Lorre White, The Guru of Luxury

Reaching the UHNW, Luxury Influencer Lorre White's blog ranked #3 Globally for Luxury Blogs in Brand Passion Report for Global Luxury Brands by NetBase. (REPORT)

NetBase Luxury Industry Business Report ranks Lorre White, 'The Guru Of Luxury' as a top international luxury influencer and her LuxGuru.Typepad.com ranked #3 Globally for Luxury Blogs in Brand Passion Report for Global Luxury Brands.

Individuals like Lorre White that are the Brand, have more clout than employees working at brands. 

• On January 5, 2015 ~  NetBase released Brand Passion Report for Global Luxury Brands. The 90-page report ranks the Top 45 global luxury brands. It measures the rise and fall in social media conversations about Versace, Tiffany & Company, Louis Vuitton,  Mercedes, Moet Hennessy, Apple and over 40 others brands. 
• NetBase ranks the most influential blogs in terms of number of quality of posts. The Top 10 global luxury brand blogs are 1) Luxury Daily 2) scribd, 3) luxguru.typepad (Lorre White, The Guru Of Luxury)  4) businessoffashion 5) ae-plus 6) bsmith 7) BusinessInsider 8) vb.el3b 9) economictimes.indiatimes 10) francenews.
• They analyzed 95+ million social data points capturing consumer feelings and insights that enabled NetBase to identify changes in consumer preferences over a two-year period. 
• The study is a compilation of two years’ worth of brand conversations across social networks, review sites, blogs, forums, and news sites worldwide, between September 2012 and September 2014. 
• The Brand Passion Report: Luxury Brands is an in-depth analysis of what consumers think and feel when it comes to the most extraordinary brands. NetBase captures consumer feelings and insights that would not be possible without a linguistic methodology. It goes beyond the statistical approach of other companies by studying the relationship between words in every sentence to derive true meaning.
• The report shows how one luxury brand (Gucci) has fallen into the “Hate” category, and another (Rolex) has plummeted 86% from the #1 spot last year as measured by brand passion. Most surprising is that Apple has risen to the #2 position worldwide, with a 194% increase in social media mentions and consumers declaring it a luxury brand in the study period. In fact Apple is nipping at the heels of Louis Vuitton who is in danger of losing its #1 rank.

 

 

• Click on Link below to sign up for your own copy of the report get the second half of the report free when it is released: 

   http://info.netbase.com/AR-LuxuryBrand.html?ls=Website&d=Website-AR-Collateral-2014-11-LuxuryBrands 

      

Lorre White has two major roles in the luxury business sector globally. She is an esteemed Luxury Marketing Consultant and Luxury Industry Keynote speaker, and also the Only Internationally Recognized Luxury Media Personality.

  As an international luxury media personality who regularly appears on TV, radio and every conceivable form of digital media she is known as “The Luxury Guru.” As a luxury market influencer, Lorre shares her expertise about living a luxurious lifestyle. Her following is large and diverse, from royals and billionaires to those who aspire to live the luxury life. As a luxury marketing consultant for over 25 years, Lorre White works with companies who target Ultra High Net Worth consumers.

"In Luxury Marketing is is about WHO, not How Many you reach.  A million people that cannot afford your product are of less value than one that can!" says Lorre White, owner of White Light Consulting.  Reaching the UHNW is different than covering the UHNW. Lorre  has a unique reach to, and trust of, the UHNW.  Blogging For The Super Rich article: http://luxguru.typepad.com/lorre_white_the_luxury_gu/2014/05/blogging-for-the-super-rich-new-article-out-in-luxe-in-a-city-agency-luxury.html

Lorre's consulting clients (WhiteLightConsultng.net) include private jet, yacht, private banks, thoroughbred horses, luxury media, etc. Lorre helped grow Sea Gate Travel into one of the 10 largest in the US from 188th. In doing so, she orchestrated hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of corporate travel for global brands, including the league travel for the entire NBA, the NHL, and the MLB. Lorre was instrumental in launching the NBA’s own airline, where she escorted the NBA and US Olympic Dream Teams to events. For billionaire Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway and their partners Marquis Jets, Lorre was the Global Vice President of Sales & Marketing for the Boeing Business Jet division, where she created the M-Club for their wealthiest clients.

Her consulting work is based on her availabilty, and is contracted out for a set amount of hours over an esablished time frame, at an hourly rate.  

Luxury Marketing is very different than Mass Marketing that is taught at most Universities. There are very few specifically trained in the Luxury marketing sector. What motivates the Ultra High Net Worth is very different than the motivating factors of the majority. The top wealthiest 1% controls over 50% of the world's finances. This is a small but very powerful group who require a unique marketing reach. 

FORBES article : What People Don't Know About Lorre White, 'The Luxury Guru'
 http://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonydemarco/2013/01/17/what-people-dont-know-about-lorre-white-the-luxury-guru/

  "Lorre White's following is large and diverse  including royals and billionaires" ~ FORBES

Lorre White can also be follow on FaceBook (Personal, Public Figure and Group pages), LinkedIn (Personal, Business and Group pages), Twitter @Lorre, G+ , Ello and many private social media groups.

 

www.LuxGuru.Typepad.com

Sign up on the top left under the black and white photo under the header, to get luxury news sent daily 

 

About NetBase

• NetBase is the real-time social business platform that many global companies use to run brands, build businesses and connect with consumers.
• NetBase’s customers—ranging from American Airlines and Credit Suisse to Ralph Lauren, Target, Bose and Sony—use this real-time information to drive decisions.

Click on Link  to sign up for your own copy of the report get the second half of the report free when it is released:  http://info.netbase.com/AR-LuxuryBrand.html?ls=Website&d=Website-AR-Collateral-2014-11-LuxuryBrands

 

Below is a small sample of Articles Featuring Lorre White from magazines globally.  (These were chosen from those printed in English. There are many more articles on her available on the web and in different languages):

 

'Defining Luxury' an interview with The Luxury Guru, Lorre White in UK's Luxury Waterfront Magazine: http://luxguru.typepad.com/files/lorre-white-water-front-celebrity-feature.pdf

 'Atelier' the Super Luxury Magazine of Dubai and India features LORRE WHITE, The Luxury Guru http://luxguru.typepad.com/files/atelier-supr-lux-mag-feature-on-lorre-white-dubai-india-print-web.pdf

 'Demystifying Bespoke', an interview with Luxury Expert Lorre White in Oman's luxury magazine Crème De La Crème: http://luxguru.typepad.com/files/lorre-white-interview-in-omans-creme-de-la-creme-luxury-magazine-topic-bespoke.pdf

 The Most Precious Commodity Of All, Lorre White Hold a commanding Influence over spending habits of the World's Wealthiest'  http://www.menaluxury.com/serenity/issue-10/#/34 Middle East & Northern Africa Luxury Magazine

'EXCLUSIVE: Inside the luxury category with The Luxury Guru, Lorre White' n UK's The Top Tierhttp://thetoptier.net/index.php/home/luxury-business-news-and-updates/1720-inside-the-luxury-category-with-the-luxury-guru-lorre-white%20

British Fashion Week’s exclusive article with international luxury expert Lorre White, The Guru of Luxury:  http://luxguru.typepad.com/files/british-fashion-week-1.pdf

 'A Luxury Consultant With Mass Appeal And Exclusive Clientele' http://jewelrynewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-luxury-consultant-with-mass-appeal.html

 'A Unique Marketing Reach' Serenity Travel Industry Magazine: http://www.menaluxury.com/serenity/issue-8/#/24

 'A Conversation with Luxury Expert Lorre White' in UK's Luxury Magazine The Foxley Docket: http://luxguru.typepad.com/files/foxley-docket-feature-lorre-white.pdf

 'The Right Side Of The Velvet Ropes' Middle East Luxury Travel Show Magazine: http://www.menaluxury.com/serenity/issue-9/#/24

 'Luxury Guru Lorre White' in Deluxe Middle East Magazine: http://www.deluxemiddleeast.com/home.php?go=article&a=luxury-guru-lorre-white 

FORBES article : What People Don't Know About Lorre White, 'The Luxury Guru'
 http://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonydemarco/2013/01/17/what-people-dont-know-about-lorre-white-the-luxury-guru/

 

 

Billionaire Warren Buffet and Lorre White 'The Luxury Guru'

Lorre White, "The Luxury Guru" Power Point Slide Presentation

Download Lorre White Presentation 15 February 2012 - Copy

 

Social networking on line clubs - What is WHITE HOT in the Luxury Market by “the Luxury Guru Lorre White”

SQUA.RE, eVelvet Rope, IN, Nico’s world, Diane Fay, Diamond Lounge, A Cool World, 740 Park, A Small World, Linked In, Hamptons Under Cover, Decayenne, Black Diamond, Plaxo, Pulse, Qube, LStyle It may sound like a list of old album covers but actually it is a new media source put to work. They are just a few of the more popular on line social networking clubs. There has been a mass entry of new on line communities.

People spend more time on the web then in front of the TV and these clubs, which are free to members, hope to capture the advertiser’s eye. A recent study done by The Luxury Institute found that Luxury consumers were disappointed in the weakness of luxury brands to meet their on line needs. The truth is that the mass retailers were much earlier to enter the web media and have a much more sophisticated platform now than the luxury brands. The Premium brands turned up their noses initially and their arrogance cost them dearly. They were slow to the high tech world of on line media….but the highly educated, high net worth individuals are insisting that luxury adapt to their needs. The Luxury Report showed that the majority of the Ultra High Net worth (minimum of 30 million liquid assets) individuals preferred to do their shopping on line. The elite brands now must fight to claim their territory on the web. These private social clubs are hoping that they offer the advertisers the perfect media entre.

The plethora of new exclusive social networking clubs is competing for unique features to meet the demands of their audience. Several of the most elite social clubs air video podcast (on demand viewing on your computer) from THE LUXURY CHANNEL on iTunes & Zune. The video podcasts are small web TV shows that you watch on your computer or down load to a cell phone or iPod. iTunes is enormous and offers the largest market as it is truly world wide. Zune directory was founded this year as a joint venture between Microsoft and Adobe. Experts believe it will take 10 years for it to be as big as iTunes.

The grand daddy of the successful social networking clubs was A Small World, referred to as ASW, which was started in Europe with the time appropriate fact that the world has become a small place and people of a certain financial and social prestige are doing business with each other around the globe. As one climbs the pyramid, the degree of separation decreases. ASW created an on line social network to assist this group in connecting with other like minded people to socialize, get restaurant recommendations, travel tips, the hot local party, event information, etc. It is an invitation only club with approximately 130,000 members. The founders have stepped out of the management and so it is run by “middle management types” with no real authority or inspiration. Some members feel that it is lacking the creativity that it takes to keep it from going stale. ASW has no video, no podcasts, the staff is surly, etc. ASW did a great job initially of keeping it exclusive. I personally have been impressed when I use it traveling in Europe or the Middle East more than in the US. Many members complain about Germanic rigid structure of the rules for membership. Most find it too confining and the website itself is not “sexy” but archaic and slow.

I find that many of the individuals on my ASW network use Facebook much more on a daily basis for staying in touch with friends. The fact that so many ASWers are on Facebook means that they are not meeting their member’s needs. Facebook has the easiest format to use and the most fun and creative ways to stay in touch with friends from sending them a virtual drink, fashion accessory, poke, bumper sticker, etc. You can add video and photos and it seems to have been successful in not attracting the MySpace crowd despite the fact that anyone can join.

Several other new generation sites have grown out of ASW to fill niches that they find that ASW missed. SQUA.RE was founder by two 25 year old ASW members and they target a young urban international jet set crowd. Their format allows all members a channel to run their videos instead of a static page. It is invitation only. They are targeting the tech savvy affluent 18 to 35 year olds. My interaction with the owners was positive; they seem like a sharp hip fun group and they offer a unique format.

eVelvet Rope is an invitation only social club also founded by an ASW member. EVR is going after the young professional single and newly married that have a lot of expendable income, like to go out and eat and can travel and stay at nice hotels (But not like the ASWers that take their private jet to their own villa). They have EVRMag.com which is an on line magazine open to the public. Again my interactions with the founder were very positive. He is very professional and serious about having a great club.

Diane Fay is trying to do the same thing but is focused in Asia primarily, although the founders are Europeans. They seem to have some bugs to work out of their site. There is a fundamental flaw in a networking site that won’t allow you to connect to build a network. I spent several days attempting to grow my network but all my connections said they had never figured out how to connect either. I sent off an email to the website for help on 3 occasions and no one answered. Initially upon joining I got several nice welcome emails from the partners and senior staff telling me they want to speak with me in 2 weeks when they returned from traveling……..it has now been 5 weeks and I still have not heard back from them. I did attempt to reach out to them again 2 weeks ago. I’d have to say pleasant folks but no follow through as far as management is concerned.

Qube is new and is an off shoot of Quintessentially which is an international concierge service. This allows their members to reach out to their non members in an on line social format. It kind of works on the “friends of rich people are probably rich too” theory. It is very new and I had difficulty setting up my but was nicely assisted by their IT. I have reached out to management but not heard back and will see if and how they respond. When I clicked on one of the founders names of Quintessentially on the Qube membership network and it said he had not been on line for a year!

LinkedIN is a big networking service focused on work. They have really grown. I have to say that my first LinkedIn event I attended was in NYC at a bad art gallery where they had bags of pretzels poured out on paper plates and “pour your own” Glen Ellen jug wine. Needless to say it was also my last LinkedIN event.

Plaxo & Pulse seem to be trying to combine social and work but anyone can join so no exclusivity and it often just becomes annoying.

A Cool World runs Stealth Wealth and has different degrees of “éliteness” as you can be an Alpha or a Beta member. The membership is by approval only and I was shocked that when I joined they already had my photo and professional title. Alpha membership allows you into the exclusive 740 Park club.

LStyle is another new European club more concentrated in Scandinavian countries. There is nothing particularly unique about it. I did reach out to the owners and they seemed more confused than anything. I think it will take them a while to figure things out.

Hampton Under Cover is bran new….they haven’t even taken the bubble wrap off…too soon to tell.

You are the asset and these on line clubs are vying for. They need the demographic mix to sell advertising to the “trying to catch up” luxury brands. The web based social clubs can be a very affective tool if you use them correctly. What ever your situation there will be a club with a unique twist to make it your perfect match…..and if not, start your own!

How to reach the wealthy clients world wide.

Every month, wealthy Americans use the Internet to shop twice as much as the average individual. So how can you reach potential high-net-worth clients online? As with traditional media, marketers must first go to the content that their customers access like Lorre's LUXURY CHANNEL on iTunes and Zune.  This gives you access to a world wide audience.

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! 

Luxury distribution is changing, too; online luxury, once an oxymoron, is now omnipresent.

Sponsored By

Luxury Goes Undercover

The best things in life aren't necessarily flashy objects but discreet, meaningful experiences.

Rana Foroohar

Newsweek Web Exclusive

Updated: 1:18 PM ET Oct 15, 2007

There are bespoke suits. And then there are bespoke books. For the mogul who truly has everything, there's something new: a custom-made autobiography. For any where from a few grand to $100,000, Myspecialbook.com, a publishing company started a few years back by wealthy Argentines, will write, design and publish a book all about anyone who can afford it. The glossy pages will be filled with beautiful photos, personal letters and other mementos, artfully laid out to illustrate a life of wealth and privilege. The text will feature quotes and anecdotes from the subject's rich and powerful friends. Milton Pedraza, director of the New York-based research firm the Luxury Institute, recalls a well-known private-equity billionaire who was recently brought to tears after receiving such a birthday gift from his wife. "It's the story of your life, told by the people who love you," he says. "Can you imagine anything more personal? That's real luxury."

The luxury industry sure isn't what it used to be. Forget haute couture handbags; those were commoditized years ago. Custom-made yachts? A dime a dozen in chic ports. Even the purveyors of luxury themselves seem a bit bored by it all—top designers craft clothes for discount stores, and high-end hotel chains nix frigid marble palaces in favor of beach shacks. After years of unprecedented global wealth creation—there are now some 8.7 million millionaires, according to the 2006 Merrill Lynch-Capgemini World Wealth Report. The rich hold some $33.3 trillion in assets, up from $16.6 trillion a decade ago. Meanwhile, the sheer proliferation of luxury goods has made them accessible, at some level, to many millions more. In an era in which anybody can go online to buy toiletries handmade by Florentine nuns, and the Louvre is opening a branch in Abu Dhabi, is anything truly exclusive anymore?

The answer, of course, is yes; luxury, by its very nature, will always seek higher ground. But the luxury business is undergoing a radical change. For starters, its customer base is shifting dramatically, as wealth continues to spread to new parts of the globe. Luxury distribution is changing, too; online luxury, once an oxymoron, is now omnipresent. Meanwhile, members-only services for dining, travel, entertainment and retail are proliferating. Clearly, the rich want to be rich in private, with members of their own tribe.

Most important, the nature of luxury goods and services themselves are evolving. Rather than flash, luxury consumers are now seeking discretion, special access, surprise, humor, even secrecy. They don't crave another pair of Jimmy Choos or a custom-made Bentley so much as the challenge of vying for an appointment at the Parisian jeweler JAR—maybe you'll get a slot that day, maybe not—or an invitation to a resort where they'll be entertained by rock stars and educated by Nobel laureates. Most of all, they want meaning, emotion and connection—witness the rise of "philanthropic travel," where visitors to ultraposh resorts in far-flung places might help build a school or launch a mini-foundation for water-sanitation projects in between beachcombing. It's not about keeping up with the Joneses, but about keeping up with the Gateses.

Delivering the goods to ever more discriminating and demanding luxury consumers is requiring companies to rethink their entire business models, an evolution that is long overdue. Until quite recently, luxury was strictly segmented by product (fashion houses did clothes, wine makers made wine, etc.) and run privately, often by second- or third-generation families. There were only a couple of big conglomerates (LVMH, Pinault-Printemps-Redoute), and they had a fairly predictable formula: blend mass (Louis Vuitton handbags) with class (Bottega Veneta dresses), growing the customer base at one end while keeping margins and brand value high at the other.

It wasn't a bad formula; after all, the luxury business has been growing at around 8 percent a year for the past few years—faster than retail sales overall. But a younger generation of luxury consumers has grown tired of the usual offerings. "The average high-end female consumer today has four or five designer handbags, versus one or two a decade ago," says HSBC luxury analyst Antoine Belge. At the same time, they have more money to spend on luxury purchases than their parents did (according to a survey by Pennsylvania-based Unity Marketing, Gen-Xers spend about $16,000 more a year on luxury than boomers do), and are looking for new types of goods and services on which to drop their extra cash.

Enter private-equity investors, who buy up and revamp ailing firms. Flush with cash, and looking for new targets, private equity has been snapping up luxury brands—recent buys include Jil Sander and Jimmy Choo. As fashion's old guard (Garavani Valentino, Giorgio Armani, Karl Lagerfeld) begin to step down over the next few years, financiers, rather than fashionistas, will increasingly shape the future of luxury. While some in the industry have lamented the end of designer leadership, there's already evidence that the moneymen are a boon to both profitability and creativity. Brands like Versace, under new leadership, are moving beyond red-carpet dresses into areas like interior jet and auto design. Last year Donna Karan went a step further, researching the launch of a branded airline. Meanwhile, formerly fusty or low-profile brands like Goyard (upscale luggage) and Valextra (leather goods) have been acquired and reinvented for new audiences who appreciate their quiet elegance.

Far from homogenizing luxury, industry experts like investment banker Gail Zauder of Elixir Advisors believe that the flood of cash will infuse it with energy. "Private equity is going to help many more niche brands grow and survive," she predicts. Already, there are luxury brands coming from places previously unheard of: Wisconsin (W.C. Russell Moccasin Co.), for example, or Alabama (Project Alabama, purveyor of handmade fashions). This reflects the growing availability of funding, and the ability of small brands to reach faraway audiences via the Internet, but also the tastes of a new kind of consumer who enjoys the stealth surprise factor of having, say, a $20,000 gown embroidered by Red State seamstresses rather than by the usual Parisian suspects.

That's not to say that luxury customers won't still stroll the Avenue Montaigne, but an increasing number will come from more-unexpected places as well. Globalization, wealth expansion and demand for luxury products continue to march in step; according to HSBC, Kazakhstan, Des Moines and Oslo are now bustling luxury markets, as are many second cities in China, where personal wealth is beginning to rival hubs like Hong Kong and Shanghai. Chicago, better known for big department stores than cutting-edge boutiques, is turning out topnotch designers who peddle their wares in tiny, hidden stores; Ikram, an understated shop on Rush Street, can't keep $20,000 dresses in stock. Clients who prize individuality above all favor slightly lower-profile designers like Azzedine Alaia, and many expect their chosen outfits to fly first class to their second homes on the day of purchase. "Having salespeople fly dresses to clients is pretty standard," says owner Ikram Goldman.

But while the rich are clearly willing to pay almost any price for great service, they are also increasingly interested in immediacy and convenience. Web sites like vivre.com, net-a-porter.com, or 20ltd.com allow consumers to shop for $22,500 Erickson Beamon chandeliers or $800 Loro Piana travel pillows in total privacy. According to Luxury Institute research, nearly all wealthy Americans (98 percent) use the Web to purchase such goods and services, and more than half do it frequently. It was only a matter of time before even the most upscale brands, like Hermès, started selling in cyberspace. Earlier this year, players of the online game Second Life were treated to a preview of Victoire de Castellane's one-of-a-kind jewelry for Dior.

When they aren't shopping online, the rich may still protect their privacy by shopping at home—house calls are now de rigueur for upscale retailers. Individual trunk shows held in clients' homes, or in small, plush venues for only a handful of viewers, are also becoming more common. "Fashion shows have become media spectacles, and designers combine discount goods and couture on the catwalk at the same time," notes Sonnet Stanfill, a fashion curator at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. "It's gotten completely away from the old-fashioned notion of luxury, which was very much about privacy and exclusivity. Clients would sit quietly, smoking or having a cup of tea, while viewing a collection. That hothouse atmosphere is starting to come back now."

Even when they travel, the wealthy crave the quiet comforts of home. Some upscale hotels monogram linens especially for regular customers. Quintessentially, the London-based luxury concierge service, is launching a chain of members-only hotels in 2008, where visitors won't even have to check in; a swipe card flashed at the door will alert staff, who will then greet them personally while their bags are whisked up to the usual room.

In nearly all aspects of luxury travel, understated is now the rule. Rather than a bottle of free Cristal or a mammoth plasma TV—now standard in even midpriced hotels—sophisticated travelers prefer the thoughtful touches: a bundle of fragrant local flowers left on the back seat of their car upon departure, a surprise trip to the concierge's own favorite local haunt or the recipe for a favorite dish printed up and left with their bill. "It's all about 'being' versus 'having'," says Jacques-Olivier Chauvin, CEO of the small high-end hotel group Relais & Chateaux.

Not surprisingly, there are a host of new companies springing up to help the wealthy "be." The education of a new breed of domestic workers—butlers, maids, personal chefs and wine stewards—has be-come a cottage industry, and training centers like the Starkey International Institute for Household Management in Denver, Colorado, are booming. Students learn things like how to best serve the low-key, self-made owner of a $10 million Jackson Hole, Wyoming, fishing shack, who may prefer burgers on the deck with the kids rather than three-course meals on fine china. PinnacleCare medical concierge service not only advises on health but can also secure hard-to-get appointments with a coveted fertility expert or cancer specialist. Family Office Exchange brings together the growing number of family investment officers around the world to exchange stock tips and trade references for top lawyers or brokers.

This trend of the rich servicing the rich will only grow. Already, many new niche luxury brands are being started by socialites who have the most intimate knowledge of what their peers are looking for. The Luxury Institute's Pedraza expects that the scions of today's wealthy families will be the ones to launch tomorrow's private-jet management companies and new Web sites catering to the affluent; already there are a number of closed-door sites (including one run by the Luxury Institute, which vets members by wealth) where the world's richest people can exchange everything from restaurant recommendations to business plans. "The rich will increasingly exist in gated, private communities, online and offline," says Pedraza.

But there is an encouraging backlash to this somewhat disturbing trend: when you can have anything you want, the most discreetly fashionable gesture of all, it turns out, is giving it all away. There has been a sharp rise in philanthropic giving among the growing crop of younger financiers and entrepreneurs, often via their own namesake foundations. It's perhaps no surprise that a recent HSBC luxury-goods research report contained a graphic of American psychologist Abraham Maslow's famous hierarchy of emotional needs. After all, some of the most successful luxury launches in recent memory (American Express's Red Card, Bono's green clothing line) have been linked to higher causes. "The future of luxury will be about imparting real meaning into a product," says Elixir's Zauder. It's anybody's guess what the next generation of luxury products and services might look like. But if it touches a mogul's heartstrings, you can bet it'll be expensive.

URL: http://www.newsweek.com/id/44215

LORRE WHITE, is the Featured Celebrity today on

LORRE WHITE, “THE LUXURY GURU”

is the Featured Celebrity today on

eVelvetRope’s on line magazine.

Check it out….

www.EVRMag.com

Sometimes being in the know is all about knowing the right people. So now you know us.

eVelvetRope will also be airing Lorre’s Luxury Channel Video Podcasts.

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."

Lorre White, The Luxury Guru, shoot podcast series about Antiques with owner of the US premiere Antique House Newel.

Newel Art, located in NYC, is the largest of the high end Antique stores.  Lewis Baer is the 3rd generation proprietor of this amazing antique bastion.  This 70 year old store sells to the elite world wide & supples many of the sets for the major motion picture films.  "It is fun to explore it's 5 floors of history" say Lorre White, "The Luxury Guru".

Lewis shares his vast knowledge about some interesting period pieces on Lorre's Luxury Channel on iTunes.  Lorre shot a 12 podcast series at Newel that will start to air the end of May.  Lorre's has 2 shows on her Luxury Channel, "Guru OF Luxury" that airs twice a week & "Luxury On A Budget" that airs once a week.  "I interview the best of the best in every luxury category" say Lorre, "Newel is the best in the Antique business in the US.  I have an international fan base and Newel sells to customers all over the world".  Lorre has shot a World Class Wine series with Le Cirque Restaurant, watches with the EVP of Tourneau, Leshem Loft for Luxury Baby items, etc., so Newel was a natural fit.  Go to iTunes podcast under Society  & Culture and sign up to automatically receive her video podcasts. 

If you don't have iTune go to www.Luxury.podango.com.