Pierre Berge met Yves Saint Laurent in 1958, in Paris. At the time, Yves Saint Laurent was working with Christian Dior. In less than a year, Pierre Berge convinced Yves Saint Laurent to set up his own ''maison''. Those were the early days of the YSL brand but also the start of an incredible love story. They worked together, they breathed together...they depended on each other. With the love of his life by his ... read more

Born with a humble background in the small town of Adjud in  Romania, Angela Gheorghiu has not only been one of the top worlwide sopranos of all times but also a true celebrity. She graduated from the Music Academy in Bucharest and made her worlwide debut in 1992. In less than 18 years, Ms Gheorghiu has built an impecable reputation for her talent and her constant ... read more

Year 1995. I was 18 and just got my first car and driving licence. First, there was a trip to London and an effervescent shopping spree on New and Old Bond Street. The Landmark Hotel was my ''home'' away from home - at the time, one of the finest London hotels. Versace was the top luxury brand with a packed flagship store. There was also Thierry Mugler and Gianfranco Ferre. It was all about bling, shine and ... read more

Born in a very modest family in London to a driver who was a taxi driver, Alexander Mc Queen graduated from London's Central St Martin's school of fashion design to become one of the most acclaimed fashion designers of the past 50 years. He earned the title of BEST BRITISH DESIGNER of the year and signed legendary collections at the house of GIVENCHY, then launching his own label which is now ... read more

The Diamond King, as Laurence Graff is sometimes called, has a regal air. Sporting an impeccably cut navy suit and tie (made by his tailor in London, rather than his one in Milan) with matching silk handkerchief tucked into his jacket pocket, he is the picture of restrained elegance. It is an image reinforced by his surroundings - the Mayfair headquarters of Graff Diamonds, the company he founded in the ... read more

In a recent interview to the FINANCIAL TIMES, Robert Polet, CEO of GUCCI GROUP speaks about his experience at the third largest luxury group in the world and his passion for technology. Formerlly the head of the Unilever icea cream division, Mr Polet took over from power duo Domenico de Sole and Tom Ford with a clear mandate from owner Francois Pinault to rationalize the entire Gucci Group. Without any ... read more

Hollywood has always been about glamour, luxury and glitz. Fashion and jewellery have always found inspiration in Hollywood but have also helped shape the image of an actor or actress to become a true cinema star. From Audrey Hepburn  to Angelina Jolie and from Robert de Niro to George Clooney, actors have always been lured by fashion, watches and jewellery brands to wear their products and ... read more

Countess and Count D'Ornano come from great aristocratic families. Izabella D'Ornano has Poland's Queen Barbara Radziwilliwna among her ancesters. They were both born in Poland, but war sent their families abroad. However, they have not forgotten the Polish language and keep close ties with friends and relatives in Poland. Moreover, they support Polish living abroad and they sponsor artists and ... read more

He is perhaps the most recognizable man in fashion, almost never seen without his dark glasses, a silver ponytail and fingerless gloves. And while the German-born fashion designer has been the creative force behind fashion house Chanel for more than a quarter of a century, he's still thriving on new ideas, designs and what the future may hold. "I don't look back... Life is not something made ... read more

From his single-handed revitalisation of Gucci to his innovative approach to the aesthetics of cinema, Tom Ford is a man of many accomplishments. However, his greatest achievement may be a much more personal reinvention.  This is the new Tom Ford: as impeccably dressed and preternaturally good looking as ever, but newly approachable, funny and self-deprecating, embracing what he calls ... read more

A new book  was launched last week, with unique insights and looks behind the curtains at one of the world's top luxury brands - PRADA. The book is available on prada.com "Careful observation of and curiosity about the world, society and culture are the core of Prada's creativity and modernity," states the foreword to the first major book dedicated to this monolithic ... read more

MILAN — Giorgio Armani walks into the fitting room at his headquarters on Via Borgonuovo here and everyone jumps to attention, proving the “maestro” is back in full force. His team of assistants, stylists and hair and makeup people pause to await their instructions. “Everybody out,” Armani orders and, wasting no time, he steps over to examine ... read more

Born in Romania, this is how she made it to the United States "I arrived in America in 1992 from a refugee camp with my husband and four-year-old son. The International Rescue Committee brought us in and sponsored us from the refugee camp. When we arrived, someone was waiting for us and helped us to have an apartment. They gave us $200 to buy a mattress. We didn't speak any English when we ... read more

Mihail (“Misha”) Rotenberg is just a normal man, travelling between a mango garden in Tel Aviv and a vineyard in Ceptura, Romania. He has the kind of fortune others can’t wait to expose in tabloid newspapers. As a founder of the 802.11 standard (later to be nicknamed WiFi), inventor of the first Ethernet switch and of the Wireless Broadband Access, as well as founder of ... read more

It's easy to envy the charmed life of François-Henri Pinault. He's the scion of a French family whose fortune exceeds $6 billion and whose holdings include the auction house Christie's and Château Latour, a top Bordeaux vineyard. Since 2005 he has run the family's main asset, a publicly traded $28-billion-a-year conglomerate called PPR that owns some of the world's ... read more

Romanians copy lots of things. Bling sells as well as in Ukraine and Russia. Every street corner has a Turkish kebab booth. Romanians have Paris-like limousines, steel and glass towers, Swarovski crystals and all others that glitter. Some of these imports cause a loss in the deep being of each Romanian. Gold necklaces and bracelets worn by taxi drivers and pretzel bakers hide wives with torn shoes and ... read more

    In a recent interview to a weekly business magazine, Radu Octavian, the owner and CEO of RTC HOLDING, who thought of himself and was perceived by many, as the Richard Branson of Romania, admits failure and annouces he is selling his business and is looking for buyer(s). He blames the current economic crisis for the dramatic drop in sales at most of his holding companies, he ... read more