iconic big cat imagery. Here, a diamond-encrusted feline prowls around a dial made in mother of pearl.
Demonstrating its prowess for transparency, Cartier is also offering the Grande Complication Skeleton pocket watch, an update of a classic inspired by the company&amp;rsquo;s pocket watches of the 1930s. This new version adds a modern edge with a large diameter of 59 millimeters, or 2.3 inches, a tourbillon, perpetual calendar and monopusher chronograph.
Fornas said he doesn't want Cartier &amp;quot;to be slowed down in Asia because of a lack of movements in the future, so let's prepare the ground and invest on a regular basis.&amp;quot; The watchmaker unveiled its first movement designed in-house in 2009, according to Weber. Cartier has production facilities in Geneva and La Chaux- de-Fonds, the heart of Switzerland's watchmaking industry, and is planning to construct a new plant in Neuchatel.The shift toward mechanical watches is in line with changing consumer tastes as the use of quartz-powered movements in luxury timepieces wanes, he said.
Customer Demands
&amp;nbsp;&amp;quot;People are more demanding on quality, performance and design, and we have moved quicker than the market,&amp;quot; Fornas said. While it's difficult to predict how the industry will fare in 2012, Cartier will benefit whatever happens, Fornas said. &amp;quot;If things go bad, people go to the legitimate brands, to the authentic brands and not to fashion fads,&amp;quot; he said.
Cartier is the &amp;quot;clear leader&amp;quot; in jewelry and No. 2 in exclusive watchmaking after Switzerland's Rolex, according to Fornas.
The company is well-positioned to deal with troughs in the luxury-goods industry because it hasn't diluted the brand and expanded into areas outside jewelry and watches, Fornas said.
adapted from Bloomberg        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Montblanc exquisit watch novelties unveiled at Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) in Geneva</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/montblanc-exquisit-watch-novelties-unveiled-at-salon-international-de-la-haute-horlogerie--sihh--in-geneva_2012.html</link>
		<pubDate>Mon, 16 Jan 2012 08:15:18 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

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		<description><![CDATA[
			The exquisite watch collections, which were unveiled by Montblanc during the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) the 2012 edition of which opened today are: Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph Open Hometime,&amp;nbsp;Montblanc TimeWriter II Chronographe Bi-Fr&amp;eacute;quence 1.000,&amp;nbsp;Montblanc Collection Villeret...		]]></description>
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			The exquisite watch collections, which were unveiled by Montblanc during the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) the 2012 edition of which opened today are: Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph Open Hometime,&amp;nbsp;Montblanc TimeWriter II Chronographe Bi-Fr&amp;eacute;quence 1.000,&amp;nbsp;Montblanc Collection Villeret 1858 &amp;ndash; Vintage Tachydate,&amp;nbsp; Montblanc Collection Villeret 1858 Chronograph R&amp;eacute;gulateur Nautique, Montblanc TimeWalker TwinFly Chronograph GreyTech.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;
Montblanc&amp;rsquo;s TimeWriter II Chronographe Bi-Fr&amp;eacute;quence 1,000 
The principle of conservation of energy decrees the impossibility of ever constructing aperpetuum mobile. And in order to measure time to the nearest 1/1,000th of a second, a mechanical watch must have a balance that completes 3.6 million semi-oscillations per hour, i.e. its frequency must be 500 hertz. But such laws, it seems, are binding only in the three-dimensional world. They&amp;rsquo;re invalidated when we move into the fourth dimension: time. How else would it be possible for Montblanc to unveil at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie in January 2012 a wristwatch chronograph that can measure elapsed intervals to the nearest 1/1,000th of a second, yet has a balance which oscillates at a pace of only 50 hertz? 
Montblanc&amp;rsquo;s master watchmakers in Villeret have achieved a remarkable feat with the&amp;nbsp;The TimeWriter II which was realized by the Hispano-Swiss watchmaker Bartomeu Gomila at Montblanc&amp;rsquo;s ateliers in Villeret under the aegis of master watchmaker Demetrio Cabiddu.
The 1/1,000th of a Second at a Glance
The ordinary time of day or night is indicated by an hour-hand and a minute-hand at the center of the dial; a rotating disc of sapphire crystal collaborates with an immobile triangular index to track the continually running seconds at &amp;ldquo;9 o&amp;rsquo;clock&amp;rdquo;: both of these displays keep time accuratelythanks to a large screw balance which swings at the traditional pace of 18,000 hourly semi-oscillations (2.5 Hz) and is readily visible through the partially skeletonized dial at &amp;ldquo;7 o&amp;rsquo;clock.&amp;rdquo;
All other indicators serve the chronograph function, to which this exclusive timepiece devotes the highest priority. The chronograph&amp;rsquo;s little balance can be seen at &amp;ldquo;half past ten&amp;rdquo;: when this speed demon is switched on, it oscillates at a rate of 360,000 A/h (50 Hz). These vibrations are so fast that they can no longer be seen by an unaided eye: only a quiet purr can be heard, not unlikethe sound of a well-lubricated Singer sewing machine. The chronograph&amp;rsquo;s indicators begin witha red, centrally axial, elapsed-seconds hand: it completes one full 360&amp;deg; rotation every second sothat its tip sprints along the hundredths-of-a-second scale on the dial&amp;rsquo;s periphery. A doublecounter at &amp;ldquo;6 o&amp;rsquo;clock&amp;rdquo; has a longer, red-tipped hand tip to tally elapsed seconds from one to sixty, as well as shorter, all-red hand to count a maximum of fifteen elapsed minutes.
How It Works
When an elapsing interval is being measured, the chronograph&amp;rsquo;s elapsed-seconds hand (thetrotteuse) orbits the entire dial once per second. But rather than occurring as a smooth progression, this circular motion is subdivided into 100 individual steps which the naked eye cannot distinguish from one another, just as the twenty-five motionless photos that succeed each other in each second of a classical film are perceived as a seamlessly flowing motion picture. The chronograph&amp;rsquo;s center-wheel, to which the central chronograph hand is affixed, likewise jumps from one tiny step to the next in hundredth-of-a-second increments.
Read further details on our&amp;nbsp;Facebook page.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;A short view is available here.
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		<title>Malaysia to be promoted as a luxury lifestyle destination</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/malaysia-to-be-promoted-as-a-luxury-lifestyle-destination_2011.html</link>
		<pubDate>Sun, 15 Jan 2012 11:17:25 +0200</pubDate>
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		<description><![CDATA[
			Last year, Malaysia and China were the only countries in Asia among the 10 most visited in the world, Malaysia being in 9th place, while China was in 4th place. Malaysia's Ministry of Tourism announced it would step up...		]]></description>
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			Last year, Malaysia and China were the only countries in Asia among the 10 most visited in the world, Malaysia being in 9th place, while China was in 4th place. Malaysia's Ministry of Tourism announced it would step up worlwide promotion of luxury lifestyle holidays and MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions, exhibitions). Luxury lifestyle will be promoted including tax free shopping, special charters to tourism destinations with no scheduled flights, helicopter rides to see the capital of Kuala Lumpur etc.
Luxury lifestyle tourism is estimated to have brought earning of over 14 billion euros in 2010 for a total number of 24,6 million foreign tourists. The new promotions will be run in tandem with the existing themed promotions on health and SPA, nature, heritage.
adapted from Bernama        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Wage rises in UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar boost sales for regional luxury retailer</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/wage-rises-in-uae--saudi-arabia-and-qatar-boost-sales-for-regional-luxury-retailer_2010.html</link>
		<pubDate>Sun, 15 Jan 2012 10:43:28 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

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		<description><![CDATA[
			Regional Middle Eastern&amp;nbsp;luxury retailer&amp;nbsp;Chalhoub Group said it netted sales growth of 35 per cent last year - driven by a high-end spending spree in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar. This is mainly driven by -sector pay rises across...		]]></description>
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			Regional Middle Eastern&amp;nbsp;luxury retailer&amp;nbsp;Chalhoub Group said it netted sales growth of 35 per cent last year - driven by a high-end spending spree in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar. This is mainly driven by -sector pay rises across the region and refers to nationals, not expatriates. &amp;nbsp;
Patrick Chalhoub, the co-chief executive of the company, said&amp;nbsp; &amp;quot;There has been a willingness to distribute wealth stronger and quicker. This has put more disposable income in the hands of the people,&amp;quot; he said. &amp;quot;Part of [the growth in retail sales] was due to the general economy but part was also strong fundamentals in our business.&amp;quot; The privately owned company does not disclose earnings.
Governments across the Gulf, particularly in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, have stimulated their economies with huge investments in infrastructure and direct hand-outs to their citizens. Last month, Sheikh Khalifa, President of the UAE, ordered increases in the salaries of all Emirati federal Government employees by 35 per cent to mark the UAE's 40th birthday.
Mr Chalhoub said sales had also benefited from a high oil price, the growing Middle East population and the huge numbers of tourists who visited the UAE rather than travel to destinations affected by civil unrest.
The Chalhoub Group&amp;nbsp;distributes 280&amp;nbsp; brands, including joint ventures with Christian Dior and Louis Vuitton. The group is made up of more than 60 companies and has a presence in 14 countries across the Middle East. It has more than 7,300 employees, with about a third of those based in Dubai. Mr Chalhoub estimated that via the group's fashion and beauty brands it had a 20 per cent market share across the Middle East in the luxury sector.
adapted from The National        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>More trouble at UDC (Pearl of Qatar) after the resignation of its top executive?</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/more-trouble-at-udc--pearl-of-qatar--after-the-resignation-of-its-top-executive_2009.html</link>
		<pubDate>Sun, 15 Jan 2012 05:35:41 +0200</pubDate>
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		<description><![CDATA[
			United Development Company (UDC), the developer and operator of the man-made island the Pearl-Qatar, said yesterday its managing director and president Khalil Sholy has resigned with immediate effect.&amp;nbsp;UDC said in a statement posted on the Qatar Exchange. UDC, which...		]]></description>
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			United Development Company (UDC), the developer and operator of the man-made island the Pearl-Qatar, said yesterday its managing director and president Khalil Sholy has resigned with immediate effect.&amp;nbsp;UDC said in a statement posted on the Qatar Exchange. UDC, which has interests in hospitality, retail, transport and real estate, is the master developer of the Pearl, the mixed-use development built on an artificial island north of Doha.
The move comes weeks after the authorities&amp;nbsp;imposed a ban on alcohol at all Food and Beverage outlets in the Pearl, which resulted&amp;nbsp;in an immediate 50% drop in sales. The&amp;nbsp;luxury retail section has also been underperforming, UDC&amp;nbsp;failing to attract key anchor tenants such as Gucci, Vuitton, Burberry, Chanel&amp;nbsp;or Dior. United Fashion Company, a subsidiary of UDC&amp;nbsp;was set up to operate franchises&amp;nbsp;of less attractive brands such as&amp;nbsp;Calvin Klein Collection, Domenico Vacca, Etro, George Jensen, Gianfranco Ferre, Harmont &amp;amp; Blaine, Rene Caovilla, Salvatore Ferragamo, Santoni and Stefano Ricci. UDC is controlled by Al Fardan family, whose business interests include: The St Regis Hotel Doha (due to open next month), the exclusive&amp;nbsp;import and distribution of BMW in Qatar, the exclusive distributor of several prestigious watch and jewellery brands (Piaget, Chaumet, Harry Winston, Brequet, Piaget etc).        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>CPP announces BUSINESS OF LUXURY FORUM 2012 to take place in Russia, May 29</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/cpp-announces-business-of-luxury-forum-2012-to-take-place-in-russia--may-29_2008.html</link>
		<pubDate>Sun, 15 Jan 2012 01:15:14 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

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		<description><![CDATA[
			The 2012 edition of BUSINESS OF LUXURY FORUM, CPP's annual luxury business event will take place on May 29th in St Petersburg, Russia. The event will focus on both Russia and Ukraine and will feature top executives as speakers...		]]></description>
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			The 2012 edition of BUSINESS OF LUXURY FORUM, CPP's annual luxury business event will take place on May 29th in St Petersburg, Russia. The event will focus on both Russia and Ukraine and will feature top executives as speakers from major international luxury brands as well as luxury industry players from both countries (investors, developers, retailers etc).
Like all previous editions, BLF will cover all luxury industry sectors, with an emphasis, at this year's edition on hospitality and retail. With the occasion of the event, CPP will present the 2011 editions of Luxury Market Reports on Russia and Ukraine. BLF provides a unique awareness, educational and networking platform for both luxury brands with&amp;nbsp;a presence in both countries and brands which are seeking expansion, attendees being able to grasp a better understanding of the real potential of the two markets and the consumer profile.
For detailed event information, including agenda, you may access: www.businessofluxuryforum.com and www.facebook.com/businessluxuryforum
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		<title>St Andrews in Scotland to host first ever Golf Festival</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/st-andrews-in-scotland-to-host-first-ever-golf-festival_2007.html</link>
		<pubDate>Sat, 14 Jan 2012 05:07:34 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

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		<description><![CDATA[
			Scotland, dubbed the &amp;lsquo;Home of Golf&amp;rsquo;, is gearing up to stage its first ever Golf Festival, drawing international visitors to celebrate over 600 years of golf in Scotland and around the world.The vibrant five day festival, set to take...		]]></description>
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			Scotland, dubbed the &amp;lsquo;Home of Golf&amp;rsquo;, is gearing up to stage its first ever Golf Festival, drawing international visitors to celebrate over 600 years of golf in Scotland and around the world.The vibrant five day festival, set to take place between March 21st and April 1st 2011&amp;nbsp;will include a host of networking events, guest speakers, competitions and street games.
Richard Wax, Chairman of the Golf Festival told BTN: ''As a golfing visitor, I have felt since my &amp;ldquo;Eureka&amp;rdquo; moment some 17 years ago that St Andrews under-delivers from the aspect of welcoming golfing &amp;ldquo;pilgrims&amp;rdquo; who travel from around the world to the &amp;ldquo;Mecca&amp;rdquo; of golf. The clubs overlooking the famous Old Course are invariably private and there is literally nowhere where golfers can get together of an evening, make new friends, share the pleasures of humour, literature, art, traditions, the heroes who have won memorable championships.So the Festival is focused on filling this gap for a short period of five days but the effort which we have deployed will have benefits thereafter as the hotels and B&amp;amp;B&amp;rsquo;s are realising that they have been taking the golf market somewhat for granted.
They are in a competitive market for the tourist dollar and need to emphasise why St Andrews is the home of golf, to reinforce its core message of &amp;ldquo;golf for all&amp;rdquo; and not just the happy few, the essential values of the game such as integrity, respect of the environment and of one&amp;rsquo;s playing partners and opponents. The guest speakers and events will be filmed and be made accessible globally via the Internet. We have a database of some 1,800 golf writers around the world many of whom we know personally.
Speaking of innovations, Richard Wax added: ''The core team which is coming up with new ideas such as the playing of Street Golf in the lanes of St Andrews which evokes references to a game called &amp;ldquo;Sillybodkins&amp;rdquo; which is mentioned as having been played in the 1830&amp;rsquo;s by one of the most influential persons in the history of the game, Old Tom Morris. In those days the game was played with a cork held together with nails! We will select 18 &amp;ldquo;holes&amp;rdquo; through the beautiful old town each close to a location with golfing connotations from the past. Competitions and fun games will be held both during the Festival and afterwards.The University of St Andrews with its 8,000 students will love getting dressed up in old golfing attire to enjoy a stress-free &amp;ldquo;round&amp;rdquo; of golf.The Town of St Andrews with its 8,000 population will see more business coming through the shops and restaurants due to visitors discovering the beauties of the town through &amp;ldquo;Street Golf.&amp;rdquo;
Photos and film footage of golfers in 1850&amp;rsquo;s attire playing golf with a backdrop of the ruined Cathedral, the splendid beach where Chariots of Fire was filmed and the secluded courtyards of the University will be beamed around the world projecting a new and fun image of the &amp;lsquo;Auld Toun&amp;rsquo;, as St Andrews is known universally.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Jaeger-LeCoultre to launch the Deep Sea Vintage Chronograph at SIHH 2012 </title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/jaeger-lecoultre-to-launch-the-deep-sea-vintage-chronograph-at-sihh-2012_2006.html</link>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:17:30 +0200</pubDate>
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		<description><![CDATA[
			From the appearance of scuba diving as a&amp;nbsp;sports discipline in the 1950s, Swiss luxury watchmaker,&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Jaeger-LeCoultre provided the first explorers of the ocean depths &amp;ndash; whether driven by scientific goals or by a thirst for discovery &amp;ndash; with a timepiece...		]]></description>
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			From the appearance of scuba diving as a&amp;nbsp;sports discipline in the 1950s, Swiss luxury watchmaker,&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Jaeger-LeCoultre provided the first explorers of the ocean depths &amp;ndash; whether driven by scientific goals or by a thirst for discovery &amp;ndash; with a timepiece that exceeded their demands. Through the different versions introduced until the early 1970s, the Memovox Deep Sea became one of the rare watchmaking creations to leave an indelible imprint on its era. Eager to offer an audience of devotees and connoisseurs the opportunity to strap to their wrist one of the symbols of its inexhaustible inventiveness, the Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre offers some remarkable reinterpretations of this legendary watch.&amp;nbsp;
2012 sees the introduction of a new water-resistant watch inspired by the Memovox Deep Sea: the Jaeger-LeCoultre Deep Sea Vintage Chronograph at the prestigious international watch fair SIHH in Geneva which takes place from 16th January. Its lines express great historical loyalty and testify to its proud sporting heritage. Featuring a 40.5 mm case size similar to that of the Memovox Tribute to Deep Sea, this model is endowed with a range of characteristics that are bound to thrill connoisseurs.
The hour-markers as well as the central hour and minute hands are covered by a Superluminova coating with a warm orange-tinted shade subtly reminiscent of the luminescent coating on the 1959 Memovox Deep Sea. The back of the stainless steel case also bears the same engraved motif as the historical model, depicting a frogman surrounded by bubbles. Finally, the embossed black calfskin leather strap looks exactly like the one fitted on the original.
While the case of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Deep Sea Vintage Chronograph is inspired by the design codes of an iconic creation, this watch driven by Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 751G incorporates the latest developments stemming from Jaeger-LeCoultre&amp;rsquo;s ongoing research, such as the large variable-inertia balance, or the ceramic ball bearings ensuring lubricant-free long-term operation. The performance, the endurance and the reliability of the Jaeger-LeCoultre mechanism have proven their worth over the years, and are combined with qualities highlighting the historical legitimacy of a watch that is water-resistant to 100 metres. 
The Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre, has always been keen to ensure that its creations do not remain confined within the walls of a museum, and to give contemporary watch enthusiasts access to the countless inventions punctuating its long history, succumbed to the appeals emanating from circles of aficionados calling for a rebirth of this historical timepiece. In 2008, Jaeger-LeCoultre thus unveiled a faithful re-edition of the original Memovox Polaris 1968. This journey back to its roots continued in 2011 with the re-edition of the legendary 1959 Memovox Deep Sea, the first diver&amp;rsquo;s watch to feature an alarm.
This creation brilliantly interpreted the aesthetic purity of the historical model into order to convey through a contemporary design language entirely in harmony with the exceptional technical performances of its movement. Its launch in 2011 was unanimously well received passionate enthusiasts of the timepieces that have written a chapter in the history of horology and of human adventure.

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		<title>Latest culinary innovations at luxury hotels worldwide</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/latest-culinary-innovations-at-luxury-hotels-worldwide_1999.html</link>
		<pubDate>Sun, 15 Jan 2012 01:38:16 +0200</pubDate>
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		<description><![CDATA[
			Launched in conjunction with sister company Heliservice, the Peninsula Hong Kong is offering a one-of-its-kind Sky high Champagne Breakfast.&amp;nbsp;After a sumptuous brunch - champagne included, naturally - at The China Clipper, guests will be whisked away to the hotel's...		]]></description>
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			Launched in conjunction with sister company Heliservice, the Peninsula Hong Kong is offering a one-of-its-kind Sky high Champagne Breakfast.&amp;nbsp;After a sumptuous brunch - champagne included, naturally - at The China Clipper, guests will be whisked away to the hotel's twin rooftop helipads, where they would board an Aerospatiale twin-engine Squirrel AS355N for an&amp;nbsp;exhilarating eight-minute helicopter ride.&amp;nbsp;Equipped with wraparound windows, the helicopter will soar high above the heart of Hong Kong, offering passengers a bird's eye view of Hong Kong's magnificent landscape.&amp;nbsp;
Four Seasons Resort Nevis offers a new Fresh Fish catch program on the beach for guests where the local Rasta fisherman pulls in on his colourful boat and guests select their fish and watch it be prepared to their perfection by the Four Seasons chefs. The key attraction of the new feature is the private deep-sea lobster dive for culinary tourists who want to take fresh seafood to a new level. 
&amp;nbsp;
The Upper House in Hong Kong&amp;rsquo;s Pacific Place features a Michelin Star restaurant, Caf&amp;eacute; Gray Deluxe, on the 49th floor which overlooks the iconic Victoria Harbour. Chefs offer a wet market tour, allowing guests to learn more about and sample very exotic flavours. The Chef leads guests through the market, talking through the local and very exotic ingredients, how to prepare them etc. and then guests enjoy an ultra fine dining experience with wine pairing. &amp;nbsp;The market tour package can be booked for as little as two people, so it remains really personal, but larger groups can book this together if they prefer too.
The Amazonia tasting menu at Le Pre Catelan restaurant at Sofitel Rio de Janeiro Copacabana reflects the typical ingredients of the Amazon region. The idea for this creation came about on a trip made by Chef Rolland Villard back in 2005, when he visited Fortaleza to Manaus by ship. &amp;ldquo;Visiting the Amazon was a dream of mine. &amp;nbsp;When I went to Parintins and had the opportunity to be, for the first time, face-to-face with diverse ingredients, spices and Amazonian flavours, I was amazed! &amp;nbsp;At that moment I decided that I had to enhance the value of all the richness offered in Brazil&amp;rdquo;, commented Villard. In Manaus, Villard tried a fish that until then was unknown to him, the Tambaqui. When the chef returned from his trip, he made it a point to create a dish with this fish and include it in the fixed menu of Le Pr&amp;eacute; Catelan. From this, came the idea of &amp;ldquo;Tambaqui ribs with smoked baroa mashed potatoes and thyme sauce&amp;rdquo;, which is one of the signature of the restaurant. Roland spent six months studying how to make the smoked potato until he achieved the perfect point of flavour and texture. And because of this, Villard made it a point to add the dish to his great conception: the menu &amp;ldquo;A Gastronomic Trip through the Amazon&amp;rdquo;. 
&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;
Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco recently launched the &amp;lsquo;&amp;rsquo;Bottomless Bloody Mary Bar&amp;rsquo;&amp;rsquo; &amp;ndash; at Seasons. For a garnished boozy brunch, the Bottomless Bloody Mary Bar is designed to bring out the bartender to guests, offering an array of fresh and pickled garnishes, seasonings and a variety of juices. Whether extra spicy or meek and mild, the most important ingredient choice is top-shelf vodka. Guests who purchase a two- or three-course brunch at Seasons, will have full access to the Bottomless Bloody Mary Bar, which includes: unlimited top-shelf vodka, including best brands, fresh tomato juice and zesty Clamato juice, an endless amount of seasonings, including bacon salt, lime salt, celery salt, black pepper, fresh horseradish, pico de gallo and more, inventive garnishes for an added zing, such as wasabi-pickled green beans, smoked okra, cherry peppers, limes, cucumbers and olives 
&amp;nbsp;
The Four Seasons San Francisco has recently teamed up with Fisher Vineyards to create a private label wine, Seasons Cabernet Sauvignon. Exclusively available at Four Seasons San Francisco, Seasons&amp;rsquo; wine is grown high on the eastern side of the Mayacamas Mountains in Sonoma County and features a classically structured finish with lingering dried black cherry fruit and earthy spices. The hotel&amp;rsquo;s selection of over 500 wine label is now catalogued on a set of iPads using the state-of-the-art menu technology SmartCellar. Offering full descriptions of each wine, accolades and awards and suggested food pairings, guests can easily browse the extensive wine collection to find the perfect bottle to accompany their dining experience.&amp;nbsp;        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>President of Fondation de la Haute Horologerie on his expectations of the luxury watch market in 2012</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/president-of-fondation-de-la-haute-horologerie-on-his-expectations-of-the-luxury-watch-market-in-2012_2005.html</link>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Jan 2012 08:27:02 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/president-of-fondation-de-la-haute-horologerie-on-his-expectations-of-the-luxury-watch-market-in-2012_2005.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			Franco Cologni, President of FHH shares his outlook for the luxury watch market in 2012. He looks at to 2012 with cautious optimism. ''While we have yet to see the final results for the year ending last December 31st,...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Franco Cologni, President of FHH shares his outlook for the luxury watch market in 2012. He looks at to 2012 with cautious optimism. ''While we have yet to see the final results for the year ending last December 31st, on the basis of figures published by the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry, I expect exports will easily reach CHF 18 billion, an increase of some 20% on 2010. So it's smiles all round. In particular for the companies and brands whose business is luxury watches and fine watches.
Looking at these results, one could almost believe that the turbulence on everyone's mind hasn't troubled Switzerland's blue skies. Export sales are clearly not the same as sales to the end customer. Hence we must wait and see how inventory weighs on the market at the end of the year; in other words, how many watches go unsold. This, of course, will depend on the end customer, their resources, and how financially and psychologically ready they are to invest in a new fine watch.
Experts are taking no risks in their predictions for 2012, and prefer to temper moderate optimism with recommendations to err on the side of caution. Personally, I would be happy if this new year brought physiological growth in the region of 5%. Not something to shout from the rooftops but reassuring. I have deliberately avoided any mention of deflation or recession, as forecasts are for showers rather than torrential rain.
The Asian markets, and China above all, will continue to buy. In fact Asia's growing importance might somewhat overshadow traditional markets such as Europe and the United States. Japan is resisting and will continue to weigh in the balance, as the aftermath of the tsunami and nuclear disaster has already been absorbed. The United Arab Emirates, meanwhile, will consolidate their position.
In Europe, the risk of stagnation or even falling sales remains high. The socio-economic difficulties in this part of the world have been well documented. However, we must also add to the equation a rarely cited psychological issue: on the one hand we are witnessing a weakening of the middle classes and, on the other, &amp;quot;rich bashing&amp;quot; which means the affluent are beginning to be afraid to show their wealth. And the watch is, of course, an eloquent accessory that is meant to be seen.
Fortunately Asia and its double-digit growth in sales will plug the gaps. Let us hope the Asians will continue to travel, and that the yuan will maintain a favourable exchange rate.
My wish is that a call for prudence and optimism, however modest it may be, should enjoy a better outcome. And that this outcome prove positive for all those who, day after day, fight the battle of excellence and innovation: people who truly deserve to prosper and grow, even in times of crisis.''        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Sale of AMAN RESORTS stalled due to low bids</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/sale-of-aman-resorts-stalled-due-to-low-bids_2004.html</link>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Jan 2012 08:14:43 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/sale-of-aman-resorts-stalled-due-to-low-bids_2004.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			The sale of luxury hotel chain, Amanresorts International,owned by&amp;nbsp;Indian developer DLF Group&amp;nbsp;has stalled due to lower-than-expected bids by shortlisted companies that include China'sHNA Group, according to a report by Reuters.
India's Sahara Group and Qatar Investment Authority, the tiny Gulf...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			The sale of luxury hotel chain, Amanresorts International,owned by&amp;nbsp;Indian developer DLF Group&amp;nbsp;has stalled due to lower-than-expected bids by shortlisted companies that include China'sHNA Group, according to a report by Reuters.
India's Sahara Group and Qatar Investment Authority, the tiny Gulf Arab state's sovereign wealth fund, also put in bids for the chain late last year, said the sources, who declined to be named as the details are not public yet.
The shortlisted bidders have put in bids of between $300 million and $315 million for Amanresorts, while DLF is expecting to sell the asset for at least $400 million, the sources said.A DLF spokesman in New Delhi denied the deal was on hold. &amp;quot;We do not comment on market speculation during the course of negotiations with prospective bidders,&amp;quot; the spokesman said.
A spokesman for the diversified Sahara Group, which bought London's Grosvenor House hotel from the Royal Bank of Scotland for 470 million pounds in 2010, said the group was in discussions for the luxury hotel chain a few months earlier.
&amp;quot;Probably from then no discussion is there and Sahara is not much interested in this proposal,&amp;quot; the spokesman said. HNA Group did not respond to Reuters request for a comment.
Qatar Investment, which is among the most aggressive sovereign investors globally with stakes in companies including Germany's&amp;nbsp;Porsche and UK bank Barclays, was also not available for comment.
The Amanresorts assets for sale include 22 hotels in 12 countries, but not the property in New Delhi. Sources said the world's biggest luxury goods group LVMH, which was earlier seen as a frontrunner for the property, did not put in a final bid. 
DLF had a net debt of 225.19 billion rupees at the end of September, and the company has been looking to raise as much as $650 million by selling non-core assets to pare its debt pile.
Last month, DLF said the company and its joint venture partner sold their entire holding in a firm that owns a special economic zone in Indian city of Pune for 8.1 billion rupees to a fund managed by the Blackstone Group.
Indian developers are struggling with a lack of financing options as property sales in major cities are flat with higher interest rates deterring potential homebuyers, cutting off cash to developers, many of whom have racked up high debt levels.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Puig Group to buy Valentino</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/puig-group-to-buy-valentino_2003.html</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 Jan 2012 05:19:58 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/puig-group-to-buy-valentino_2003.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			According to daily newspaper L'Expansion, Spanish luxury beauty and fashion group PUIG is reportedly in talks with Permira, to&amp;nbsp;acquire a majority stake&amp;nbsp;of 70% in Italian fashion house&amp;nbsp;Valentino, which is owned by the investment fund. PUIG owns other luxury fashion...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			According to daily newspaper L'Expansion, Spanish luxury beauty and fashion group PUIG is reportedly in talks with Permira, to&amp;nbsp;acquire a majority stake&amp;nbsp;of 70% in Italian fashion house&amp;nbsp;Valentino, which is owned by the investment fund. PUIG owns other luxury fashion houses such as Nina Ricci, Paco Rabanne and Jean Paul Gaultier (acquired in 2011 from Hermes). The move comes less than one year since PUIG acquired the licence for Valentino fragrances from P&amp;amp;G. To finance its ambitious expansion plans to gain market share in the international luxury market, PUIG has agreed to sell one of its production facilities in Spain to Unilever for 32 million euros.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>FOUR SEASONS takes bold step in including Tripadvisor in its new website</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/four-seasons-takes-bold-step-in-including-tripadvisor-in-its-new-website_2002.html</link>
		<pubDate>Sat, 14 Jan 2012 02:33:09 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[Review]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/four-seasons-takes-bold-step-in-including-tripadvisor-in-its-new-website_2002.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			Four Seasons Hotels &amp;amp; Resorts&amp;nbsp;unveiled yesterday its brand new website, reported to have cost a staggering US$ 18 million, with improved functions, navigation, as well as a more fashion, glam look.&amp;nbsp;Given Four Seasons' understated luxury&amp;nbsp;image which&amp;nbsp;is part of its...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Four Seasons Hotels &amp;amp; Resorts&amp;nbsp;unveiled yesterday its brand new website, reported to have cost a staggering US$ 18 million, with improved functions, navigation, as well as a more fashion, glam look.&amp;nbsp;Given Four Seasons' understated luxury&amp;nbsp;image which&amp;nbsp;is part of its DNA, I&amp;nbsp;have found the new website slightly more flashy and ''luxurious''.
Four Seasons&amp;rsquo; revamp is part of an effort to improve online revenue - though its website attracts 30 million visitors each year, online bookings only account for only 12% of total revenue, an increase of just 2% in five years.
With the launch of the new website&amp;nbsp;Four Seasons has also taken a very bold&amp;nbsp;decision to&amp;nbsp;feature Tripadvisor reviews, individually, for each hotel on its page,&amp;nbsp;integrating Twitter and Facebook too.&amp;nbsp;I would even consider the move as risky, given that Tripadvisor may also feature the most negative or sometimes even un founded reviews.
In an interview to USA Today in March 2011, Four Seasons' marketing chief Susan Helstab, said that&amp;nbsp;sharing all reviews is a risk that luxury brands in particularly have been reluctant to take.&amp;quot;You take your chance with the good and the bad,&amp;quot; she says.But the company's of the mindset that it's less of a risk for its hotels, where on-site staff over the last year have been individually trained to monitor and follow-up with all reviews.
Personally, I beg to difer, as I have come accross many Four Seasons hotels who would simply choose not to reply, therefore ignoring the most harsh&amp;nbsp;or negative reviews. There might be trained personel who oversee Tripadvisor reviews, yet at the end of the day, the GM is the who should personally take the time and respond to each comment (some reviews are even answered by&amp;nbsp;an assistant).&amp;nbsp;The less ''standardized'' the response and the more direct, as in&amp;nbsp;the GM&amp;nbsp;offering to make it&amp;nbsp;up to&amp;nbsp;those who have genuinly raised, the more credible for readers and potential customers to believe that the hotel will actually make the suggested improvements.
I remember one such extremely negative review&amp;nbsp;on Tripadvisor about&amp;nbsp;the&amp;nbsp;Four Seasons Gresham Palace Budapes, which to date,&amp;nbsp;remains unanswered. I wonder how would such&amp;nbsp;a review appear on the page of the hotel. Or would there be&amp;nbsp;a selection or reviews? I have noticed that on the new website, for some of the hotels, the latest review featured is from September last year, while, the latest one is actually in January this year.
Also, what happens in the case of properties such as the Four Seasons New York which ranks 48th of all hotels in New York, way behind its main competitors? Currently, the latest review from Tripadvisor&amp;nbsp;on Four Seasons New York&amp;nbsp;which&amp;nbsp;is featured on the new website,&amp;nbsp;is from&amp;nbsp;October last year.&amp;nbsp;How would such a low ranking convince travellers?
&amp;quot;It really does require that incredible sense of confidence that says we deliver our promise,&amp;quot; Helstab says. Sharing all reviews - the good, bad and ugly - also requires confidence in customers, she says. If they see a negative review or Twitter message, they will likely first determine whether it has any relevance to them before letting it sway their booking decision. &amp;quot;If you find that not every experience is equally positive, you will understand the framework for that experience. Maybe it was from a traveler who wasn't quite like you,&amp;quot; she says. &amp;quot;Maybe you want an active kids' pool with lots of amenities (unlike the writer of a particular review that complains about the pool scene).
I do agree that sharing reviews can instill confidence and in a way a sense of connecting with consumers. However, personally, I would appreciate to find on the page of each hotel a fact sheet, which would state when the hotel was built and when it was last renovated or refurbished. This would be, indeed, the most bold illustration of transparency. By sharing this information, potential guests would be able to better ''navigate'' and grasp the reviews on Tripadvisor. For a hotel chain of the calibre of Four Seasons, a high standard of service does not compensate for a very tired property!
In a Four Seasons survey, 33% of guests rate TripAdvisor &amp;quot;very to extremely influential&amp;quot; in their selection of a luxury hotel. In its research, the Toronto-based hotel operator also cites these stats from consulting firm E-Tailing Group: 92% of internet users read product reviews and 89% say that reviews influence their booking decision.
Playing up Facebook, TripAdvisor and Twitter also reflects the company's belief that social networking has completely redefined how consumers engage with brand. &amp;quot;Now, it matters less what a brand says about itself; what matters is what people say about a brand,&amp;quot; Four Seasons' research paper says. &amp;quot;There's no room for smoke and mirrors in today's socially networked world.&amp;quot;
In addition to social media usage, Four Seasons cites research showing its customers are tech-savvy. Stats from the Affluence Collaborative: 57% of wealthy consumers say they like to have the latest gadgets vs. only 18% of the general population.
Great improvements&amp;nbsp;on the new site:
Recognition: Once you've established your profile and indicated your interests, the site will send recommendations that it thinks you'll like.
Destination: The page of each hotel provides&amp;nbsp;a great sense of destination, with photos of important landmarks and with Concierge tips
Search by interest: A new feature lets you search for your hotel by interest, such as &amp;quot;beaches,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;family travel&amp;quot; or &amp;quot;sailing, diving and water sports.&amp;quot;
Navigation: navigation is easier and there is less need to go back; the new website looks much more integrated
Optimised for mobile:&amp;nbsp;provides access to a scaled-down site that includes videos, images, room rates and booking.
Customize: During the booking process, you can do extra things without going to a new window such as request a crib, book a spa treatment or - via a seamless link to OpenTable.com - book a table at the hotel's restaurant.
Room for improvements:
Old photos: Some properties still feature old photos, which are, in many cases, strikingly different than the new ones.
Page layout and photos: For some properties, such as the George V in Paris, the background photos hardly match against the large, white coloured font of the respective city.
Upcoming Events: this section is left blank for most of the hotels, which leaves the impression that there are no special events - updating every single section on a regular basis is extremely important
Fact sheet: the old version of the website used to feature a fact sheet about the hotel which would mention details about the property - architect, year of opening etc.
Navigation of maps: The location map of each hotel is not interactive on the edges, so you can't move yourself around without the lower navigation
Mobile website: With the new launch the HTML5&amp;nbsp; functionality could have been implemented to mark a clear differentiation from the mobile versions of the website of other luxury hotel chains
Feedback: Since many browse Tripadvisor to get information which is not provided on the hotel's website,&amp;nbsp; what about featuring&amp;nbsp;official contact email address for each hotel? This way, guests might verify directly with the hotel if a particular claim in a review is true or not.
A short video introducing the new website can be found by following this link 
Oliver Petcu        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Labelux Group (Jimmy Choo, Bally) loses two CEOs</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/labelux-group--jimmy-choo--bally--loses-two-ceos_2001.html</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Jan 2012 08:53:13 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

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        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/labelux-group--jimmy-choo--bally--loses-two-ceos_2001.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			According to WWD, Berndt Hauptkorn, CEO of Bally is to exit&amp;nbsp;the Swiss based luxury house. Bally is owned by Labelux Group (Benckiser family) which also owns Jimmy Choo, Derek Lam. After the exit of Tamara Mellon, Jimmy Choo's founder...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			According to WWD, Berndt Hauptkorn, CEO of Bally is to exit&amp;nbsp;the Swiss based luxury house. Bally is owned by Labelux Group (Benckiser family) which also owns Jimmy Choo, Derek Lam. After the exit of Tamara Mellon, Jimmy Choo's founder and brand ambassador, Joshua Schulman, the company's CEO is to leave the company by the end of the year. Labelux acquired Jimmy Choo in 2011.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Already troubled Pearl of Qatar takes yet another blow with alcohol ban</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/already-troubled-pearl-of-qatar-takes-yet-another-blow-with-alcohol-ban_2000.html</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Jan 2012 08:35:33 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/already-troubled-pearl-of-qatar-takes-yet-another-blow-with-alcohol-ban_2000.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			Restaurants and bars on Qatar&amp;rsquo;s&amp;nbsp;The Pearl development have seen revenues slump by more than 50 percent in the wake of a new ruling banning the sale of alcohol to customers. Outlets on the manmade island off the coast of...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Restaurants and bars on Qatar&amp;rsquo;s&amp;nbsp;The Pearl development have seen revenues slump by more than 50 percent in the wake of a new ruling banning the sale of alcohol to customers. Outlets on the manmade island off the coast of Doha were told on December 12 they could no longer serve alcohol&amp;nbsp;to guests in what is seen as a display of tension between Qatar&amp;rsquo;s Muslim culture and its largely expatriate population.
Managers of restaurants located on the popular tourist spot said they had received no explanation for the ban or any indication on whether it might be lifted in the future. &amp;ldquo;Every restaurant on the Pearl is banned [from selling alcohol]. We were told around mid-December,&amp;rdquo; said Sumeet Jhingan, country manager for Foodmark, the hospitality arm of retail giant Landmark Group. &amp;ldquo;We don&amp;rsquo;t know if it is indefinite, there was nothing in writing or communicated to us as to how long it is going to last.&amp;rdquo; Foodmark, which counts brands such as Carluccio&amp;rsquo;s, The Meat Company and Mango Tree in its restaurant portfolio, operates two outlets on Pearl-Qatar. &amp;ldquo;Obviously the business has dropped; by half&amp;hellip; for some restaurants, probably even more,&amp;rdquo; Jhingan said.
Staff at Maze, the restaurant owned by British celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay that opened on the island in 2010, said business has tumbled in the wake of the alcohol ban. &amp;ldquo;I would say [the decline] is even more than 50 percent,&amp;rdquo; a spokesperson told Arabian Business. &amp;ldquo;It is not only Maze&amp;hellip; all the restaurants have stopped serving. There are a lot of rumours, we are waiting in great anticipation that [the ban will be lifted].&amp;rdquo;
United Development Company, the developer behind the Pearl-Qatar, declined to comment when contacted by Arabian Business. But the country&amp;rsquo;s rapid modernisation has raised fears among the local population that Qatar&amp;rsquo;s national identity could be diluted by the influx of expatriates and foreign investment. Qatar Airways, Doha&amp;rsquo;s flag carrier, is currently the subject of a Twitter campaign that calls, in part, for a ban on serving alcohol on its flights in line with Islamic values.
Jhingan said Foodmark has suspended plans to open two restaurants and a club on the Pearl-Qatar, home to an estimated 41,000 residents, until the ban on alcohol is clarified.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Tiffany cuts full year earnings forecast on weak holiday sales</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/tiffany-cuts-full-year-earnings-forecast-on-weak-holiday-sales_1998.html</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Jan 2012 08:14:15 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

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        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/tiffany-cuts-full-year-earnings-forecast-on-weak-holiday-sales_1998.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			Tiffany &amp;amp; Co. cut its full-year earnings forecast following a holiday season damped by cautious spending in the U.S. and Europe, adding to worries that economic uncertainties in the regions have tempered demand from luxury shoppers.
The warning by Tiffany...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Tiffany &amp;amp; Co. cut its full-year earnings forecast following a holiday season damped by cautious spending in the U.S. and Europe, adding to worries that economic uncertainties in the regions have tempered demand from luxury shoppers.
The warning by Tiffany may reverberate to other high-end retailers, but is also specific to the company's overseas growth. Tiffany did about half its business outside the Americas, according to the retailer's annual report from last March, the latest data available. Europe, which is undergoing a debt crisis, and China, whose growth is seen as slowing, are significant markets.
Saks Inc. and Nordstrom Inc. don't do anywhere that type of business outside the U.S. and haven't issued earnings warnings. Saks, however, which has a pattern of topping analysts' projects, posted December sales that were in line with expectations, according to Thomson Reuters.
After achieving strong and better-than-expected sales and earnings growth in the first three quarters of 2011, Tiffany said sales weakened markedly in the U.S. and Europe during the holiday season, reflecting restrained spending by consumers for fine jewelry. For its fiscal year ending Jan. 31, Tiffany now sees earnings of $3.60 to $3.65 a share, below its boosted November forecast for $3.70 to $3.80 a share.
The sales slowdown in U.S. and Europe confirms fears sparked in late November when Tiffany executives alluded to the European sovereign-debt crisis during a conference call to discuss fiscal third-quarter results.
For the two months ended Dec. 31, Tiffany reported world-wide net sales rose 7% to $952 million as same-store sales rose 4%. Sales in the Americas region--which includes the U.S., Canada and Latin America--rose 4% to $503 million. The company noted higher sales to tourists from outside the U.S. helped to offset weaker spending by U.S. customers.
In Europe, sales edged up 1% to $117 million. Same-store comparable sales declined 4%, reflecting modest sales growth in continental Europe and lower sales in the U.K. By contrast, Asia-Pacific sales jumped 19% to $165 million. Europe aside, a strong push into international markets has helped Tiffany post double-digit profit growth in each quarter this year.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;
adapted from WSJ        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>An in depth look at the Indian Government recently revised policy on FDI in single brand retailing</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/an-in-depth-look-at-the-indian-government-recently-revised-policy-on-fdi-in-single-brand-retailing_1997.html</link>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:46:32 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[Analysis]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/an-in-depth-look-at-the-indian-government-recently-revised-policy-on-fdi-in-single-brand-retailing_1997.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			A press release issued today, by India&amp;rsquo;s Ministry of Commerce &amp;amp; Industry, Department of Industrial Policy &amp;amp; Promotion, clarifies the review of the policy on Foreign Direct Investment- liberalization of the policy in Single-Brand Retail Trading.
&amp;nbsp;
Present Position
&amp;nbsp;
Foreign Direct Investment...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			A press release issued today, by India&amp;rsquo;s Ministry of Commerce &amp;amp; Industry, Department of Industrial Policy &amp;amp; Promotion, clarifies the review of the policy on Foreign Direct Investment- liberalization of the policy in Single-Brand Retail Trading.
&amp;nbsp;
Present Position
&amp;nbsp;
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), in retail trade, is prohibited except in single brand product
retail trading, in which FDI, up to 51% is permitted, subject to conditions specified under
paragraph (A) below
&amp;nbsp;
Revised Position
&amp;nbsp;
The Government of India has reviewed the extant policy on FDI and decided that FDI, up to
100%, under the government approval route, would be permitted in Single-Brand Product
Retail Trading, subject to specified conditions, as indicated in paragraph (B).
A. 
&amp;nbsp;(1) Foreign Investment in Single Brand product retail trading is aimed at attracting investments in production and marketing, improving the availability of such goods for the consumer, encouraging increased sourcing of goods from India, and enhancing competitiveness of Indian enterprises through access to global designs, technologies and management practices.
(2) FDI in Single Brand product retail trading would be subject to the following conditions:
(a) Products to be sold should be of a 'Single Brand' only.
(b) Products should be sold under the same brand internationally l.e. products should be sold under the same brand in one or more countries other than India.
(c) 'Single Brand' product-retail trading would cover only products which are branded during manufacturing.
(d) The foreign investor should be the owner of the brand.
(e) In respect of proposals involving FDI beyond 51%, mandatory sourcing of at least 30% of the value of products sold would have to be done from Indian 'small industries/ Village and cottage industries, artisans and craftsmen'. 'Small industries' would be defined as industries which have a total investment in plant &amp;amp; machinery not exceeding US $ 1.00 million.
B
Application seeking permission of the Government for FDI in retail trade of 'Single Brand' products would be made to the Secretariat for Industrial Assistance (SIA) in the Department of Industrial Policy &amp;amp; Promotion. The application would specifically indicate the product categories which are proposed to be sold under a 'Single Brand'. Any addition to the product categories to be sold under 'Single Brand' would require a fresh approval of the Government.
&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;
As expressed previously Oliver Petcu of CPP Luxury Industry Management Consultancy Ltd, which has been actively covering India, believes the revised&amp;nbsp;legislation change is&amp;nbsp;absurd&amp;nbsp;and impossible to apply&amp;nbsp;in luxury&amp;nbsp;retailing.&amp;nbsp;Even if, there would have been items which could have been sourced locally, the mere throught of international luxury brands being forced into&amp;nbsp;sourcing locally, just because they&amp;nbsp;want to operate directly is going to be a major set back for the already dormant and under-performing Indian luxury market. It is a matter of principle for the leading international luxury brands&amp;nbsp;the identity of which is deeply rooted in their heritage craftsmanship and sourcing of manpower and materials locally.
&amp;nbsp;
Petcu believes that the hesitations and inconsistency in economic policy&amp;nbsp;by the Indian Government which used FDI legislation change as a political tool, are a harsh lesson major international luxury brands should learn and be warned, at the same time! In an already unstable economic environment and&amp;nbsp;a heightened level of corruption, the most sensible decision by most international brands would be to take a cautious stance and, at least for the time being some of the brands seeking entry into India, would be safer with a local franchisee or distributor.
&amp;nbsp;
Despite the fact that everyone agrees that&amp;nbsp;the stake of this&amp;nbsp;much awaited change in FDI&amp;nbsp;legislation is actually the mass market retailing sector, the FMCG retailers, such as Tesco, Carrefour, Walmart, it is odd that&amp;nbsp;the&amp;nbsp;luxury market wihich has&amp;nbsp;a potential&amp;nbsp;of at least US$ 3 billion annually in the mid term, would even be consulted and there was no public debate on these very important legislation changes.
&amp;nbsp;
Why would international luxury brands wish to operate directly in India?
&amp;nbsp;
- to be able to implement their strategic policies and bring valuable know how - create jobs and provide expert training
- optimized control of buying and stocks adapting fast to market trends and consumer preferences
- invest in real estate, especially street locations (building adjancent to Hermes Mumbai are becoming available) - Can a local franchisee sustain such an investment ?
- create product lines exclusively dedicated to India
- through professional buying, the stores would have an optimal representation of the collections of the respective reasons for the brands (in contrast with the financial limitations of the current franchisees which usually handle more than 4 or 5 major brands
- provide through extensive training and decoration of the stores according to their international flagships, thus creating a much needed customer experience which currently is incomparable to the experience in stores abroad such as Dubai, one of the closest major shopping destination for the wealthy Indians
- conduct extensive research and implement very targetted marketing communications and advertising strategies
&amp;nbsp;
These are all elements current franchisees orJV partners are unable to provide for the brands.
&amp;nbsp;
The benefits of the Indian economy:
&amp;nbsp;
- creation of jobs
- professional training of human resources
- considerable taxes and duties on all imported goods
- a boost of print media, especially glossy magazines, indirectly helping the publishing sector
- major investments in retail, some in historical buildings downtown major cities&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;
CPP will organize In October 2012 in&amp;nbsp;Delhi,&amp;nbsp;its established annual luxury business concept (first organized in Eastern Europe in 2004), BUSINESS OF LUXURY FORUM which will address all issues related to the luxury market, featuring all major luxury sectors, from fashion, to watches, jewellery, &amp;nbsp;cars, private banking, travel and hotels.
&amp;nbsp;
CPP is currently seeking a PR agency or an experienced independent PR to partner in organizing this event. With the occasion of the event, CPP will present the very first Luxury Market Report on India, the first such comprehensive report, covering ALL luxury sectors and an in depth analysis of the consumer profile. CPP aims to creat with BLF a platform which would bring together top executives of intl luxury brands present or seeking entry in India, local retailers and luxury players from other sectors, as well as private and institional investors such as developer. For details, please email us on office@cpp-mc.com
&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Qatar buys Raffles hotels in Paris and Singapore</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/qatar-buys-raffles-hotels-in-paris-and-singapore_1996.html</link>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Jan 2012 07:33:20 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

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        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/qatar-buys-raffles-hotels-in-paris-and-singapore_1996.html
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		<description><![CDATA[
			Qatar National Hotels (QNH) said on Monday it has taken over the ownership of two iconic Raffles properties in Singapore and Paris.&amp;nbsp;&amp;quot;Adding these iconic properties to our portfolio represents consistent steps of QNH's strategic expansion at the international level,&amp;quot;...		]]></description>
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			Qatar National Hotels (QNH) said on Monday it has taken over the ownership of two iconic Raffles properties in Singapore and Paris.&amp;nbsp;&amp;quot;Adding these iconic properties to our portfolio represents consistent steps of QNH's strategic expansion at the international level,&amp;quot; said Hamad Abdulla Al Mulla, CEO of QNH.
&amp;quot;Through years of rich history, Raffles Hotel Singapore and Le Royal Monceau - Raffles Paris have become legendary legacies that enhance the hospitality values by building a bridge between tradition and a glorious future,&amp;quot; he added. He did not&amp;nbsp;provide a value for the deal to acquire the two luxury hotels, however real estate sources indicate a value of 350 million euros for both propertis
Raffles Singapore, over a century old,&amp;nbsp;was the first hotel to operate under the Raffles Hotels &amp;amp; Resorts brand. Le Royal Monceau - Raffles Paris is the European flagship of Raffles Hotels &amp;amp; Resorts. After two years of renovation, the hotel reopened in October 2010.
The deal marks the latest in a series of investments in overseas assets by Qatari buyers, many of them in Europe:&amp;nbsp;W Hotel London,&amp;nbsp;iconic London department store Harrods, One Hyde Park luxury residences (managed by Mandarin Oriental), Shard London Bridge (mixed use - tallest building in Europe)&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Peninsula Hotel in Paris (due to open&amp;nbsp;2013) and stakes in Barclays, retailer J Sainsbury&amp;rsquo;s and the London Stock Exchange among its investments. Qatari Diar, Qatar Investment Authority&amp;rsquo;s property arm, in August announced it had won a bid to buy London&amp;rsquo;s Olympic Village in a &amp;pound;557m in a joint deal with the UK developer Delancey.
Qatari Diar already owns a majority stake in Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, the holding hotel management company which includes the Fairmont, Raffles and Swissotel brands.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Dolce &amp; Gabbana's focus on China generates PR disaster in Hong Kong</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/dolce---gabbana-s-focus-on-china-generates-pr-disaster-in-hong-kong_1995.html</link>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Jan 2012 07:04:29 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/dolce---gabbana-s-focus-on-china-generates-pr-disaster-in-hong-kong_1995.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			One of the biggest stories of this past weekend in Hong Kong was a massive, Facebook-organized protest of the Italian fashion house Dolce &amp;amp; Gabbana after a security guard prevented locals from taking photographs outside of its flagship in...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			One of the biggest stories of this past weekend in Hong Kong was a massive, Facebook-organized protest of the Italian fashion house Dolce &amp;amp; Gabbana after a security guard prevented locals from taking photographs outside of its flagship in Tsim Sha Tsui last week. Checking into the story, a photographer from the Apple Daily reported on January 5 that he was told by a security guard that only mainland Chinese or&amp;nbsp;foreign&amp;nbsp;tourists were allowed to take photos outside the store, with another guard allegedly threatening to break his camera. Within hours, the story had&amp;nbsp;set off a firestorm of criticism in the city, with angry Hong Kong locals taking to Facebook to speak out about what they saw as tantamount to discrimination, leaving hundreds of messages on Dolce &amp;amp; Gabbana&amp;rsquo;s wall demanding the brand apologize or pack up and leave Hong Kong altogether.
Over the weekend, more Facebook users in Hong Kong joined together to organize a protest of Dolce &amp;amp; Gabbana&amp;rsquo;s Tsim Sha Tsui flagship, creating a &amp;ldquo;10,000 People Photograph D&amp;amp;G Event&amp;rdquo; page now &amp;ldquo;liked&amp;rdquo; by nearly 20,000 fans, with around 1,000 protestors actually taking to the streets yesterday. According to Hong Kong's Standard, the protest turnout was so great that the store was forced to shut its doors before 3:00 PM as the crowds gathered, with other shops nearby closing early as well as crowds spilled over. Protesters carried cameras and snapped photographs of the store as others held placards denouncing the photo ban and demanding an apology. Despite the massive turnout, as of last night Dolce &amp;amp; Gabbana had only issued a terse, unsigned statement rather than an apology, reading, &amp;ldquo;We wish to underline that our company has not taken part in any action aiming at offending the Hong Kong public.&amp;rdquo;
This is unlikely to assuage the protesters&amp;rsquo; anger in any way. As the Standard notes today, rumors have abounded for months that luxury brands like D&amp;amp;G have become so reliant on well-heeled mainland Chinese tourists that Hong Kong locals have essentially become &amp;ldquo;second-class shoppers&amp;rdquo;:
The brand&amp;rsquo;s overt focus on the mainland China market in recent months &amp;mdash; it plans to open around 30 stores in the country within the next two to three years &amp;mdash; and perceived kowtowing to wealthy mainland Chinese tourists at its Hong Kong locations has become a simmering issue in the former British colony, and this most recent incident has only made the situation worse.
adapted from JingDaily.com        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>VIKRAM CHATWAL to open over 50 luxury hotels in India</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/vikram-chatwal-to-open-over-50-luxury-hotels-in-india_1994.html</link>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Jan 2012 03:19:02 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

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        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/vikram-chatwal-to-open-over-50-luxury-hotels-in-india_1994.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			A decade after getting into the hospitality business in the US Sant Singh Chatwal &amp;amp; son are set to launch 52 hotels in India over the next five years. With global hospitality major Wyndham on board, the Chatwals are...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			A decade after getting into the hospitality business in the US Sant Singh Chatwal &amp;amp; son are set to launch 52 hotels in India over the next five years. With global hospitality major Wyndham on board, the Chatwals are betting on rich, entrepreneurial Indians to realise their dream hotels, reports CNBC-TV.
Flanked by his father Sant Chatwal, and Wyndham Hotel's president&amp;nbsp; and CEO Eric Danziger, Vikram Chatwal announced the launch of 52 hotels in India over the next five years mainly via a franchisee route.
Sant Chatwal says, &amp;quot;We have already invested&amp;nbsp;US$&amp;nbsp;250 million&amp;nbsp; and we will be investing US$ 500. If need be we can also invest more capital.&amp;quot; So US$ 750 million for 52 hotels would work out to be only 14 US$ million, which is far lower than the industry average for super luxury hotels. Of the 52 planned hotels, 18 have been committed and the chatwals have handed out franchise contracts for 12 of these and are part owners in the remaining six. Wyndham, which holds a 50% stake in Vikram Chatwal Hotels and is the owner of brands like Days Inn, Howard Johnson and Ramada, will play a crucial role.
Controversy and Chatwals are no strangers. While Sant Singh Chatwal has made news for his political connection his son hit the headlines for his flamboyant larger than life lifestyle. With the US economy in trouble, the Chatwals are finally looking to up their presence in the country of origin.
Vikram Chatwal operate four hotels in New York, one in Bangkok and one in&amp;nbsp;Cochin. The most recent opening was The Dream South Beach (Miami), which was inaugurated last summer.
Vikram Chatwal is no stranger to the luxury market in India. Vikram Chatwal's&amp;nbsp;wife Priya Sachdev Chatwal runs TSG, which is the exclusive distributor of &amp;nbsp;Marc Jacob's India and&amp;nbsp;licensee&amp;nbsp;of Moschino (TSG used to distribute exclusively Alberta Ferreti, Jean Paul Gaultier which closed down&amp;nbsp;in 2010).&amp;nbsp;        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>VALENTINO, honorary guest at Pitti Uomo in Florence</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/valentino--honorary-guest-at-pitti-uomo-in-florence_1993.html</link>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Jan 2012 06:08:59 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

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        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/valentino--honorary-guest-at-pitti-uomo-in-florence_1993.html
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		<description><![CDATA[
			The Italian fashion house of Valentino marks this week its very first participation at leading menswear fair Pitti Uomo, which takes place annually in Florence, Italy. Creative Directors Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli have chosen&amp;nbsp;as venue Palazzo...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			The Italian fashion house of Valentino marks this week its very first participation at leading menswear fair Pitti Uomo, which takes place annually in Florence, Italy. Creative Directors Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli have chosen&amp;nbsp;as venue Palazzo Corsini, the&amp;nbsp; baroque style of the palace best representing the philosophy of the Valentino Man, as imagined by the two. If the Valentino ladies line is well established, the creative duo take the opportunity of Pitti Uomo to express the values of the Valentino men, taking inspiration from types such as legendary Italian actor Marcello Mastroiani, Jude Law in ''Talented Mister Ripley'', Louis Garrel in ''Dreamers'' and Chris Martin from Coldplay. ''Valentino's man is a young one, with no regrets in the past...a black tie seemingly more rock than ever'' said the two designers.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>AWAY NIGHT Rosewood Hotel Georgia, Vancouver</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/away-night-rosewood-hotel-georgia--vancouver_1992.html</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:25:46 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[Review]]></category>

        <guid isPermaLink="false">
        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/away-night-rosewood-hotel-georgia--vancouver_1992.html
        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			Jim Dudley is today&amp;rsquo;s ultimate hotel ambassador. He retired from commodoring Vancouver Yacht Club and his long-time friend Steve Halliday (also in his lifetime element, back in ops as hotel boss), said why not come and drive the hotel&amp;rsquo;s...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Jim Dudley is today&amp;rsquo;s ultimate hotel ambassador. He retired from commodoring Vancouver Yacht Club and his long-time friend Steve Halliday (also in his lifetime element, back in ops as hotel boss), said why not come and drive the hotel&amp;rsquo;s Bentley, and that is what he does, and adores it.&amp;nbsp; The ride to the hotel was, as a result, far too short&amp;hellip; we pulled into the carriage entrance and I was helped out of the car by a guy in a black suit and fedora with an orange feather, and went up 11 steps to the lobby. Surely this is little changed since Hotel Georgia opened in 1927 as the first Western International outside the USA? The original clock still ticks. The hotel re-opened 15 July 2011 at 1108 precisely, and at that hour, every day, Michael Buble&amp;rsquo;s Georgia on my Mind resonates through the lobby. These days there is also original, 21st century, art, and white orchids, and chic women in grey suits and pearls.
&amp;nbsp;
A Dutch woman in grey suit and pearls escorted me up in one of 3 classic style elevators, activated by pressure-pad room keys. She showed me to 1208 and I marched straight into a bedroom, with a pair of double beds, and began to make myself at home.&amp;nbsp; There is another bedroom, she said hesitantly.&amp;nbsp; There is indeed.&amp;nbsp; This is the premium suite, 250 sq m dedicated to Lord Stanley, 1841-1908 (Frederick Stanley, Eton and Sandhurst, later Lord Stanley of Preston and 6th Governor General of Canada before inheriting the Earldom of Derby &amp;ndash; he is best known now for Vancouver&amp;rsquo;s Stanley Park, ice hockey&amp;rsquo;s Stanley Cup and, now, for this suite).
&amp;nbsp;
Its main bedroom, designed by Alessandro Munge, is a tiered theatre. From the caramel and stone-coloured carpet, one tier takes the eye to the top of 4 stone-coloured cushions on a stone sofa. Behind this rises the top of the operative part of the bed, a fluff of white Pratesi linen with a black and stone zigzag throw. The next tier is standing day pillows, some a dark and white chocolate leaf pattern, others white linens with Rosewood embroidered on them.&amp;nbsp; The eye goes yet further up, to the 2.5m-tall wood-outlined top of the milk chocolate buttoned-leather bedhead.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; And if you go right to the gods, from the plain white 3.5m-high ceiling there are ecru silk curtains flanking both windows.&amp;nbsp; Wall fabrics, by the way, are silk and other fabric-looks, ecru or taupe. Leading off the bedroom is the main bathroom, with dark marbled floor and walls of the big, glass-fronted shower. There are 2 separate vanity units, with oval Kohler sinks.&amp;nbsp; Toiletries are Ohn&amp;eacute;, by Mrs Hunt&amp;rsquo;s Lady Primrose, in big pump-action containers.&amp;nbsp; Towels and bathrobes are Rosewood&amp;rsquo;s own, made in China (bother, in walking round this room with my Apple, to make notes, I bump my shin on one of the 4 metal protruberances at the corners of the solid coffee table, and thus add a deep cherry red not only to my leg but to the overall colour scheme).
&amp;nbsp;
Back in my main salon, there is less of a tiered effect, and colouring is more ecru, stone and dark wood (the big square coffee table has more of these metal-extending legs but now I am more careful). There is an oval tiger-wood table, with 6 dark-leather chairs and an oval, vertical-drop chandelier over.&amp;nbsp; There is a stone mantelshelf with log-look working fire, and colour here is the deep teal and soft nasturtium of a vaguely-amoebic circular oil in a big square acrylic frame.&amp;nbsp; I have a half-bath, and a kitchen with Nespresso, a glass-fronted non-automatic minibar, with cold beers and a 375ml Prospect Chardonnay &amp;ndash; red wine, and adult-sized spirits bottles are in cupboards above. Snacks include gluten-free Granola Bars and 100% Biologique Prana sea-salted cashews.&amp;nbsp; I check the room service menu: breakfast starts at 0500, and day-log sandwiches, served with BC blueberries and black pepper fries, include Elvis Presley&amp;rsquo;s fried peanut butter and banana sandwich (add C$3, for bacon).&amp;nbsp; The room service menu, by the way, is easy to find &amp;ndash; from the customers&amp;rsquo; viewpoint, I still maintain it is easiest to have everything in one encompassing Guide to Services, and this is a splendid ecru leather ring binder affair, highlighted with classic black and white photos of such past guests as Marlene Dietrich, who checked in with 40 cases.&amp;nbsp; The guide, however, has eliminated a Restaurants section, though Hawksworth Restaurant, under H, gives no opening hours.
&amp;nbsp;
Sense spa is a tall haven of ivory paint, including moulded doors, and slate-type flooring.&amp;nbsp; D&amp;eacute;cor in the room Jaclyn led me to was limited to the stone-and-caramel cashmere-type blanket on the bed.&amp;nbsp; I was having an ultimate facial but somehow, once she had put whatever on it (the face) it seemed like 99% of my 80 minutes was spent massaging and cosseting each of my hands, and feet, in exact turn. &amp;nbsp;She loves this spa, and its space: her last job was at sea, with Steiner, and she shared a cabin &amp;ndash; the size of this treatment room, she said &amp;ndash; with 2 others and you could not even turn round in the bathroom. 
&amp;nbsp;
Later, as the sun begins to set, I head up to my terrace.&amp;nbsp; Up 30 dark wood steps, past a gallery of past memorabilia, I find myself in this 70 sq m space, with a hot tub and barbeque and dining for 4, with a sign that says 118 is the maximum legal number.&amp;nbsp; I decide to join a mere 2 others, in the 110-seat Hawksworth, the restaurant.&amp;nbsp; Now here is a case of a &amp;lsquo;restaurant with rooms&amp;rsquo; where actually the restaurant, run by David Hawksworth in conjunction with hotel owners Delta, is run 100% for locals rather than a hotel guest.&amp;nbsp; The long champagne-coloured area, fronting, and with an opening from, Georgia Street, is divided into 3. You enter the bar and go on to one and then through to another dining room. All areas are choc-a-bloc, with locals in an assortment of anything-goes dress. They are into this restaurant, knowing other diners, and knowing they will get, say, their choice of tenderloin with smoked marrow and vegetables, but with spicy chimmichurri (the hotel guest who wants a simple steak has a problem, Houston).&amp;nbsp; Annabel orders a house cocktail, Hotel Georgia, which can be traced back to around 1945 (a coupe holds Plymouth gin, orgeat, lemon juice, orange blossom water and egg white). I ask for Pinot and the sommelier chooses Cloudline, from Oregon.&amp;nbsp; I choose a daily special, of salmon salad, which is an artistic display of minimal quantity.&amp;nbsp; My main is slow-cooked halibut, 2 medallions wrapped in chorizo paste.&amp;nbsp; I could barely see the stated artichoke, basil, tomato preserve but there was lots of saffron emulsion below and thank goodness I brazenly asked for carbs, anything (we got a metal basket of delicious real breads, sadly not replenished, and an enormous puddle of equally delicious olive oil).
&amp;nbsp;
Back in my temporary room, night turndown has left a card with a photo of Elvis (&amp;lsquo;Music should be something that makes you gotta move, inside or outside&amp;rsquo;). The temperature has been turned down from my previous 22 to 18.&amp;nbsp; I open a window, its full 15cm permitted.&amp;nbsp; I dream that husband is about to play tennis with Mr Sherwood and then he (husband, not JS) calls me for my 0500 wakeup. I head to the gym, to find a charming young man cleaning the floors. The gym is a casserole of brands, Cybex runners, Precor ellipticals, Technogym bikes and so on.&amp;nbsp; Does this mean one technician can service all brands? I find my way through to the pool, at this hour devoid of kids, or anyone.&amp;nbsp; It is gorgeous, 20m and wide enough for 4 to lap, easily. Highlights are the perfect-temperature, salt water and, at the base of the pool, 8 quadrilateral glass panels, lit from below in a constantly-changing day-glo sequence which also reflect down below to the hotel&amp;rsquo;s porte coch&amp;egrave;re &amp;ndash; clever idea, of local architects Endall Elliott Associates. Above the pool, the white ceiling seems sky-high.&amp;nbsp; There are stacks of peach-coloured towels, I wrap one around me and head back home, and shower. 
&amp;nbsp;
I am also alone, but for server Fernando and the buzz in the kitchen I can see in the distance, at Hawksworth, breakfast time.&amp;nbsp; I can now fully appreciate the beauty of this, the centre of the 3 areas.&amp;nbsp; Ahead of me, also, is the glass-walled wine cellar. Walls to my left and right, with openings through to more-restaurant, on my left, and the bar, to my right, are champagne coloured, with moulding. I am on a champagne banquette by the window, and a selection of back cushions means I can sit on one, for extra height.&amp;nbsp; The composite table has a glass holder with an all-greens posy. I have a real coffee mug, on a saucer. I listen to Ella Fitzgerald, or similar, and check a menu that is perfect for the complicated breakfast eater (you know, the eggs Benedict with apple sauce kind of thing) but I find toast, under Sides. I order a small, really fresh juice (2 sizes are offered), multigrain and sourdough toasts, which come, linen-wrapped, in a wire basket, and coffee, served in a thermal pot. A wood tray holds butters and 2 open preserves.
&amp;nbsp;
On my way out I see a complimentary coffee station in a gallery above the main lobby. There is a box of tealeaves.com designer teabags, and a samovar holds coffee that actually has more taste than the restaurant&amp;rsquo;s.&amp;nbsp; Robert Redford, behind dark glasses but looking as good as ever (has he also had a facial?) is on his way out.&amp;nbsp; I must also be gone.&amp;nbsp; I write a couple of notes on the hotel&amp;rsquo;s copper-colour-backed paper, and leave, to make way for Lord Stanley&amp;rsquo;s next occupant, Singapore-based Tony Hii, md of owners, Delta Land Development.&amp;nbsp; As I leave, ladies in pearls warmly ask if I have enjoyed my stay. The doorman has his fedora nicely at an angle, and the 1927 clock is exact, to the minute.
&amp;nbsp;
from The Gostelow Report - article exclusive online to CPP-LUXURY.COM&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;
Mary Gostelow&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;www.girlahead.com        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Biggest opportunities in India's luxury market in 2012</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/biggest-opportunities-in-india-s-luxury-market-in-2012_1991.html</link>
		<pubDate>Sun, 08 Jan 2012 05:29:43 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[Opportunities]]></category>

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        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/biggest-opportunities-in-india-s-luxury-market-in-2012_1991.html
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		<description><![CDATA[
			The much awaited change in FDI legislation (Foreign Direct Investment) to allow foreign companies in retail to fully own and operate their local mono-brand stores was turned into a political bate by the governing party for&amp;nbsp;the opposition, an image...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			The much awaited change in FDI legislation (Foreign Direct Investment) to allow foreign companies in retail to fully own and operate their local mono-brand stores was turned into a political bate by the governing party for&amp;nbsp;the opposition, an image exercise which resulted in what most regarded as an embarassing position of the Indian Government, which,&amp;nbsp;during the course of less than 10 days in November last year, confirmed in a surprise statement the change in FDI, to then reverse it, apparently giving in to pressure by the opposition.
Foreign major FMCG retailers such as WalMart, Carrefour and Tesco have&amp;nbsp;condemned&amp;nbsp;the decision&amp;nbsp;of the government. To&amp;nbsp;make matters even worse,&amp;nbsp;in its reserve&amp;nbsp;of the approved changes, the Government added a new twist, companies needed to outsource 30% of their products from&amp;nbsp;the local market, a&amp;nbsp;measure which&amp;nbsp;is&amp;nbsp;absurd in the case of international luxury&amp;nbsp;brands. 2011 ended in a complete chaos regarding FDI, leaving major international retailers ponder the risk they would face once entering India, given the political and legislative instability.
Despite the FDI controversy, luxury fashion and accessories retail still presents exceptional opportunities especially for the major luxury retailers. Brands already present in India have probably, once again, ''learned their lesson'', becoming even more convinced, for&amp;nbsp;most of them, operating directly&amp;nbsp;in India would be&amp;nbsp;a mission impossible.&amp;nbsp;Several major&amp;nbsp;international luxury&amp;nbsp;brands,&amp;nbsp;not yet present in India, have by now postponed by at least&amp;nbsp;two years their entry, preferring to rather&amp;nbsp;enter in discussions for a franchising / exclusive wholesale distribution.&amp;nbsp;Dolce Gabbana, Roberto Cavalli or Max Mara are among the international luxury brands we might see entering India through franchising by the end of this year.
As for the luxury watches and&amp;nbsp;cars, the two most flourishing luxury sectors in India, the opportunity of opening mono-brand stores remains the biggest opportunity in the short and medium term. Richemont Group has already announced the direct entry of some of its watch brands, with the aim of opening mono-brand locations. As opposed to the existing multi-brand distribution. Luxury brand have to understand that India's sophsticated&amp;nbsp;wealthy are seeking a similar shopping experience&amp;nbsp;locally as&amp;nbsp;to when they travel abroad. Like in the case of fashion, consumers expect to find locally, not only the store concept and brand&amp;nbsp;environment, but also a good representation of the collections of the respctive brand, which is usually much smaller in multi brand distribution.&amp;nbsp;Mono-brand watch stores also convey consumers more trust, in a market inundated with counterfeits.&amp;nbsp;
Luxury hospitality and jewellery are probably India's most challenging luxury sectors, considering India's long&amp;nbsp;tradition in both sectors.&amp;nbsp;International luxury&amp;nbsp;hotel chains&amp;nbsp;present in India have yet to reach the reputation,&amp;nbsp;quality of services and locations of&amp;nbsp;leading Indian hotel&amp;nbsp;chains such as Taj and Oberoi. In the&amp;nbsp;case of jewellery, international luxury brands must&amp;nbsp;understand that India&amp;nbsp;is not China or Russia! India's jewellery craftsmanship and&amp;nbsp;quality&amp;nbsp;of raw materials such as precious stones and gold,&amp;nbsp;are almost impossible to compete with, from the point of view of awareness and price. A top quality jewellery high end piece by a local designer would always be&amp;nbsp;cheaper than an&amp;nbsp;identical piece made by a&amp;nbsp;foreign jewellery house.&amp;nbsp;No wonder Bvlgari has had to close its operations in India and is currently absent from the market while other brands such as Cartier produce modest results in comparison with similar sized markets.
However, the jewellery sector&amp;nbsp;in India presents great opportunities for&amp;nbsp;mid range and premium jewellery makers such as Tiffany and Pomellato, which would be considered as ''fashion jewellery'' by&amp;nbsp;the local consumers. In&amp;nbsp;the case of&amp;nbsp;such brands, they&amp;nbsp;could become extremely profitable&amp;nbsp;targetting the upper middle class in India positioning themselfves as the ideal gift ideas.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;
Oliver Petcu&amp;nbsp;        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>The ultimate luxury packages this Valentine's with Mandarin Oriental Hotels</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/the-ultimate-luxury-packages-this-valentine-s-with-mandarin-oriental-hotels_1990.html</link>
		<pubDate>Sat, 07 Jan 2012 04:54:25 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

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        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			Bespoke SPA treatments, vintage champagne, gourmet tailor made menus by Michelin starred chefs, luxury jewellery, Baroque-style party in an aristocratic palace - are featured in the ultimate luxury Valentine's packages this year at Mandarin Oriental Hotels in Paris, Munich...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Bespoke SPA treatments, vintage champagne, gourmet tailor made menus by Michelin starred chefs, luxury jewellery, Baroque-style party in an aristocratic palace - are featured in the ultimate luxury Valentine's packages this year at Mandarin Oriental Hotels in Paris, Munich and Prague. 
&amp;nbsp;
Mandarin Oriental Paris is preparing an exclusive 2012 Valentine's package which includes luxury accommodation,&amp;nbsp;champagne, chocolates and dinner at one of the hotel's fine&amp;nbsp;ding venues (Sur Mesure by Michelin starred&amp;nbsp;Chef Thierry Marx&amp;nbsp;and Cam&amp;eacute;lia).&amp;nbsp;The&amp;nbsp;Mandarin Oriental Paris&amp;nbsp;has also created&amp;nbsp;a special Valentine's&amp;nbsp;SPA Experience, for two, with Oriental foot treatment, Tian Quan, Quintessence bath, Mandarin Oriental body massage.
&amp;nbsp;
In partnership with Italian jeweller Pomellato, Mandarin Oriental Munich proposes an exclusive Valentine's package in 2012, which includes Dom P&amp;eacute;rignon vintage Champagne bespoke six-course Valentine&amp;rsquo;s menu in the hotel&amp;rsquo;s Michelin starred restaurant Mark's. The icing on the cake is a&amp;nbsp;Nudo ring form the new collection of Pomellato.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Available on the nights of 1 to 29 February 2012 the Valentine&amp;rsquo;s package starts at EUR 3,314&amp;nbsp; based on one night accommodation. 
&amp;nbsp;
Mandarin Oriental, Prague features this year an extravagant romantic package which offers couples the chance to experience the city as never before - by becoming the belle and beau of the Crystal Ball, a magnificent Baroque-style f&amp;ecirc;te held on February 18 in one of the city&amp;rsquo;s splendid palaces. The weekend of 18 February 2012 marks the culmination of the Prague Carnevale, a reborn tradition modelled upon the seasonal festivities once celebrated by local aristocracy. Featuring a plethora of events from street parades to theatre toBaroque-style feasts, the Carnevale&amp;rsquo;s crowning event is the masked, costumed, and lavishly produced Crystal Ball, an unforgettably magical evening that might easily pass for an outtake from Amadeus. 
&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;Guests booking the package will be swathed in luxury for their entire stay, from accommodation in one of Mandarin Oriental, Prague&amp;rsquo;s stunning historical suites, to private costume-fitting and make-up appointments, to a horse-drawn carriage ride to the ball.&amp;nbsp;The Crystal Ball package for two nights&amp;nbsp;includes:&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;round-trip transfers by hotel limousine,&amp;nbsp;2 tickets to the 18 February 2012 Crystal Ball, a masked, costumed Baroque-style extravaganza featuring period costumes, a lavish sit-down gala dinner, Baroque music and dance, and assorted entertainers,&amp;nbsp;private appointment for two &amp;nbsp;at the Carnevale Boudoir where guests will select their costumes, which will be subsequently altered for a perfect fit (if necessary), plus 3-day rental of 2 Baroque costumes for the Crystal Ball. 
&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Strategic business opportunities across luxury industry sectors in 2012</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/strategic-business-opportunities-across-luxury-industry-sectors-in-2012_1989.html</link>
		<pubDate>Sun, 08 Jan 2012 05:30:02 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[Analysis]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[
			Beyond the ongoing financial and political turmoil in many parts of the word in 2011, the year has also surfaced exceptional business opportunities for the luxury industry, mostly related to product development, innovative communications online and offline or the...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Beyond the ongoing financial and political turmoil in many parts of the word in 2011, the year has also surfaced exceptional business opportunities for the luxury industry, mostly related to product development, innovative communications online and offline or the re-interpretation of heritage values. Here are some of the opportunities the CPP-LUXURY.COM team has compiled.
HOTELS
Travelling with pets made easier from 1st January
From the 1st&amp;nbsp;of&amp;nbsp;January it&amp;nbsp;is cheaper and easier to travel with&amp;nbsp; pets thanks to new rules being implemented as part of the Pet Travel Scheme, owners saving&amp;nbsp;time and&amp;nbsp;money for travel proceedures.&amp;nbsp;Under the Pet Travel Scheme, pets from the EU and other countries with robust veterinary systems (listed non-EU countries), such as the USA and Australia, will be required to vaccinate against rabies and then wait 21 days after vaccination before they travel. Pets from unlisted, non-EU countries, such as India, Brazil and South Africa, will need to meet stricter criteria. This includes vaccination against rabies, a blood test, and a three month wait after the blood sample before they enter the UK.
Travelling with pet has become increasingly popular in the past years, many luxury hotels applying pet friendly policies. Pet packages include: walking your dog, shopping, salon services, special diets etc. 

24 hour check in / check out
More international luxury hotels&amp;nbsp;have been introducing this service, which provides guests the ease of check in&amp;nbsp;or check&amp;nbsp;out at any time during the day.&amp;nbsp;For both leisure and&amp;nbsp;business travellers, this&amp;nbsp;has translated&amp;nbsp;into hassle free travel, without worrying&amp;nbsp;about&amp;nbsp;timings.&amp;nbsp;The Address Hotels in Dubai have successfully implemented this type of service. 24 hour check in / check out are ideal for hotels in Middle East and Asia, especially India, where, for instance,&amp;nbsp;most flights from Europe arrive and depart during the night.
All inclusive stays at luxury city hotels
Four Seasons Hotel in Denver was the first international luxury chain hotel to introduce an all inclusive rate - F&amp;amp;B, accommodation, SPA etc. Although applicable for a limited periods, such offers&amp;nbsp;are a&amp;nbsp;unique&amp;nbsp;competitive advantage in terms of awareness, the respective hotels gaining instant overall awareness of value for money, competing directly with ''Club'' product of luxury hotels such as Ritz Carlton or&amp;nbsp;Shangri-La which provide, through access to their Club Floor or Executive lounge to a range of complimentary snaks, soft drinks and select spirits. Such packages are ideal especially for corporate travellers, which would otherwise be restricted to include SPA treatments or dinners in their travel expenses.
Consistent ecology and environmental protection policies
In-room technology aimed at reducing power comsuption when guests are not in&amp;nbsp;the rooms&amp;nbsp; (light&amp;nbsp;automatic&amp;nbsp;switch off and decrease of air conditioning speed), outsourcing from local producers (food,&amp;nbsp;amenities), environmental building certification have gradually replaced the inefficient&amp;nbsp;sheets and towels ''save water and detergents'' as well as&amp;nbsp;the automatic&amp;nbsp;master&amp;nbsp;switch&amp;nbsp;with the use of&amp;nbsp;a card. Consumers&amp;nbsp;need to feel they engage with the hotel in protecting the environment.&amp;nbsp;Ecology could be turned into an experience&amp;nbsp;when communicated sensibly internally with&amp;nbsp;hotel guests.&amp;nbsp;Many&amp;nbsp;luxury&amp;nbsp;properties around the world have been successfully introducing electric powered cars and bikes, a trend which is here to last for the long term.&amp;nbsp;
Organic
From the breakfast eggs to the bathroom amenities kit, an increasing number of wealthy frequent travellers have become more and more aware of the actual source of the respective products. It doesn't take a science degree to understand that, for instance, a shampoo or body lotion which has an 18 month guarantee from opening label contains mostly chemicals (articial ingredients, preservatives etc). Although maybe pricier, hotels which have introduced bathroom amenities mostly made of organic ingredients have not only notice an increase in actual consumption but have also built awareness with guests who are beginning to place great importance on such details.
SPA treatments with organic based products have been gaining recognition among guests. I have recently visited several&amp;nbsp;SPAs at major luxury hotels where the demand for organic treatments has exceeded the cosmetic ones, hotels facing an odd situation given that in many cases, the traditional cosmetics brands have been the ''main'' brands of the respective SPA, some even co-branding the SPAs.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;
Oliver Petcu&amp;nbsp;
to be continued with FASHION / ACCESSORIES on 15th January        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>ME by Meliá flagship hotel in London, designed by Foster + Partners, to open this year</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/me-by-meli---flagship-hotel-in-london--designed-by-foster---partners--to-open-this-year_1988.html</link>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Jan 2012 06:16:19 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

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        </guid>

		<description><![CDATA[
			ME by Meli&amp;aacute;, the luxury contemporary and fashionable brand of Spanish hotel chain MELIA is due to open this year in London, in time for the Summer Olympics. 
The cutting-edge and contemporary ME London hotel will be the first...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			ME by Meli&amp;aacute;, the luxury contemporary and fashionable brand of Spanish hotel chain MELIA is due to open this year in London, in time for the Summer Olympics. 
The cutting-edge and contemporary ME London hotel will be the first hotel to be solely designed by Foster + Partners, created by renowned architect Sir Norman Foster. ME London will offer a luxe collection of 157 rooms and suites, a uber-luxurious Suite ME [two floor suite in the turret of the building that opens onto the roof terrace], screening room and an event space that is accessible by car, a rarity in London.
&amp;nbsp;
Guests will be spoilt for choice by the hotel&amp;rsquo;s two ground-floor restaurants and bar, not to mention the partially-covered rooftop terrace club/bar which offers fantastic 180 degree panoramic views of London, making it one of the most significant rooftop spaces in London.&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;
There are already four ME hotels, in Barcelona, Madrid, Cancun and Cabo, each having established itself as one of THE most trendy hotels in the respective locations.&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;
In keeping with&amp;nbsp;ME by Meli&amp;aacute; strategic concept, each guest&amp;rsquo;s stay will be orchestrated by the dedicated &amp;ldquo;Aura Manager&amp;rdquo;, whose job it is to know the city back-to-front, to get to know each guest personally, and use this knowledge to make the hotel&amp;rsquo;s service truly bespoke.&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;
Located in the district of Holborn, overlooking Somerset House, the hotel isn&amp;rsquo;t just ideally situated for the Olympics, but will surely draw bookings from tourists visiting the West End, business travellers working in the City and is bound to become the place to party for the fashionable, design-conscious set.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>QANTAS refurbished First Class on Airbus A380 takes lead among competitors</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/qantas-refurbished-first-class-on-airbus-a380-takes-lead-among-competitors_1987.html</link>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Jan 2012 01:51:39 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[
			QANTAS (Australia's&amp;nbsp;flagship carrier)&amp;nbsp;was&amp;nbsp;among the first international airlines to fly the super jumbo Airbus A 380, however. Much like Lufthansa or Air France (the&amp;nbsp;only two European airlines to fly the A380), Qantas&amp;nbsp;opted to develop a rather standard&amp;nbsp;First Class cabin, in...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			QANTAS (Australia's&amp;nbsp;flagship carrier)&amp;nbsp;was&amp;nbsp;among the first international airlines to fly the super jumbo Airbus A 380, however. Much like Lufthansa or Air France (the&amp;nbsp;only two European airlines to fly the A380), Qantas&amp;nbsp;opted to develop a rather standard&amp;nbsp;First Class cabin, in sharp contrast&amp;nbsp;with the lavish and luxurious cabins of Singapore&amp;nbsp;Airlines and Emirates.
Qantas recently unveiled its luxurious brand new First Class cabin on Airbus A380. Designed by Marc Newson in&amp;nbsp;an understated contemporary style, the 14 individual suites are equipped with electronically adjustable seat with programmable positions and fully adjustable multi-zone massage function. The seat converts into a fully flat bed complemented by a foam mattress, sheepskin overlay and fitted cotton sheeting. Other features include: electronically deployed 17 inch LCD widescreen video monitor, touch screen control unit, leather guest seat and large dining table designed to accommodate two, high quality finishes including Edelman leather and real wood. electronically controlled dual layer window shades, designer amenities, pyjamas, soft furnishings and tableware featuring designs by Marc Newson, Collette Dinnigan and Akira Isogawa.
&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Paris scores low in mystery shopping survey</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/paris-scores-low-in-mystery-shopping-survey_1986.html</link>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:41:42 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

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        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/paris-scores-low-in-mystery-shopping-survey_1986.html
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		<description><![CDATA[
			In a worldwide survey&amp;nbsp;by mystery shoppers on the leading highstreets, Paris' Champs&amp;nbsp;Elysee ranked 16th out of&amp;nbsp;30, while New York was ranked 26th out of 30.&amp;nbsp;Some 400 stores from Amsterdam to Seoul were rated on four criteria: the appearance of...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			In a worldwide survey&amp;nbsp;by mystery shoppers on the leading highstreets, Paris' Champs&amp;nbsp;Elysee ranked 16th out of&amp;nbsp;30, while New York was ranked 26th out of 30.&amp;nbsp;Some 400 stores from Amsterdam to Seoul were rated on four criteria: the appearance of stores, customer service, general atmosphere and behaviour&amp;nbsp;of passersby.&amp;nbsp;
The top rating went to Singapore's Orchard Road, followed by Avenue de la Liberte in Luxembourg, and Bagdat Street in Istanbul. London's Bond Street ranked only 10th. Champs Elyesee's poor rating comes from&amp;nbsp;services criteria, in which it ranked 22nd. In&amp;nbsp;40% of cases, sales assistants were reported to be irritated&amp;nbsp;in dealing with customers.&amp;nbsp;
Champs Elysee in Paris is home to several luxury brands flagship stores: Louis Vuitton (largest in the world), Lancel, Cartier, Guerlain etc. &amp;nbsp;
adapted from WWD&amp;nbsp;        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>ZILLI relocates to Paris its headoffices where it also opens a major showroom</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/zilli-relocates-to-paris-its-headoffices-where-it-also-opens-a-major-showroom_1985.html</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Jan 2012 07:05:59 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

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		<description><![CDATA[
			In January 2012, French luxury menswear&amp;nbsp;houseZILLI is opening &amp;nbsp;a second showroom for both sales and media will open at 9, Avenue Matignon in the centre of Paris, in a space of approx. 1,000 sqm and an exceptional view of...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			In January 2012, French luxury menswear&amp;nbsp;houseZILLI is opening &amp;nbsp;a second showroom for both sales and media will open at 9, Avenue Matignon in the centre of Paris, in a space of approx. 1,000 sqm and an exceptional view of the Grand Palais. This new facility will enable the company to handle the ever-increasing numbers of purchasers and commercial partners that it has witnessed in recent seasons. A new commercial team has been recruited to reinforce the existing company structure. The Managing Director and the Directors of Communications and Marketing, Retail Operations and Human Resources will all be transferring to the new location. A full press service will be set up in the coming months. 
A member of the F&amp;eacute;d&amp;eacute;ration Fran&amp;ccedil;aise du Pr&amp;ecirc;t &amp;agrave; porter masculin (the French Federation of Men&amp;rsquo;s ready-to-wear fashion) since 2010, ZILLI will present its collection to the international press next January during a day-long exhibition at the Avenue Matignon showroom that will form part of the Paris Fashion Week.
Meanwhile, at the ZILLI head office in Lyon&amp;rsquo;s ninth arrondissement, the company has recently opened La Verri&amp;egrave;re, a 1500 m&amp;sup2; display area situated next to its workshops. La Verri&amp;egrave;re enables the company to group together its activities in the domains of stock storage, logistics, quality control, finished products and ties, together with part of the communications team.
&amp;nbsp;
As for its retail network, ZILLI has recently opened its seasonal boutique at Courchevel on the Rue de l&amp;rsquo;Eglise, as it does every year. In early March 2012 Moscow will be the setting for the opening of ZILLI&amp;rsquo;s next new boutique. With a floor area of&amp;nbsp; 300 m&amp;sup2;, it will be situated in a historic building on Okhotny Ryad, the future building which will host the city&amp;rsquo;s new Four Seasons Hotel. With a presence in Moscow since 1991, for its new premises ZILLI has chosen to invest in a prime location near the Duma and just opposite the Bolshoi Theatre. The Moscow boutique will exhibit leather jackets hand-made at the company&amp;rsquo;s Lyon workshops, together with furs, shoes, knitwear, jeans, cufflinks in terms of jewellery items, glasses, leather goods, luggage items. 
&amp;nbsp;
In 2010, ZILLI had a turnover of 63 million Euros, and forecasts an increase of around 10-15% for 2011. The collection of skins and hides at the Lyon workshop represents 30% of total sales. The company is today present in over 37 countries through its network of 41 boutiques, in addition to over 100 multi-brand points of sale and duty-free outlets.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Louis Vuitton's first ever fragrance will be launched later this year, only avaialble in its stores </title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/louis-vuitton-s-first-ever-fragrance-will-be-launched-later-this-year--only-avaialble-in-its-stores_1984.html</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Jan 2012 03:51:22 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[
			Louis Vuitton reconfirmed this week it has hired reputed French ''nose'' Jacques Cavallier Belletrude to create the brand's first ever fragrance. Cavallier Belletrude is the nose behind several&amp;nbsp;successful&amp;nbsp;fragrances such as L'Eau d'Issey, Poeme of Lancome, Cinema by Yves Saint...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Louis Vuitton reconfirmed this week it has hired reputed French ''nose'' Jacques Cavallier Belletrude to create the brand's first ever fragrance. Cavallier Belletrude is the nose behind several&amp;nbsp;successful&amp;nbsp;fragrances such as L'Eau d'Issey, Poeme of Lancome, Cinema by Yves Saint Laurent, Jean Paul Gaultier Classic. The Louis Vuitton fragrance will only be available at Vuitton stores. Louis Vuitton used to market its own fragrance in the 1920' and 1930', however, it was discountinued shortly.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Exclusive interview - Raymond Bickson, CEO Taj Hotels on his company's strategic positioning and future outlook</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/exclusive-interview---raymond-bickson--ceo-taj-hotels-on-his-company-s-strategic-positioning-and-future-outlook_1983.html</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Jan 2012 04:57:36 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

		<category><![CDATA[Leaders]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[
			In an exclusive interview with CPP-LUXURY.COM, Mr Raymond Bickson, CEO and Managing Director of TAJ Hotels, Resorts and Palaces speaks about his company's strategic positioning and his outlook on the future of luxury hospitality worldwide. 
With China and Russia...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			In an exclusive interview with CPP-LUXURY.COM, Mr Raymond Bickson, CEO and Managing Director of TAJ Hotels, Resorts and Palaces speaks about his company's strategic positioning and his outlook on the future of luxury hospitality worldwide. 
With China and Russia continuing the global power game, elections in many key markets such as the U.S., France as well as the on-going European debt crisis, what is your assessment of 2012?
I would say our outlook is of &amp;lsquo;cautious optimism&amp;rsquo;. We are a global company and a range of factors impact our business. Additionally, there are differing expectations from each of the geographies we operate in. A substantial part of our revenues are from the hotels in India. The Indian economy is expected to grow at 7%-8% year-on-year and we do see inbound tourism to India also sustaining. Therefore most of our hotels in India should see a mix of ARR &amp;amp; occupancy growth. For our international hotels, while the economic environment continues to be tough, we do expect some improvement, which should translate into growth in both ARRs and Occupancies. Many of our international properties are iconic hotels in their destinations and as the outlook improves we expect to capture a good share of the increase in demand. 
&amp;nbsp;
Domestic short haul travel across Asia/Pacific is a growing trend although long haul travelers from Americas and Europe will continue to be the biggest contributors to the tourism industry here. As per a recent UNWTO report, Asia- Pacific is the region where highest growth is expected in the coming decades in terms of both inbound and outbound. The overall share of Asia &amp;ndash; pacific in terms of tourism arrivals is expected to increase from the current 22% to approximately 30% in the coming decades.
&amp;nbsp;
For inbound travel into India, US and Europe continue to be the leading source markets and together they account for almost 1/3rd of tourist arrivals into India, and this trend is expected to continue in the coming years.
&amp;nbsp;
According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), India is one of the fastest growing markets for outbound tourism in the world. Now with the recovering economy, improved consumer confidence and attractive tour packages, the number of Indians travelling abroad is almost double the number of inbound travellers visiting the country. The Taj&amp;rsquo;s share of this market in destinations where we are located is expected to grow as well.
&amp;nbsp;
The World Travel and Tourism Council predicts for 2012 that spending on luxury travel will increase by 6% for leisure travellers and 5% for business travellers. What are your expectations for India, your key market?
&amp;nbsp;
I expect India will show similar trends. The last quarter of 2011 has shown higher occupancies across all our luxury hotels.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 
&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;
True values and heritage, which are also part of your company&amp;rsquo;s DNA, have been highlighted at this year&amp;rsquo;s edition of ILTM, as key drivers for a successful business strategy in luxury hospitality in the coming years. In this respect, which are the key elements of your long term strategic positioning approach? 
&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;
With our heritage of hospitality spanning over 100 years, we not only want to preserve but also build on the equity that we have of authenticity, heritage and Tata values. As a brand we are driven with a passion to delight our customers and create a series of impeccable moments which balance traditional and contemporary Indian hospitality to create unique experiences and lifelong memories. By understanding our customer needs deeply, by constantly refreshing and redefining luxury and bringing the brand promise alive through both service and product, we feel we can be an even stronger luxury brand. 
&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;
Several of your iconic properties such as Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai and Taj Coromandel have recently completed comprehensive refurbishment programs. Which other hotels from your chain will undergo such comprehensive renovations?
&amp;nbsp;
As part of a normal business cycle, several hotels undergo renovations.
Having completed the restoration of the heritage wing of the The Taj Mahal Palace Mumbai, we are also poised to take up extensive renovations of the Tower Wing. We are working with Madrid based Rockwell Group on this project. 
&amp;nbsp;
With Sri Lanka seeing resurgence in tourism, Taj Samudra, flagship property at Colombo, Sri Lanka and Vivanta by Taj &amp;ndash; Bentota, Sri Lanka will undergo renovations to enhance the experience.
&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;
The speakers at The Utratravel Forum at the 2011 edition of ILTM in Cannes have highlighted the following trends. Please comment from your perspective. 
&amp;nbsp;
a) travellers want to &amp;lsquo;&amp;rsquo;integrate&amp;rsquo;&amp;rsquo; with the place &amp;ndash; they feel the need for an enhanced sense of &amp;lsquo;&amp;rsquo;just being&amp;rsquo;&amp;rsquo; rather than being surrounded by material things 
&amp;nbsp;
We at the Taj have been spotting this trend. For one of our new brands, Vivanta by Taj, which was launched on September 2010 we have developed &amp;ldquo;Vivanta Motifs&amp;rdquo;. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;With each Vivanta hotel we present signature experiences rooted in local destination cues. These Vivanta Motifs are a representation of the Vivanta philosophy of hospitality with an imaginative twist.&amp;nbsp; During the course of their stay at Vivanta by Taj &amp;ndash; Holiday Village, guests can enjoy the &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Spice Route. Goa&amp;rsquo;s legendary Balchaos, Vindaloos and Sorpotels acquire their flavour from the fresh spices that are cultivated there. Guests can take a walk down the spice route with the Chef Culinaire of Goan Cuisine, Urbano de Rego himself. &amp;nbsp;They can stroll through the colourful bazaars of Mapusa as Chef Rego describes the ingredients that are essential to Goa&amp;rsquo;s culinary history. The tour ends with a delicious meal prepared by the Chef and a memorable gift as well.&amp;nbsp; 
&amp;nbsp;
b) travellers have transitioned from more choices to curated ones
&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;
Taj has always tried to personalise guest stays. We have curated experiences that are unique to the destination or the hotel. We have partnered with national and local tourism bodies to provide guests with such memorable moments.
&amp;nbsp;
The Rambagh Palace, or the &amp;lsquo;Jewel of Jaipur&amp;rsquo;, offers its guests varied choices. &amp;nbsp;By day visitors can play the sport of kings, Polo &amp;ndash; either on horseback or more leisurely on elephant, winding up the day&amp;rsquo;s activities in the Polo Bar, adorned with memorabilia from days of old.&amp;nbsp; 
&amp;nbsp;
The Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur is a four-acre marble vision rising ethereally from the serene waters of Lake Pichola and is the second most photographed property in India after the Taj Mahal.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Guests can relive the stately splendour of royal cruises by sailing into the purple sunset aboard the Gangaur &amp;ndash; a hundred and fifty year old ceremonial candlelit imperial barge navigated by gloriously dressed oarsmen.&amp;nbsp; Alternatively they can gain a valuable insight into the palace by taking a heritage champagne walk around the palace and grounds, with a royal escort armed with caviar, pat&amp;eacute; and a bottle of Pommery.
&amp;nbsp;
At the Taj Exotica Resort &amp;amp; Spa, Maldives, the aim is to create everlasting memories that make the guest stay ever so special. And nothing achieves this better than an opportunity to experience an elegant Renewal of Vows ceremony at a pristine beach venue. A bottle of champagne to toast with, a decorated ceremonial pavilion on the ocean with gentle wedding music and a flower bath for the couple. The resort hosts a most beautiful ceremony symbolic of the precious bond. A wedding certificate, as a timeless memento of the ceremony, is presented by the staff along with a special traditional album that contains all the photos of the wedding ceremony at the resort.
&amp;nbsp;
c) an increasing number of travellers will book their hotels, spontaneously, through their smart phones in the near future
&amp;nbsp;
The hospitality industry is becoming tech savvy. Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces has been observing this trend and we want to be where our customers are. Taj Hotels is the first Indian hospitality company to launch an Iphone application for its guests. This application allows guests to browse through hotel information related to stays, F&amp;amp;B and hotel facilities and make reservations. 
&amp;nbsp;
Customers wanting to book into a Vivanta by Taj hotel can use smart phones to do that starting January 2012. This integrates itself with popular location based apps.
&amp;nbsp;
d)&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;travellers seek real value and keeping experiences relevant
&amp;nbsp;
Yes, this is indeed true and as you will see from the answers above, they are now quite conscious of value related travel, whilst at the same time, do not want to lose out on the experience that a destination can offer them.
&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;
Do you agree that in the past three years travellers have been perceiving luxury differently? Does this apply to Indian luxury travellers?
&amp;nbsp;
Yes &amp;ndash; the luxury traveller has become even more demanding. They demand a very high level of customisation and are looking for distinctive experiences.
&amp;nbsp;
Breaking new ground in India, a joint venture between Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palaces and &amp;amp;Beyond offers India&amp;rsquo;s first and only wildlife circuit in the country. This partnership, known as Taj Safaris, provides guests with the ultimate interpretive wildlife experience, based on a proven sustainable ecotourism model. Operating in Madhya Pradesh, for almost five years, it&amp;rsquo;s four lodges&amp;nbsp; - Pashan Garh in Panna National Park, Mahua Kothi in Bandhavgarh National Park, Banjaar Tola in Kanha National Park and Baghvan in Pench National Park &amp;ndash; also address the niche area of wildlife conservation as well as the communities in which they operate.
&amp;nbsp;
Keeping with the Legacy of corporate sustainability, Taj Safaris have introduced their latest initiatve called &amp;rdquo;Voluntourism&amp;rdquo;. &amp;nbsp;The initiative encourages guests a first hand experience of the villagers and their day to day lives by availing of exclusive &amp;rsquo;Voluntourism Packages&amp;rsquo; for 3-5 days, crafted specially for guests looking for a holiday with a purpose. The packages includes 2 safari drives(for a 3 day package and 3 safaris for a 5 day package) , visit to ancient temples apart from nature walks, visiting the villages, sharing meals and engaing in various activities.&amp;nbsp; Guests can also chose to impart a skill to the locals. 
&amp;nbsp;
How brand conscious are Indian luxury travellers when travelling domestically, versus when travelling abroad?
&amp;nbsp;
The Indian luxury traveller is very brand conscious. This customer is a very global player , travels abroad very often , has experienced different countries and cuisines and hence is familiar with famous brands across categories &amp;ndash; be it hotels, cars , hotels or fashion .&amp;nbsp; Also, the hotels in India are at par with the best in the world. So their expectations are very high and do not change whether they are in India or abroad.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 
&amp;nbsp;
Drawing a parallel with other luxury sectors such as fashion and jewellery, can we speak in India of a distinct luxury target segment which are &amp;lsquo;&amp;rsquo;responsible spenders&amp;rsquo;&amp;rsquo;? (old fashion and conservative approach)
&amp;nbsp;
Yes &amp;ndash;such a category exists in India but it is at a nascent stage. &amp;nbsp;The hospitality sector is cognisant of this and are very consciously adapting to this emerging segment.
&amp;nbsp;
Development of SPAs has been playing a crucial role in luxury hotels, both city hotels and resorts. What is the strategic approach of Taj Hotels on SPAs?
&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;In the last decade, a whole new generation of spa goers has arisen. Due to increased stress levels and hectic lifestyles, the physically conscious person uses restorative and rejuvenative techniques to improve their wellbeing. Today&amp;rsquo;s customer is looking for holistic, integrated, and lifestyle-oriented concepts that emphasize the pursuit of a more balanced lifestyle and sustainable and eco-friendly concepts and products.
&amp;nbsp;
In the year 2003, we at the Taj, conceptualized our very own in-house brand JIVA. Being an Indian Hotel company in a land rich in culture, tradition and the bedrock of Asian healing traditions; we decided to capitalize on an un-tapped market idea and hence created the Jiva Spa Concept with unique Signature experiences integrating ancient Indian wellness concepts with Indian Hospitality. Jiva not only offers unique Indian spa experiences; but all our products are of hand-picked organic ingredients, especially created for Jiva from a botanical source, free from parabens, petro-chemicals and not tested on animals.
&amp;nbsp;
Jiva is an integral part of the Taj and we are one of the fastest growing spa brands in Asia and the largest in India. In the last seven years, we have created, designed and developed 24 Jiva Spas in India and abroad. Currently, we are working on 21 more spas in various international locations (including India). Going forward, we see Jiva carving out its own unique identity and positioned amongst the top spa brands in the international arena. 
&amp;nbsp;
Jiva aims at providing holistic spa retreats and wellness centers and offers authentic, location-based, and signature experiences that draw directly from ancient Indian wellness and weave in unique local traditions and natural assets of the region. For example, Abhisheka, at Nadesar Palace in Varanasi, includes a bath with Ganges water and the five ambrosias, followed by a signature massage recreating the sanctity of traditional purifying rituals. 
&amp;nbsp;
What are the three top foreign nationalities of travellers to India which stay at your hotels? What do you think are their top three motivations in their choice for India as a holiday or business destination?
&amp;nbsp;
The top three foreign nationalities of travellers to Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces are USA, UK and Germany in that order.
India is one of the few world economies that are still growing at a relatively higher rate. So there is a lot of business related travel as more and more companies want to do business in India. India is also a popular leisure destination with multiple choices.&amp;nbsp; Europeans are inclined to take cultural tours to see forts, monuments and palaces. Kerala with its Ayurveda and Yoga is also very popular. Goa is a favourite choice for beach destination. There is also a keen interest in spirituality.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;
An increasing number of luxury hotel chains internationally have been introducing fine dining by international Michelin starred Chefs. What is your company&amp;rsquo;s approach?
&amp;nbsp;
We have our own internal centres of excellence which develop pioneering restaurants and cuisine concepts. Quilon, a Taj restaurant in London has retained its Michelin star for the fifth year in 2012 Michelin Guide to Great Britain &amp;amp; Ireland. It is the only Michelin starred south Indian cuisine restaurant in the world.&amp;nbsp; MICHELIN Guide San Francisco, Bay Area &amp;amp; Wine Country 2012 has recognized renowned San Francisco landmark Campton Place Restaurant at the Taj Campton&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; with 1 star in its latest annual dining guide. This was the second time that the restaurant won this honour.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 
&amp;nbsp;
&amp;nbsp;
With Marrakech becoming a very competitive luxury hospitality market, what is your company&amp;rsquo;s approach on your upcoming opening? 
&amp;nbsp;
Taj Palace Marrakech is our latest venture into the African continent and is in sync with our strategy to continue our vision of growth in key international destinations. The hotel will fit perfectly in our portfolio with its meticulously crafted and vivid blend of Moroccan, Indian and Asian themes. Marrakech is rich in culture and tradition and is increasingly becoming a most desired leisure destination.
&amp;nbsp;
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		<title>More Chinese wealthy tourist head for Dubai</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/more-chinese-wealthy-tourist-head-for-dubai_1982.html</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Jan 2012 02:13:51 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

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		<description><![CDATA[
			The glitz and glamour of Dubai and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are proving to be a big draw for Chinese travelers. The UAE became an approved destination in China two years ago, which makes it easier for Chinese...		]]></description>
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			The glitz and glamour of Dubai and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are proving to be a big draw for Chinese travelers. The UAE became an approved destination in China two years ago, which makes it easier for Chinese tourists to get visas to travel there.
The super luxury hotels and malls are some of the main attractions for wealthy Chinese. There are now Chinese speaking guest relations agents in most luxury hotels and Chinese speaking sales assistants at all major luxury stores.
Although Chinese tourists account for only a small percentage of the visitors to the area, the number of Chinese tourists jumped by 40% last year. &amp;ldquo;The number of arrivals from China in 2010 was about 150,000 out of 8 million,&amp;rdquo; according to Liz Martins, a senior economist at HSBC (Middle East, North Africa).
&amp;ldquo;It&amp;rsquo;s expected that there will be 100 million outbound Chinese travelers by 2020 and already it&amp;rsquo;s quite close to 50 million outbound tourists, so why would we ignore it? It&amp;rsquo;s a great opportunity,&amp;rdquo; said Gerald Lawless, executive chairman of Jumeirah Group which owns the Burj al Arab, the first self-titled 7-star hotel.
&amp;ldquo;Year to date, the total number of Chinese visitors to the Burj, the total percentage of our business, is about 25%,&amp;rdquo; he added. &amp;ldquo;One of the great things for us is that the Chinese love to travel in the summer time. They don&amp;rsquo;t mind that it&amp;rsquo;s quite warm in Dubai in the summer, so it&amp;rsquo;s not even pushing into our high season.&amp;rdquo;
The UAE has ambitions to double the number of tourists by 2020.
adapted from CNN        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>BVLGARI HOTEL London to open in April</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/bvlgari-hotel-london-to-open-in-april_1981.html</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Jan 2012 12:20:16 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

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        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/bvlgari-hotel-london-to-open-in-april_1981.html
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		<description><![CDATA[
			Owned by Ms Rosalia Mera, the ex wife of Inditex Group (Zara)&amp;nbsp;founder,&amp;nbsp;one of Spain's largest conglomerates, Bulgari Hotel&amp;nbsp;is scheduled to open in London in April,&amp;nbsp;in time for the&amp;nbsp;Summer Olympics and the&amp;nbsp;Queen's Jubilee events.&amp;nbsp;
Situated in&amp;nbsp;London&amp;rsquo;s Knightsbridge area,&amp;nbsp;the 85&amp;nbsp;room Bvlgari Hotel...		]]></description>
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			Owned by Ms Rosalia Mera, the ex wife of Inditex Group (Zara)&amp;nbsp;founder,&amp;nbsp;one of Spain's largest conglomerates, Bulgari Hotel&amp;nbsp;is scheduled to open in London in April,&amp;nbsp;in time for the&amp;nbsp;Summer Olympics and the&amp;nbsp;Queen's Jubilee events.&amp;nbsp;
Situated in&amp;nbsp;London&amp;rsquo;s Knightsbridge area,&amp;nbsp;the 85&amp;nbsp;room Bvlgari Hotel is managed by Bvlgari Hotels and Resorts, a joint&amp;nbsp;venture between Italian jeweller BULGARI&amp;nbsp;(owned since last year by LVMH) and&amp;nbsp;Marriott International. Bulgari Hotel London is the&amp;nbsp;first luxury new-build hotel in 40 years to open in the city.
According to the Bulgari Hotels website, a 7th&amp;nbsp;floor penthouse is available through Christie&amp;rsquo;s International Real Estate. Although few details are currently available online about the penthouse, the website does indicate that it features 9,260 square feet of exquisite living space.
Speaking at an event in London last week, Bulgari's CEO, Francesco Trapani, said Bulgari London will feature &amp;ldquo;a contemporary yet timeless style employing a range of marbles, woods and precious materials, together with Italian furniture and custom-made textiles.&amp;rdquo; Silver will be a major theme in the design of the hotel, which for those who are familiar with the Bulgari name know is a nod to the company&amp;rsquo;s silversmith origins.
The Bulgari London hotel will also include an 80-seat Italian restaurant, a bar, a ballroom, a 47-seat screening room, a library, a cigar shop, a 25-meter pool and a spa facility that has 12 treatment rooms for the ultimate in relaxation.
While the Bulgari Resort Bali has been highly rated since opening, the Bulgari Hotel in Milan, Italy has been constantly lagging behind its major luxury hotel competitors, especially from a services point of view. The fact that Marriott International now has&amp;nbsp;3 luxury brands - Edition, Ritz Carlton and Bulgari has raised&amp;nbsp;questions over the actual positioning and differentiation of the three luxury brands.
It will also be interesting to see how Bulgari's partnership with Marriott will&amp;nbsp;proceed, given that&amp;nbsp;Bulgari's parent company, LVMH, has big plans for the development of its own luxury hotel division - LVMH currently owns and managed luxury palace hotel Cheval Blanc in Courchevel and has signed management agreements for 4 other hotels in Middle East and North Africa. In December last year, real estate sources in New York indicated LVMH was negotiating for a Manhattan hotel location.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Stella McCartney and Bottega to open mono-brand stores in Barcelona</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/stella-mccartney-and-bottega-to-open-mono-brand-stores-in-barcelona_1980.html</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Jan 2012 08:39:24 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

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        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/stella-mccartney-and-bottega-to-open-mono-brand-stores-in-barcelona_1980.html
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		<description><![CDATA[
			British fashion designer Stella McCartnery,&amp;nbsp;already present in Spain through several multi-brand stores, announced the opening of its first mono-brand store in Spain, in Barcelona, by mid 2012. Situated at 102 Passeig De Gracia, Barcelona's leading highstreet, the Stella McCartney...		]]></description>
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			British fashion designer Stella McCartnery,&amp;nbsp;already present in Spain through several multi-brand stores, announced the opening of its first mono-brand store in Spain, in Barcelona, by mid 2012. Situated at 102 Passeig De Gracia, Barcelona's leading highstreet, the Stella McCartney mono-brand boutique will be directly operated. Stella McCartney is fully owned by French PPR Group.
Another major opening on Barcelona's Passeig de Gracia will be the first Bottega Veneta mono-brand store in Spain. The new Bottega Veneta store in Barcelona will be situated close to Stella McCartney and is likely to open in Fall this year.
Passeig de Gracia is home to most international luxury brands: Prada, Miu Miu, Emporio Armani, Tiffany (all opened in 2011), Brioni, Gucci, Dolce Gabbana, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Hermes, Loewe etc
Despite the financial turmoil, Barcelona and Madrid continue to attract a large number of wealthy foreigners, especially from Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Peru and Chile, sales to foreigners accounting for almost 60% of all sales of luxury goods.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Bottega Veneta inaugurates its sixth mono-brand store in Italy in the city of Napoli</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/bottega-veneta-inaugurates-its-sixth-mono-brand-store-in-italy-in-the-city-of-napoli_1979.html</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Jan 2012 07:26:16 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

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		<description><![CDATA[
			Italian luxury house of BOTTEGA VENETA, owned by French PPR Group, inaugurated this week, its sixth mono-brand store in Italy, in the Southern city of Napoli. The new Bottega Veneta Napoli which&amp;nbsp;is situated in the city most exclusive shopping...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Italian luxury house of BOTTEGA VENETA, owned by French PPR Group, inaugurated this week, its sixth mono-brand store in Italy, in the Southern city of Napoli. The new Bottega Veneta Napoli which&amp;nbsp;is situated in the city most exclusive shopping street, Via Calabritto, covers a surface of 90 sqm and features both men's and women's collections. Bottega Veneta is set to continue expansion in Italy throughout 2012 with two mono-brand openings planned.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>FOUR SEASONS Hotels register positive results in 2011 and accelerate expansion</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/four-seasons-hotels-register-positive-results-in-2011-and-accelerate-expansion_1978.html</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Jan 2012 06:56:07 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

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        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/four-seasons-hotels-register-positive-results-in-2011-and-accelerate-expansion_1978.html
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		<description><![CDATA[
			According to WSJ, Four Seasons Hotels &amp;amp; Resorts, co-owned by HRH Prince A Waleed (Kingdom Holding) and Bill Gates (Cascade Investment) registered a 9% increase in revenue per room for the first nine months of 2011, compared with the...		]]></description>
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			According to WSJ, Four Seasons Hotels &amp;amp; Resorts, co-owned by HRH Prince A Waleed (Kingdom Holding) and Bill Gates (Cascade Investment) registered a 9% increase in revenue per room for the first nine months of 2011, compared with the same period in 2010. HRH Prince Al Waleed and Bill Gates acquired Four Seasons in 2007 for US$ 3,4 billion
Mr Sarmad Zok, chief executive of Kingdom Hotel Investments, a unit of Kingdom Holding, described the prince and Kingdom as &amp;quot;delighted&amp;quot; with the Four Seasons investment and added that the prince wants to accelerate the chain's expansion.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>BURBERRY to expand in Bulgaria and Cyprus in 2012</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/burberry-to-expand-in-bulgaria-and-cyprus-in-2012_1976.html</link>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Jan 2012 09:34:02 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

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        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/burberry-to-expand-in-bulgaria-and-cyprus-in-2012_1976.html
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			Following the opening of the first mono-brand franchised BURBERRY store in the Romanian capital of Bucharest in March 2012, weekly business Capital reports local franchisee, Global Eye Group, owned by young Greek business owner Solomon Mordechai will open Burberry...		]]></description>
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			Following the opening of the first mono-brand franchised BURBERRY store in the Romanian capital of Bucharest in March 2012, weekly business Capital reports local franchisee, Global Eye Group, owned by young Greek business owner Solomon Mordechai will open Burberry franchised stores in Bulgaria and Cyprus too.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;
Mordechai's family sold in 2008 major regional retailer Elmec Sport Group (Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, Cyprus) - franchisee and exclusive distributor of Nike, Converse, Marlboro Classic, Calvin Klein Jeans, Energie, Camper, Miss Sixty. In 2009, Mordechai set up Global Eye Group, with the most diversified activities such as IT, real estate, energy, however, according to the Romanian Fiscal Registry, the group's only profitable business has been LivingWell SRL, exclusive distributor of Italian premium wellness equipment maker Technogym in Romania.
It remains to be seen whether for Bulgaria and Cyprus, Burberry will accept a compromise location like the one in Bucharest, on a lateral street with limited parking, a street&amp;nbsp;with lackluster derelict buildings and no retail,&amp;nbsp;on the back of the&amp;nbsp;Radisson Blu Hotel. &amp;nbsp;        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>PRADA opens flagship store in Atlanta</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/prada-opens-flagship-store-in-atlanta_1975.html</link>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Jan 2012 01:21:44 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

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			Italian luxury house of PRADA inagurated this week its flagship store in Atlanta, Georgia. Situated within the upmarket Lenox Mall in Atlanta, the new Prada store covers a surface of 450 sqm, on one floor. The store which is...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Italian luxury house of PRADA inagurated this week its flagship store in Atlanta, Georgia. Situated within the upmarket Lenox Mall in Atlanta, the new Prada store covers a surface of 450 sqm, on one floor. The store which is designed by Italian architect Roberto Baciocchi, the store reflects the international store concept of Prada, including lightbox windows. Prada store in Atlanta features the full product range ready to wear,&amp;nbsp;acccessories, shoes and bags for&amp;nbsp;both men and women. &amp;nbsp;        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Anantara to open two luxury hotels in Abu Dhabi this year</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/anantara-to-open-two-luxury-hotels-in-abu-dhabi-this-year_1974.html</link>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Jan 2012 12:54:57 +0200</pubDate>
        <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>

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		<description><![CDATA[
			Eastern Mangroves Hotel &amp;amp; Spa by Anantara, which is set to open in the 2nd quarter of 2012 is&amp;nbsp;a&amp;nbsp;new luxury five-star hotel in Abu Dhabi city, occupying a prime position along a 1.2 kilometre stretch of Abu Dhabi&amp;rsquo;s protected...		]]></description>
        <content:encoded><![CDATA[
			Eastern Mangroves Hotel &amp;amp; Spa by Anantara, which is set to open in the 2nd quarter of 2012 is&amp;nbsp;a&amp;nbsp;new luxury five-star hotel in Abu Dhabi city, occupying a prime position along a 1.2 kilometre stretch of Abu Dhabi&amp;rsquo;s protected Eastern Mangroves District, situated 15 minutes from Abu Dhabi International Airport and 10 minutes from downtown Abu Dhabi. The hotel consists of 222 hotel rooms and suites, six food and beverage outlets, including a Thai restaurant, an all day dining restaurant with live kitchens serving seafood, Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine, a pool bar, a shisha deck, a lobby lounge and a rooftop lounge providing views of the mangroves.
Also in Abu Dhabi, the group plans to open two luxury lodges on Sir Bani Yas Island, where Anantara already operates the Desert Islands Resort and Spa. Due to open in 2012, the two Lodges on Sir Bani Yas Island, Al Yamm and Al Sahel comprise of 30 luxury villas. Sir Bani Yas Stables, Desert Islands Water Sports Centre and Desert Islands Conference Centre are on schedule to open in the first half of 2012.
The equestrian centre will host five horses initially, with more to come in a second phase, and a riding ring, training ring, grass paddocks, sand paddocks and wildlife excursions.The sports centre will offer diving courses and a practice pool and a casual dining Bar &amp;amp; Grill. &amp;nbsp;        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Ozwald Boateng plans major international expansion</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/ozwald-boateng-plans-major-international-expansion_1973.html</link>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Jan 2012 10:09:33 +0200</pubDate>
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			British based luxury menswear designer Ozwald&amp;nbsp;Boateng, formerly creative director of Givenchy's mens line, has held talks with banks and institutional investors about the plans, which could see a 200 million euros&amp;nbsp;investment by 2016.
Each store launch will cost&amp;nbsp;2 million euros&amp;nbsp;on...		]]></description>
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			British based luxury menswear designer Ozwald&amp;nbsp;Boateng, formerly creative director of Givenchy's mens line, has held talks with banks and institutional investors about the plans, which could see a 200 million euros&amp;nbsp;investment by 2016.
Each store launch will cost&amp;nbsp;2 million euros&amp;nbsp;on average and will be planned and funded under a joint-venture or franchise model.&amp;nbsp; The move will be a major boost for the UK's luxury brand sector. Mr Boateng runs his successful retail business from his menswear shop on Savile Row, London (he opened his first Savile Row shop at the age of 23) and played a significant role in revolutionising men's fashion when he first launched in the 1990s. Celebrity clients include Jude Law, Herbie Hancock and Mick Jagger.
In 2005, Boateng was honored with a major 20 year retrospective event at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The exhibition recognized that Boateng had by combining the highest standards of execution with a fresh, vibrant design philosophy, successfully captured the imagination of both the media and the public. In 2008 Ozwald Boateng's new flagship store and headquarters are launched at No. 30 Savile Row, on the corner of Savile Row and Clifford Street
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		<title>Marc Jacobs to launch complete children's line</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/marc-jacobs-to-launch-complete-children-s-line_1972.html</link>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Jan 2012 09:45:58 +0200</pubDate>
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        	http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/marc-jacobs-to-launch-complete-children-s-line_1972.html
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			Starting with the Fall/Winter 2012/2013 season, Marc Jacobs will launch its children's ready to wear and accessories line. Targetted at children 0 to 12 years old, the Little Marc Jacobs line will be produced in licensing by&amp;nbsp;French based CWF...		]]></description>
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			Starting with the Fall/Winter 2012/2013 season, Marc Jacobs will launch its children's ready to wear and accessories line. Targetted at children 0 to 12 years old, the Little Marc Jacobs line will be produced in licensing by&amp;nbsp;French based CWF Group (Children Worldwide Fashion), which already licenses the children's lines of DKNY, Burberry, Chlo&amp;eacute;, Hugo Boss.
The distribution of the LITTLE MARC JACOBS collection will be through a selected network of multibrand retailers, department stores, MARC JACOBS own stores as well as C.W.F. stores Atelier de Courcelles.         ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Latest news at MANDARIN ORIENTAL hotels worldwide</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/latest-news-at-mandarin-oriental-hotels-worldwide_1955.html</link>
		<pubDate>Sat, 07 Jan 2012 11:18:52 +0200</pubDate>
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			Mandarin Oriental, the only hotel in Singapore, to receive the prestigious Forbes Five Star designation in the hotel category, and one of only two hotels in the city to be honoured in the&amp;nbsp;SPA category for 2012.&amp;nbsp; In recognition of...		]]></description>
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			Mandarin Oriental, the only hotel in Singapore, to receive the prestigious Forbes Five Star designation in the hotel category, and one of only two hotels in the city to be honoured in the&amp;nbsp;SPA category for 2012.&amp;nbsp; In recognition of its Forbes Five Star award, the hotel is offering the Perfect Five Star package, inclusive of&amp;nbsp;round-trip limousine transfers, two nights accommodation in an exclusive Club Harbour Suite,&amp;nbsp; welcome bottle of Ruinart R de Ruinart Brut NV Champagne,&amp;nbsp;Perfect Five Star wine pairing dinner at award-winning Dolce Vita,&amp;nbsp; a revitalising&amp;nbsp;Signature Spa Therapy experience (2 hours 50 minutes) inclusive of a private therapist consultation and a&amp;nbsp;take-home gift from The Spa.
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Mandarin Oriental Munich, one of the top luxury hotels in Germany&amp;nbsp;has recently&amp;nbsp;unveiled a spectacular dedicated to Fitness and Wellness (available exclusively to hotel guests from January 2012). Located on the hotel&amp;rsquo;s ground floor, the area has been designed to complement the stunning rooftop pool with 360 degree views over the city&amp;rsquo;s beautiful sights.&amp;nbsp; The Fitness area houses a wide range of state-of-the-art equipment from TechnoGym. Each machine is equipped with the latest audio and video facilities including a multimedia interface that offers internet connectivity, integrated television and iPod/iPhone connection allowing users to view personal entertainment options on the 19&amp;rdquo; screen whilst they work out. The gym also features a Kinesis Wall with computerised fitness assessment and training programmes. 

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Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong is delighted to have partnered with John Lobb, the renowned manufacturer of men&amp;rsquo;s shoes and accessories, to offer guests and visitors a very special shoe-shine service, from a dedicated John Lobb Shoe-Shine chair. The bespoke chair, which will be situated in the hotel&amp;rsquo;s East Lobby from the end of January 2012, is one of only four in the world, and is the only one in Hong Kong.&amp;nbsp; Four specially trained Shoe-Shine Butlers have all undertaken extensive training by Paul Brogden who has worked with John Lobb for over 21 years, and travelled to Hong Kong to teach them how to perfect this art.&amp;nbsp; Only the finest John Lobb materials will be used including wax, polish, brushes and cloths all of which will be housed within a dedicated shoe-shine box.&amp;nbsp;
Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas,&amp;nbsp;the only hotel in Las Vegas, and among only four in the United States, to receive the prestigious Forbes Five Star designation in all three categories (hotel, spa and restaurant) for 2012 is launching Celebrate the Stars travel package, with room rates starting at USD 500.&amp;nbsp; The overnight package includes: one-night stay in luxurious accommodations, three-course tasting menu for two in the signature restaurant Twist by Pierre Gagnaire&amp;nbsp;and two unlimited access passes to the revitalizing Tian Quan Thermal Experiences in The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas. 

Mandarin Oriental Munich is hosting on January 26th 2012 a lavish event for the Chinese New Year (The Year of the Dragon), one of the most sought after parties in Europe.        ]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>LE BRISTOL, the essence of Parisian grandeur</title>
		<link>http://www.cpp-luxury.com/en/le-bristol--the-essence-of-parisian-grandeur_1971.html</link>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Jan 2012 01:21:33 +0200</pubDate>
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			Inaugurated in 1925, Le Bristol is the only heritage luxury hotel in Paris which has been proudly owned by just two private owners and this says a lot about the attention to detail and continuous strive for perfection. Madame...		]]></description>
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			Inaugurated in 1925, Le Bristol is the only heritage luxury hotel in Paris which has been proudly owned by just two private owners and this says a lot about the attention to detail and continuous strive for perfection. Madame Maja Oetker of the Oetker family who own the hotel is still actively involved in every single detail regarding the interior design of the hotel.
Madame Oetker together with renowned French hotel interior designer Pierre Yves Rochon have actually worked together&amp;nbsp;to remodel&amp;nbsp;the hotel's Three Star Michelin restaurant Epicure in 2011, unveiling a fresh look&amp;nbsp;with soft colours and luxurious fabrics as well as a fireplace which adds warmth and intimacy.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Madame Oetker worked closely with Pierre Yves Rochon to design the interiors of the hotel's newest wing ''Residence Matignon''&amp;nbsp;which was inagurated in 2010, adding 21 new bedrooms, 5 luxury suites and Le 114 Faubourg Restaurant.
Every step in the evolution and development of the hotel has been carefully planned, the owners and management overseeing that consistency is maintained in every single detail, from the original classic furniture and design elements (fabrics, interior decoration objects) to the versatility of the rooms and suites. Le Bristol is probably the classic luxury hotel in Paris&amp;nbsp;with the most versatile allocation of space, being able to provide its most discerning guests with the widest and most complex type of accommodation - from Eiffel Tower panoramic views, natural&amp;nbsp;lit bathrooms, large terraces, to garden&amp;nbsp;views which in summer allow guests to savour the quiet garden with the windows open.&amp;nbsp;
My stay at Le Bristol could not have come&amp;nbsp;at a better time, this past December,&amp;nbsp;just three months since the inauguration of the new&amp;nbsp;SPA,&amp;nbsp;during the&amp;nbsp;amazing classic Christmas decorations throughout the hotel (natural Christmas trees, including one in my room) and less than two months from the completion of renovations of some of the hotel's signature suites, the Imperial Suite (the largest in the hotel and the only with parquet) and the Honeymoon Suite. Over 80% of the room inventory of the hotel have&amp;nbsp;actually completed a comprehensive refurbishment process in 2011.&amp;nbsp;Judging by the attention to details, I would rather call the completion of a careful restoration work, considering that same interior elements being kept but now looking more fresh crisp.
My room, a junior suite overlooking the courtyard garden, which is actually the largest such garden at any luxury hotel in Paris, had an oversized king bed with a generous living area. Bathrooms are entirely made of rose white marble, with double sinks (a rarity in Paris) a large bathtub and a&amp;nbsp; separate shower. I was glad to learn from the staff, the hotel was planning to update the amenities, towels and bathrobes too, to provide the ultimate in luxury. Impeccably dressed maids, like in an aristocratic residence would service the rooms three times a day.&amp;nbsp;There were two maids in the main lobby at&amp;nbsp;all times who were discreetly&amp;nbsp;touching up&amp;nbsp;every single detail.&amp;nbsp;
There are many such details&amp;nbsp;at Le Bristol, which despite the grandeur of its classic decor, make&amp;nbsp;one feel at home, ensuring&amp;nbsp;the utmost in comfort. From the Front Office&amp;nbsp;to the Restaurants and bar, staff would be&amp;nbsp;extremely&amp;nbsp;friendly and courteous and I could notice how they would interact with house guests they probably know for years. I believe&amp;nbsp;there&amp;nbsp;is room for&amp;nbsp;improvement at the Concierge,&amp;nbsp;which, given the hotel's location on Paris'&amp;nbsp;top luxury shopping street, should be more up to date with&amp;nbsp;any new store openings&amp;nbsp;or limited edition release at one of the many luxury&amp;nbsp;fashion, jewellery and watches stores.&amp;nbsp;
During my stay, I was most pleased to meet Fa-Raon, a one year burma kitty, which&amp;nbsp;actually&amp;nbsp;lives&amp;nbsp;at the hotel, walking&amp;nbsp;freely throughout the hotel, playing and entertaining guests of all ages. It was such a joy seeing adults and children alike smile, whenever they would come accross Fa-raon, whose&amp;nbsp;friendly ''manner'' made him&amp;nbsp;so lovable. Other luxury hotels have had&amp;nbsp;mascots, usually stuffed animals (Le Bristol actually has a rabbit name after the founder of the hotel Hippolyte)&amp;nbsp;however,&amp;nbsp;is a great idea in making guests feel even more at home. And Fa-raon is undoubtedly a star - guests take photos of him, he graces the hotel's New Year's&amp;nbsp;Eve greeting card and hotel staff would send internal emails to locate him...
The highlight of my stay&amp;nbsp;has definitely been the SPA, inagurated mid-October 2011, after extensive renovation works. In contrast with the classic style of the hotel, the SPA has a contemporary, &amp;nbsp;understated decor, exuding warmth, peacefulness and calm.&amp;nbsp;I have to admit the use of space is incredible, there being treatment&amp;nbsp;rooms with direct views on the garden, a Russian marble treatment room with&amp;nbsp;its own steam room and a&amp;nbsp;nice retail and reception area.&amp;nbsp;Isabelle, the SPA Manager&amp;nbsp;has created a unique concept, blending&amp;nbsp;the&amp;nbsp;classic La Prairie cosmetics body and facial treatments with the latest organic&amp;nbsp;beauty&amp;nbsp;treatments by&amp;nbsp;The Organic Pharmacy&amp;nbsp;and Russie&amp;nbsp;Blanche.&amp;nbsp;Personally, I had an amazing treatment with Peter, a very talented and passionate therapist originally from Slovakia. It was a Russian massage treatment, alternating hot towels dipped in Vodka with smashed ice and an energetic massage with&amp;nbsp;a signature blended organic&amp;nbsp;oil from Russie Blanche.
The SPA&amp;nbsp;also&amp;nbsp;features a ''Russian&amp;nbsp;Room'', with a&amp;nbsp;heated marble table&amp;nbsp;and an overhead shower, the first of&amp;nbsp;in Paris.&amp;nbsp;The SPA at Le Bristol is&amp;nbsp;probably&amp;nbsp;the first SPA in a luxury hotel I have been to, where the head&amp;nbsp;Chef prepares the&amp;nbsp;healthy snacks and vitamin cocktails, not to mention the organic ginger&amp;nbsp;and lime tea... And to complete the unique offering of the SPA, there is a couples&amp;nbsp;room, with its own Turkish bath and private terrace, where, in warm weather, guests can enjoy the beautfully manicured garden of the hotel in an intimate corner.
Other exquisite details: the roof top swimming pool with panoramic views of Paris, Cristofle bespoke engraved cuttlery in Epicure, Baccarat bespoke glasses in Epicure and chandeliers in Suites, hand made Versailles style parquet, classic elevator from the 30', the most creative and beautiful fresh flower arrangements in rooms (subtle mix of full fragranced flowes with decorative ones)
Despite the classic decor and palatial ambiance, Le&amp;nbsp;Bristol Paris is not intimidating, the great mix of guests&amp;nbsp;feeling comfortable&amp;nbsp;wearing equally casual wear and the most elegant attires at the same time and this is a major achievement, especially in Paris, which is probably one of the most competitive luxury hospitality markets in the world these days.
I can't wait to be back at the Bristol in Spring or Summer and see Fa-raon play with Hippolyte in the beautiful garden of the hotel, a true oasis in the very heart of Paris...
Oliver Petcu        ]]></content:encoded>
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