Lorre White, The Guru of Luxury

THE ONLY FILM AT FESTIVAL DE CANNES THAT NO ONE WILL SEE: “100 YEARS - THE MOVIE YOU WILL NEVER SEE", STARRING JOHN MALKOVICH

THE UNIQUE COPY OF “100 YEARS”, PLACED IN A SAFE,

WILL BE SHOWCASED DURING FESTIVAL DE CANNES, IN THE LOUIS XIII SUITE

The movie you will never see

“100 Years starring John Malkovich is clearly an innovative cinematographic project. I hope that our descendants will consider the movie ‘100 Years’ for the Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival in 2116.”, said Thierry Frémaux, general delegate of Festival de Cannes.

“100 Years – The Movie You Will Never See” is an original film, starring actor John Malkovich and directed by Robert Rodriguez, which envisions Earth one hundred years from now and will not be released until 2115. It was inspired by the century of careful craftsmanship and patience it takes to create each decanter of LOUIS XIII Cognac – an intricate alchemy of up to 1200 eaux-de-vie, the youngest of which is at least 40 years old. To ensure that ‘100 Years’ remains secure until its official premiere on November 18, 2115, the movie is held in a special safe that will open automatically in 100 years when the timing is complete. 

The Privilege of Time

Just as each cellar master is dedicating his life to create a LOUIS XIII masterpiece which he will never experience, the cast and crew of "100 years" will never see the final cut of the film. This led the creative direction of the film "100 Years," which explores the fascinating concept of what the future might look like in a hundred years.

Cinema, 100 Years Forward

The safe in which the one and only copy of the film “100 Years” is in, has been created in partnership with the world leading manufacturer of safes & vaults: Fichet-Bauche established in 1825 in France – a brand of the Gunnebo security group. “We wanted a safe box that can be opened like never before: with nothing else but time. Once the door is shut, the countdown begins and there is no way of opening it until the one hundred year countdown is complete on November 18, 2115. Since the system that could guarantee we hold our promise didn’t exist, we invented it” says Ludovic du Plessis, LOUIS XIII Global Executive Director.

After its travels from L.A to Tokyo through Hong-Kong, London, New York before coming back to LOUIS XIII cellars in Cognac, for a century, LOUIS XIII is glad to showcase the safe in its natural setting during Festival de Cannes, in The LOUIS XIII SUITE - members club by invitation only - at Hôtel Le Majestic Barrière Cannes.

 

About LOUIS XIII Cognac

LOUIS XIII cognac was created in 1874. Each decanter takes four generations of cellar masters over 100 years to craft. Its grapes grow in the chalky soils of Grande Champagne, the most sought-after area of the Cognac region, in France. It is an intricate alchemy of up to 1200 eaux‐de‐vie, the youngest of which is at least 40 years old. The unique blend evokes tasting notes and scents of myrrh, honey, immortelle, plum, honeysuckle, wood bark, leather and passion fruits. LOUIS XIII cognac is the ultimate expression of the mastery of time.

NIKKI BEACH TO RETURN TO CANNES FOR THE 14TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR DURING THE 69TH ANNUAL CANNES INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Nikki Beach, the global luxury lifestyle & hospitality brand, will return to Cannes for the 14^th consecutive year with a pop-up location during the 69^th Annual Cannes International Film Festival.  From May 11^th through May 22^th, Nikki Beach Cannes will once again take residence in the midst of all the action on the famous Boulevard de la Croisette on La Plage at the Intercontinental Carlton Hotel, debuting a brand new décor and delicious menu that include vegan options.
“Since we started doing pop-up(s) at Cannes International Film Festival back in 2003, the goal each year has always been to provide a welcoming and comfortable alternative for industry elite, journalists, and film lovers alike, to unwind, celebrate, dine or simply lounge during the hectic film festival circuit,” said Jack Penrod, Founder & Owner of Nikki Beach Worldwide. “This year, we are excited to welcome guests back to Nikki Beach Cannes and debut our new decor.
Throughout the past decade, industry powerhouses such as George Lucas, Harvey Weinstein, Luc Besson and Pedro Almodóvar along with A-list celebrities including Bono, Harrison Ford, Jude Law, Michael Douglas, Naomi Watts, Penélope Cruz, Ryan Gosling and Sting have found their way to Nikki Beach Cannes welcoming environment. Stay tuned to find out who will walk the red carpet this year.
Nikki Beach Cannes, 58 Blvd de la Croisette (at La Plage of the International Carlton Hotel). Open daily from 12pm until late, for lunch, aperitif and dinner with live music.

Every Expensive Thing in Fifty Shades of Grey, Explained

A little Luxury fun to tickle the funny bone of  all my readers with a cheeky sense of humor.

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Source: Universal Studios and Focus Features via Bloomberg

FILM

Every Expensive Thing inFifty Shades of Grey,Explained

As much has been made about the kinky sex in Fifty Shades of Grey, BDSM isn't the only major fetish of the bestselling book series. The other sin is that universal turn-on: money, money, money. 

Anastasia Steele’s tortured romance with billionaire Christian Grey is about love, and it’s about all that bondage sex, of course. But we all know that bling can be an aphrodisiac, too. (Christian’s worth, according to Forbes, is estimated to be $2.2 billion.)

The luxury porn starts with Christian’s sleek glass office and continues as little Ana from Savannah hops into a helicopter for their first date. From there, she encounters endless fine suits, high-end watches, museum-quality art, expensive sound equipment, fancy hotels, that fleet of Audis, and of course, high-end bondage gear. 

 

It’s a lot to keep track of, but we've identified every single luxury item we could nail down from director Sam Taylor-Johnson’s film version of the bestselling book series. 

Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Co-Axial Chronograph

Source: Omega via Bloomberg

The Watches and Accessories

Christian is an Omega man, flashing two models prominently throughout the film, the white-faced Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Chronograph ($7,200) and black-faced Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Co-Axial Chronograph ($26,500). Omega (as opposed to a more rarified niche brand such as Richard Mille) may seem like an odd choice for a billionaire, but I’m chalking that one up to author E.L. James not being a watch connoisseur. (Unlike us). For example, that platinum one Christian gave Ana in the book sequels doesn’t actually exist, according to our expert Stephen Pulvirent. Sorry, ladies.

Those Dunhill silver Knot and Rod cufflinks ($991) in the contract negotiation scene definitely do exist and are just one of the sly details Christian uses to signal his lifestyle (and Academy Award-winning costume designer Mark Bridges picked to amuse the cast). He takes a more straightforward approach with his luxury leather goods—belts, briefcases, travel bags, wallet—all by Yves Saint Laurent (from $375 to $5,975, and then some). Those just say, “I’m classy.”

The Sex

The body is by “jogging,” the underwear is by “commando,” and the condoms are by Trojan (a telltale glint of gold means Magnums, naturally; box of 26 $19.99). Oh, and Christian’s sex jeans are by a random Canadian “that Erika was very specific on the look of,” according to Bridges—though they looked suspiciously like Diesel to me, ripped and faded and roomy, riding low in all the right ways.

The Cars

Christian is all about Audi, with a fleet comprising S6, S7, and S8 sedans (from $75,500 to $114,900 and up) and a Q7 crossover SUV (from $48,300), plus tight-lipped livery drivers(their silence, $priceless). But only he gets to drive the v10 R8 Spyder convertible (from $167,000). He even buys Ana a red Audi A3 ($29,990) for her college graduation, selling her vintage Volkswagen Beetle in the process—without asking, of course. (At least he kept it German.)

2014 Audi R8 V10 Spyder, black like Christian's heart.

Source: Audi via Bloomberg

The Suits

One word: bespoke. When it comes to business attire, no billionaire is going off-the-rack, least of all Christian Grey. (See: control issues.) There were so many well-cut suits popping up onscreen I thought of negotiating my own Dom/sub contract—with a tailor.

Designer Mark Bridges kept the wool lightweight and Italian, the cuts classic, and the buttons were mainly limited to one. Although actor Jamie Dornan is slender, Bridges didn’t shy away from peaked lapels. He told me Cary Grant and modern international style icons such as David Beckham and David Gandy served as inspiration to get that perfect “clean, classic, young, expensive, and sexy” look. Good quality, classic design is always in style. 

Christian (Jamie Dornan) seduces Anastasia (Dakota Johnson) with a look—and a bespoke suit.

Source: Universal Pictures and Focus Features via Bloomberg

Anto Beverly Hills sewed the custom shirts (from $300) and custom ties (from $185), including eight of that one grey tie. Shoes are the only thing Bridges hit Rodeo Drive to buy, as production timing didn’t allow custom work by cobblers; one pair isPrada (upwards of $1,500).

The Casual Clothes

Boxers or briefs? Christian doesn’t play that game and instead goes for Zimmerli boxer briefs, a cult Swiss brand at around $100 a pair. When he’s not in a suit, he’s in a well-fit pair of jeans and rough-out boots by Ralph Lauren, cashmere shirts by Malo, and a Dolce & Gabbana black leather jacket (from $4,195).  On his gliding date, that jacket gets switched up for a Bottega Veneta windbreaker ($980) and a John Varvatos tee ($198). 

Upping the tease factor of pinning Ana's hands back: Christian is touch-ably soft in that Malo cashmere shirt.

Source: Universal Pictures and Focus Features via Bloomberg

Christian isn’t even afraid to get his James Perse sweats ($135) and Wings + Horns hoodie($195) all dirty when working out in classic Nike kicks. See, he’s a real guy. Just an incredibly expensive version of one, “the hot sort of human,” as Ana's roommate puts it.

The Toys

Seattle aviation law allows only certain types of helicopters to be used, so while Christian’s Charlie Tango couldn’t be exactly like the book, his Eurocopter EC130’s buttery chestnut brown seats and black Bose noise-canceling headsets are still plenty pimp. (It costs around $3.2 million.) When he surprises Anastasia down in Savannah for a post-breakfast glider ride, that’s a Flugzeugbau DG-1001 sailplane. Like his choice of auto, this two-seater hawk-like stunner is also German, handmade in Bruchsal to the tune of $150,000.

First date in Charlie Tango. Just like prom night.

Source: Universal Pictures and Focus Features via Bloomberg

The Gifts

Lest Anastasia feel left out, he gives her some goodies, too, like his definitely-not-Vista-Print business card (we’re thinking more Smythson of Bond Street; from $269) and a first-edition Tess of the d’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy (somewhere in the neighborhood of $14,000). One night he whisks her to his room at the Heathman Hotel (from $329 a night) after “rescuing her” from her friends—which would have been relatively romantic had she not been blacked out.

The Wine and Cocktails

If you’re going to drink a lot of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé, you’re going to want Bacarrat crystal wine glasses to drink it out of—although by the shape of some of the stemware, we think we spied a Riedel or two in a scene as well. For bubbles, it’s all about the Bollinger. Christian keeps cocktails classic: a gin and tonic, either with Hendricks and a cucumber or Bombay Sapphire and lime.

The Apartment

“International Contemporary, à la Tom Ford, Lenny Kravitz, and Ron Arad” is how production designer David Wasco and set designer Sandy Wasco described Christian’s personal design sensibility. Translation: rich.

Ana's room at Christian's apartment with a Desire sofa and chair by Koket

Source: Universal Pictures/ChristianGreysApartment.com via Bloomberg

Christian Grey’s penthouse may have been a set, but his home base, Escala, is a real building in Seattle where a three-bedroom penthouse sold for $6.2 million in 2013, according to Zillow. Its windows do actually lord above the skyline.

Christian's other inner sanctum: his bedroom. You can learn a lot about the man by how it's designed.

Source: Universal Pictures/ChristianGreysApartment.com via Bloomberg

The Wascos had free range to ratchet up the glamor on the somewhat “Vegas-y” Escala. The key was to make it timeless, like a photograph by Helmut Newton. Imagine a-list architects Richard Meyer and John Pawson, or just take a virtual tour here. Dark woods hint at the Pacific Northwest. That De Gournay of England wallpaper is approximately $12,000 a room. There’s marble everywhere—moody course-grained slabs for the floors and a lighter grey (of course) in a bathroom. That’s a Blu Stone freestanding tub (from $7,150) they get busy in, by the way. Those appliances in the kitchen are a Wolf range(from $1,805) and integrated Sub-Zero fridge (from $7,030), like any self-respecting urbanite. Fresh flowers—orchids—are delivered every three days. 

The Interior Design

Like his suits, the living room sofa is custom Italian. Other design-room pieces shout, “I’m moneyed” in a masculine, worldly accent.

The Wascos asked the question, “What would a cultured twentysomething tech billionaire control freak in Seattle actually buy?” The answer is a Symphony Side Board and Avenue Folding Screen by Portuguese designers Boca Do Lobo; and midcentury and Deco styled lighting by Delightfull (the Coltrane, the Ike, and the Turner); plus everything from dramatic mirrors, to bedroom chairs, to avant-garde gilt scones and chandeliers fromKoket. All prices on request. (Though if you have to ask ….)

You could eat dirt off that redwood table and still feel luxurious.

Source: Universal Pictures/ChristianGreysApartment.com via Bloomberg

Nodding toward the Pacific Northwest location, Brabbu Design Forces created a redwood and brass side table (price on request) to complement a one-of-a-kind redwood dining room table surrounded by vintage Milo Baughman dining chairs (from $1,198 for reproductions). You can find a similar table on Etsy for $17,355.

And what about that piano? It’s a Fazioli F278 Grand Piano, handmade in Italy over three years using red spruce (from the same forests Stradivarius used), with some parts plated in 18K gold. It cost $268,999. No wonder Christian’s song selections are so serious. 

Christian sets the mood with Chopin's "Prelude in E-Minor." The $268,999 Fazioli grand piano sets the bar.

Source: Universal Pictures and Focus Features via Bloomberg

The Art

Christian follows the first tenet of art collecting: Buy what moves you.

And what moves him? Womanly figures and wisps of S&M, like the subtly entrapping floral vines of Gary Hume’s Water Painting  or the clasped hands in black gloves of hisBegging For It.  Make what you will of Michael Joo’s Improved Rack (Moose #3), theChapman Brothers’ Idiotyll VII, Harland Miller’s Plan B, Rodney Graham’s Pine Tree Spanish Banks, Flowers by Georgie Hopton, plus pieces by Gary Aylward (Inside the Reef) and Gerda Lattey and Farik Aldin.

Michael Joo "Improved Rack (Moose #3)" hangs in Christian's living room.

Source: Universal Pictures/ChristianGreysApartment.com via Bloomberg

Artwork at his office is where the marquee names really light up.

There’s Ed Ruscha’s Brother, Sister and the giant Picture Without Words (“borrowed” from the Getty Center, no doubt); John Baldessari’s National City; and even a panda by Rob Pruitt. Sensual sculptures include Allan Switzer’s Torso Totem; Peter Millet’s Weeping Woman; and Shattered Sphere by Brent Comber, reminiscent of a Japanese bondage ball. 

Who knows how much art worth millions more is waiting to rotate in from his collection?

"Mr. Grey will see you now..." for a tour of his impressive John Pawson-inspired office.

Source: Universal Pictures and Focus Features via Bloomberg

The Office

Christian’s stark white marble office is designed to make an impression: floor-to-ceiling windows, vintage French desk topped by Koch & Lowy brass lamp, a potted tree that twists like rope. The lobby is an actual building by Foster + Partners in Vancouver.

Even the mundane is on point, like plentiful Grey Enterprises-branded pencils (22¢ a popin gold foil; lucky for unprepared “journalists”) and a Dunhill pen ($686) for conducting real business.

A MacBook Air ($1,749 all tricked out) is his computer of choice (handy with all that iMessaging), so it’s no surprise Christian keeps it in the ecosystem with a black iPhone 5s(up to $549). Yep, even billionaires don’t always update. Ironic if it’s because he’s under contract … to his phone company. 

Looking but not touching is a rule of Christian's playroom. Actually, no looking either.

Source: Universal Pictures and Focus Features via Bloomberg

The Red Room of Pain

A cheesy sex dungeon this is not. Christian Grey’s playroom is as serious and sensual as he is, with deep red walls, crimson Chesterfield sofa, and four-poster bed with a custom red leather mattress. (There are no sheets here, but Frette-inspired linens were used in the rest of the apartment.)

Director Taylor-Johnson asked for an equestrian feel, meaning brown leather instead of black, with brass hardware like a Hermes saddle. Everything is lined up in its place—silk eye masks, leather floggers, metal shackles, ticklers made from horsehair and peacock feathers—like a tack room in a BDSM barn. The room smells of lemon oil polish.

The Tally Ho Chair by Mark Brazier-Jones

Source: Mark-Brazier Jones via Bloomberg

“This was the hardest thing to develop and carry out, to fit into the world of the penthouse” without making it garish or weird, explained the Wascos. Which means if you want your own high-class playroom, get ready to go bespoke. “It’s virtually handmade.”

There are real leather floor panels, secured by shoe tacks. A honeycomb-like custom brass grid articulates from the ceiling via the touch of an iPad. (Christian shackles Ana to it.) None of this came cheap. Nor did the handmade sculptural furniture—Tally Ho Chair, Detention Chest, Shoeshine Bench—by British designer Mark Brazier-Jones. They're centerpieces that the Wascos built the room around. 

Like love, you can’t put a price on this setup. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Justin Ocean is the deputy editor of Bloomberg

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We are very happy to announce that:

 

"Lorre White, The Luxury Guru Blog" www.LuxGuru.Typepad.com made the top 10 global luxury brand blogs ranked by posts in Brand Passion Report 4 Global Luxury Brands by NetBase.

 

 Lorre White ~ Global Luxury Market Influencer

Invasion of the Pluggerati: Once Cannes was a film festival for sophisticates. Now it's a tawdry parade of C-list celebs hawking themselves and the products they're paid to endorse

Everyone agreed that Cheryl Cole ‘totally nailed’ the Cannes look this year.

With her spectacular Stephane Rolland gown and thanks to a team of beauty specialists from L’Oreal, Cole had never looked more like a stellar movie star than she did on the red carpet on Sunday night.

The trouble is, of course, that she is actually a reality TV star — the closest she has come to the big screen is a two-minute cameo role.

Cannes-do: Cheryl Cole arriving at the Gala Screening of Amour, held at the Palais de Festival, part of the 65th Cannes Film Festival. Her attendance at the event was organised and paid for by cosmetics brand L'Oreal

And though the night was supposedly about Cole turning up to the premiere of the French language film, Amour, it was all about using her image — and the prestige of Cannes — to sell lipsticks and eyeliners to young women from Sunderland to Shanghai.

L’Oreal, with whom she has a highly lucrative deal, paid a fortune to have her attend the 65th Cannes Film Festival — and even more to whisk her home again, a few hours later, by private jet.

 

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• White hot! Janet Jackson shows off a bit too much cleavage alongside her dramatic weight loss in sexy plunging gown at amFAR event in Cannes
• Some like it not! Arta Dobroshi has a Marilyn Monroe moment as her skirt flies up to bare her cheeks at Cannes photocall

In all, Cole’s walk up the stairs of the Palais, with that iconic backdrop of swarming paparazzi and swaying palm trees, will have cost the company about £300,000.

And that prodigious sum does not include the £1.5 million a year she is paid as part of her deal to be an ambassador for the global cosmetics brand.

Given the coverage Cheryl achieved on her brief visit to the French Riviera, however, the company will no doubt feel their investment proved to be sound value for money.

After all, she didn’t even spend the night in Cannes. And the movie?

Last year, after Cheryl walked the red carpet, she spent only ten minutes watching the film.

Does she belong here? Kelly Brook poses on a ladder on the sidelines of the festival. Her film career has hardly sparkled

This year, I’m told she did stay to watch it, though the truth is that for the purposes of ‘official Cannes sponsors’ L’Oreal, the films are so beyond the point of the whole venture as to be laughable.

‘Of course, Cheryl Cole has nothing at all to do with movies,’ says Dennis Davidson, the veteran of 40 Cannes Film Festivals and boss of DDA, the biggest movie public relations company on the Croisette.

In fact, Cheryl Cole’s flying visit is just the tip of the iceberg in the great Cannes Scam, since the festival has become swamped by commercial deals with official sponsors.

It is overshadowed by a secondary circus that runs on a heady mix of free champagne, media saturation and stars the likes of Kim Kardashian, P. Diddy and Kelly Brook, who are all in town to sell themselves.

What was at one time an elegant celebration of film-making has been debased and diluted by the presence of a group one might call the ‘pluggerati’, who flock to the South of France to piggyback on its success. Who pays for all this excess?

Chopard, Martini, Grey Goose, Belvedere vodka, Gucci, Mercedes Benz — the list of luxury retailers who are willing to spend big in Cannes is a long one.

The party that diamond specialists De Grisogono threw on Wednesday night at the Hotel du Cap, for instance, is thought to have cost the company about £3 million.

Heiresses and socialites Paris and Nicky Hilton attended, there was a DJ set by singer and record producer of the moment Taio Cruz and seven podiums of diamonds were on show to guests, each one guarded by tight security.

Hundreds of freeloaders and media types enjoyed the ride, too. Why? Because there is nowhere better to promote a luxury brand than at Cannes.

As one veteran told me: ‘It used to be subtle, but now it’s taken over the place.’ Another snorts: ‘The festival has completely sold out.’

It’s not always a pretty sight. Over the past week, we have seen reformed alcoholic Ronnie Wood plug a brand of Vodka, septuagenarian sexpot Jane Fonda plug wrinkle creams and model Milla Jovovich plug L’Oreal hair colour.

Kelly Brook, Kim Kardashian and Lady Victoria Hervey have assiduously promoted themselves, seemingly turning up on every yacht and at every marquee where there is free champagne.

Kelly Brook, having done a photo-call with British comedian Keith Lemon to promote his low-budget film, attended three red carpet premieres, two huge parties and squeezed in a swimwear shoot, too.

Lest we forget, Kelly’s attempts at a career in film — boosted by romances with actors Billy Zane and Jason Statham — have amounted to very little.

Anyone who saw her in the frightful, exploitative and unfunny Piranha film will know that Kelly doesn’t exactly belong in Cannes.

But Dave Hogan, a renowned photographer who has been covering Cannes for more than 20 years, says the movies are beside the point.

‘The red carpet is used to sell, sell, sell. Every one of the girls on the red carpet, whether it is Kelly or someone else, is selling jewellery or clothes or make-up,’ says Dave.

‘Cannes has become a massive fashion event, bigger than the Paris or London fashion weeks. The companies are happy to pay to fly people down here because of the exposure they get. The fashion houses and diamond people will give them stuff to wear and, for the others, even just one set of pictures in front of a branded board will do.’

Double trouble: Kanye West and Kim Kardashian pictured leaving a yacht moored at Cannes. They are among the stars unrelated to film who nonetheless turn up at many of the parties thrown during the festival

According to Dave Hogan, someone like Kelly Brook will be paid £20,000 to £30,000 for doing a quick photo-call because it is almost guaranteed there will be some exposure.

‘Then there are the formal arrangements, like Cheryl Cole with L’Oreal. You also see what I would call the friendly relationships, like the ones people have with jewellers. ‘If you show up at their party, the deal is that they will lend you their diamonds the next time you have a red carpet to walk.’ It obviously worked for De Grisogono, as they attracted supermodels Heidi Klum and Milla Jovovich to their soiree.

Last year, Jovovich was paid to wear diamonds by their rivals, Jacob & Co.

Dennis Davidson agrees that an increasing amount of attention is paid to fashion and celebrity, and to the sponsors.

‘It is like the Academy Awards. There are 5,000 accredited media here looking for the next big story. Huge brands spend fortunes coming to Cannes because they hope that some of the glamour rubs off.’

So much so that the ‘gifting suites’ — where stars are given free products and services — which were once only prominent at the Academy Awards are now at Cannes.

‘The gifting suites are where you can take the star to be dressed, made up and bejewelled,’ says Davidson.

Soaking up the atmosphere: Philip Green and Heidi Klum smile for the cameras at the De Grisogono party held at the Eden Roc Hotel

‘There are also more general gifting suites from which stars will emerge with ten or 12 high-value items — products sponsors want to promote among a certain group.’

These suites, mostly at the Hotel Martinez and the Carlton, are one of the festival’s best-kept secrets.

This year, Chopard has a lounge at the Martinez. It took a suite at the Ritz in Paris the week before the film festival so the stars could choose their red carpet jewels in advance and in private.

L’Oreal has a suite at the Martinez, where it has installed three top make-up artists, a nail specialist, three hair stylists and a skin expert, all working around the clock on the company’s tab.

Another suite there is hosted by the Lebanese designer Elie Saab, who has run a successful campaign to get his clothes onto the red carpet this year. French actress Virginie Ledoyen wore Saab this week.

Another big growth area is charitable events. The grand-daddy of them all is Amfar, an Aids benefit which, over the years, has had everyone from Sharon Stone, Madonna and Princess Charlene of Monaco in attendance.

This year, though, there was a rival. The actor Sean Penn threw a big party on board the Armani yacht and badgered attendees into writing cheques for Haiti. After dinner, he delivered a speech to an audience that included the A-list actors Gerard Butler and Ben Stiller.

He said: ‘Why do I ask your attention at this late hour, when you have other parties to go to and other people to f**k? Because, once upon a time, I was ashamed of myself more than I am today, as I think you should be.’

An auction at the event raised more than £1 million.

Ronnie Wood’s Cannes party was sponsored by Belvedere Vodka and publicised Aids charity work.

The burgeoning trend, it seems, is to add politics into an already rather shameless mix. No wonder, then, that the stars who aren’t being paid to plug this or that end up feeling a little exploited by the whole event.

Grey’s Anatomy star Eric Dane attended a film-makers’ party at the Hotel du Cap earlier this week in a sharp black suit and tie. He was overheard asking a fellow party-goer for a cigarette.

‘Aren’t you a doctor?’ the guest joked, to which Dane deadpanned: ‘I’m a victim.’

As the festival becomes an increasingly naked commercial merry-go-round, it would seem Mr Dane is not the only one.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2150120/Cannes-Film-Festival-Now-tawdry-parade-C-list-celebs-hawking-products-theyre-paid-endorse.html#ixzz1w53Iu7Kg

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.