Lorre White, The Guru of Luxury

Lorre White, The Luxury Guru says it is hip to be SQUA.RE

Lorre White the GURU of all things LUXURY is sharing her luxury wisdom with the young affluent of the social on line invitation only private London based video networking club on line.  This unique net working site allows their elite members to create video or slide shows to express themselves and share with their network of trend setting friends worldwide.  Be SQUA.RE with Lorre! 

What’s behind the virtual Velvet Rope – eVelvetRope.com

For those into cuisine and nightlife, especially in San Francisco and Los Angeles, I've stumbled upon an interesting and very sexy review site called eVelvetRope.com and it's sister site, EVRMag.com. It's a review and recommendations site that encourages members to share their opinions. While there are very well established review sites out there (i.e. Yelp and CitySearch) this one is different in that not anyone can be a reviewer. Membership is attained primarily by invitation, and there are protections in place to prevent the invitation process from being abused. Without an invitation, it is still possible to apply for membership.

From what I have seen, members seem to be the well-heeled, young-ish entrepreneurial set–from restaurateurs and club owners to investment bankers. When I joined the community, their featured member interviewee was a 25-year old who had sold his company to Yahoo! for 300 Million. Apparently, their aim is to filter the onslaught of web-based information in order to extract the most relevant, useful and trusted . Think 'aSmallWorld meets Yelp', however, unlike aSW, their membership policy is not designed to be elitist. They simply want to protect the integrity of the community and the content. You won't find profiles with cartoon pictures or pets in this network.

Besides the user generated content (reviews, events, etc.) eVelvetRope has a team of in-house writers contributing interesting editorial content on everything from home cooking to fashion. I think this is a great concept, so I have decided to contribute some content myself, including my video series on various luxury lifestyle topics.

I would recommend checking out EVRMag.com before eVelvetRope.com, as it does not require membership. This is a relatively new venture, but definitely one to watch out for. There is simply nothing else like it out there.

SHOWCASE YOUR GLAMOROUS LIFESTYLE on SQUA.RE a private invitation only social networking club on line with a hip video edge

SHOWCASE YOUR LIFESTYLE on SQUA.RE a private invitation only social networking club on line with a hip video edge.

The first community-generated luxury Web 2.0 TV site has recently launched its beta version online. Combining the best of traditional and new media with a social networking functionality, SQUA.RE delivers a unique, interactive and engaging TV environment for its core audience of 18 – 35 year olds, interested in luxury.

By invitation only, SQUA.RE members can instantly upload video and slide-show content on their personal channel to share with their network or make available on one of the five TV channels, based on High Living, Nightlife, Style, Escape as well as the main SQUA.RE channel. In addition, members are given the ability to express their own ideas of luxury lifestyle through the SQUA.RE network community, showcasing topics from events and parties to luxury products and travel. At the same time non-members can access any of the main content, just by visiting the site.

Lorre White, a SQUA.RE private member and The Luxury Guru and owner of the LUXURY CHANNEL on iTunes and Zune will also be showing her Luxury Lifestyle video podcasts with the audience of SQUA.RE.

London based entrepreneurs Olivier Bassil and Jeremy Genin (both 25), SQUA.RE was created from the desire to broadcast both user generated and professionally produced content that promotes ‘life in luxury’. Described by the founders as ‘the Luxurealism phenomenon’, SQUA.RE is the only website that hosts the latest luxury news and reviews in video format while being accessible to the growing ‘net’ generation of affluent consumers. Olivier Bassil, who comes from a media business background, believes "The future of television is online Increasingly, audiences are viewing programs from their computer and mobile phones. SQUA.RE enables private online space where our generation can express and share the fun and inspirations behind exceptional lifestyles. We do not need another YouTube or aSmallWorld since they are the best at what they do. Instead we need to take TV social networking to an online, exclusive and luxury level."

Shoppers Turn More Often to the Internet than to Specialty Gift Stores to Buy Gifts

Shoppers Turn More Often to the Internet than to Specialty Gift Stores to Buy Gifts

A new study of the giftware market by Unity Marketing identifies key opportunities for future growth

Where people buy gifts is changing dramatically with more people saving time and money buying gifts over the Internet, rather than going to the store to shop.  This according to the latest market research study of the $65.2 billion gifts and decorative accents market conducted by Unity Marketing. 

In 2007 the Internet was the second most important shopping venue for giftware shoppers, trailing only discount department stores as a place of purchase.  For purposes of this study giftware is defined as items that are designed and manufactured to be bought and given as a gift or collectible items that are designed and manufactured specifically for the purpose of collecting.  The giftware market includes items such as occasion-specific giftware, personalized giftware, character-licensed giftware, collectible figurines, and others.

Commenting on the emergence of the Internet as the second most popular source for consumers to buy giftware, Pam Danziger, president of Unity Marketing and author of Shopping:  Why We Love It and How Retailers Can Create the Ultimate Customer Experience, says,  "The Internet came from virtually nowhere just five years ago to become the second most important channel of distribution for giftware companies.  While discount stores take the lions' share of the giftware market, consumers value the convenience and ability to comparison shop in order to find exactly what they are looking for in the online world.  This plus the ability to ship gifts conveniently to the recipient makes the Internet a favorite place for people to shop for gifts."

Specialty gift stores are losing their edge as a distribution channel for giftware manufacturers

As the way people shop for gifts has changed, the industry's traditional channel of distribution, the specialty gift store, has continued to decline in importance as a place where people shop for gifts.  In 2007 the gift specialty stores accounted for only 7 percent of the overall giftware market.  Not surprisingly, the study reports that the number of specialty gift shops have declined 21 percent in the past five years, from 75,102 stores in 2002 to 59,032 today.   

The specialty gift stores that remain have found success by expanding the product lines they carry, particularly moving into personal care, jewelry, fashion accessories, music and other related items popular to boutique shoppers.  As the industry's manufacturers become less reliant on specialty gift stores for distribution, so too are gift stores becoming less reliant upon the giftware manufacturers for new merchandise.

Drawing on the results of the study, Danziger explains, "The key for success for both manufacturers and retailers of giftware products is to stay out in front of the consumer, offering them products that are out of the ordinary, new, fresh and special.  The giftware market is a fashion business and companies are rewarded primarily for innovating and offering something new to consumers.  Successful retailers are merchandising their stores with this in mind.  When it comes to choosing giftware, nobody wants the 'same-old, me-too' items; rather they want something fresh, new and different which makes it memorable.  That is the ultimate key to success in today's giftware market."

Lorre White’s Podcast Luxury Channel was chosen to be featured by iTune’s on their Front page of their New Releases.

Lorre White’s Podcast Luxury Channel was chosen to be featured by iTune’s on their Front page of their New Releases.  This is a rare an overwhelming nod to the great success that iTunes feels Lorre’s new Luxury Channel will be.  Out of the thousands of podcasts, to be singled out is of extraordinary recognition by the world’s largest directory.

To use iTunes you must have the software on your computer.  Many computers come with the software already loaded.  If not it is free, simply go to the iTunes website and get the free down load.  After that there will be an icon of a disc with a music note over it on your computer and it will take you directly to iTunes in the future.

You can watch Lorre’s two shows right off the computer or download them to your iPod or cell phone to have when needed.  “Guru Of Luxury” comes out Monday’s & Thursdays and “Luxury On A Budget” is released on Wednesdays. 

All of us want to share with you the celebration of Lorre’s great success.

Luxury By Lorre ia a FEATURED Podcast Channel with 2 Luxury shows on Podango & iTunes.

Lorre is the Guru of Luxury. She is frequently featured on TV and radio, and is launching two fabulous new podcasts. She often features "Best of" products.

“LORRE WHITE, The Guru Of Luxury” will explore everything in luxury regardless of price.  It will include a monthly series from the world renown’s Le Cirque restaurants’ head sommelier about world class wines, a series of 6 of the world’s best luxury skin care (great not only for women but also for the fastest growing segment in luxury skincare…. Men), a series about  the top luxury watches (4 men’s & 2 women’s)  and information on experience trips like heli –skiing, parachuting, flying planes, race car driving and other exciting unique opportunities.  As always, Lorre will do her popular gift segments, great ideas for when money is no object.  “These are fun just to know about”, says Lorre, “if I had all the money in the world, I would not choose to book the first hotel room in outer space for $4.2 million (opening in 2012), nor with the way I go through them, would I buy a 1.2 million dollar cell phone but it makes me smile to know they are out there”

“Luxury On A Budget by LORRE” will have a monthly wine series of affordable wines under $ 30 from the owner of a

Long Island

wine school.  Lorre will answer fan email about the best products, affordable Valentine’s gifts for the men in your life, inexpensive ways to bring luxury into your life, best boutique chocolates in the world, etc.  These segments will be about the many ways to create quality in your life for little or no money.

Her bio at: http://www.naymz.com/search/lorre/white/1538977

Lorre's two Luxury Podcast Shows have launched!

To go directly to http://luxury.podango.com where you’ll find my two luxury shows,  My Channel is “Luxury by Lorre”.  I have two shows on this channel “Lorre White, The Guru Of Luxury” that comes out Monday and Thursday and “Luxury on a budget by Lorre” that comes out on Wednesday.  They can sign up for them to be sent directly to their mail boxes. I will cover Men watches, jets, gifts, expensive world class wines, luxury skin care and all the best luxuries of life on one show…..on the other I am more price sensitive to what I carry.  I think most people will like both as it is interesting to know what is out there regardless if I could buy it…..often I still wouldn’t…..but it is fun! 

A Luxury Ride to find a cure!

Mercedes-Benz Special Edition 2008 C350 Sports Sedan of Saks Fifth Ave’s KEY TO THE CURE

Merceddes-Benz will donate up to 1 million to Sak’s Key To The Cure through the sales of 1000 special Edition C350 sports cars.

Lorre White at the toronto Film Festival 2007

Lorre white, The Luxury Guru attends the Toronto Film Festival.

Here are a few photos from the Toronto Film Festival: