Source: The Boston Globe
NEW YORK — Bargain hunters from around the world flock to Manhattan’s Chinatown for bags, jewelry, and other accessories bursting onto sidewalks along Canal Street.
Among the goods are items labeled ‘‘Prada’’ and ‘‘Louis Vuitton’’ or with the name of some other luxury brand — but they are counterfeits, sold for a pittance.
In some cases, handbags going for $2,000 on Fifth Avenue can be had downtown for, say, $20. The fakes, that is.
Until now, the law enforcement focus has been on catching sellers. But if a bill passes the City Council, customers caught buying counterfeits could be punished with a fine of up to $1,000 or up to a year in prison.
The New York City legislation, if passed, would be the first in the United States to criminalize the purchase of counterfeits.
Read the full article at The Boston Globe...
Source: The Daily Mail
The world's most expensive motorhome has gone on sale in Dubai - covered in gold and worth a cool £2 million ($3 Million U.S).
The space-age eleMMent Palazzo comes complete with a colossal master bedroom, 40-inch TV, on-board bar, fireplace and even its own rooftop terrace.
But the most impressive piece of luxury is the 'Sky Lounge' - at the press of a button the 40 ft. home transforms into a personal retreat with pop up cocktail bar, underfloor heating and extravagant marble lighting.
The success of the vehicle has been a hit among oil-rich Arab Sheikhs - the state-of-the-art homes even wash themselves after a day's driving through the Middle Eastern desert.
Read the full article and see more photos at The Daily Mail...
Source: VOGUE
Take a look at photos from this years CFDA Awards.
Hosted by Bravo TV's Andy Cohen, the fabulous June 3rd event featured guests like the legendary Anna Wintour, Oscar de la Renta, Hillary Clinton, Riccardo Tisci, Rooney Mara, Lazaro Hernandez, Vera Wang, Ralph Lauren, and many more.
The lovely photos were taken by famed photographer Kevin Tachman.
Log on to VOGUE for the full story and more photos...
Source: Newsmax
Donald Trump has struck a deal to turn the historic Old Post Office building in Washington, D.C. into a new luxury hotel just blocks from the White House, CNN reports.
The deal was sealed between the real estate and entertainment billionaire and the General Services Administration on Wednesday.
It calls for Trump to redevelop the old building on Pennsylvania Avenue, which is now used as government office space, into a fancy hotel complex, complete with restaurants, conference facilities, and a spa.
The agreement allows him to lease the property for 60 years. The cost of the project is expected to run about $200 million.
Read the full article at Newsmax...
Source: RT
An internal watchdog claims the IRS spent $50 million on ‘inappropriate’ conference funds during a three-year period – news that serves to further embarrass the agency in wake of its targeting of conservative groups.
The Internal Revenue Service allegedly spent nearly $50 million on about 200 employee conferences between 2010 and 2012, during which it frequently provided its workers with presidential hotel suites and allowed them to take dance classes and attend baseball games, according to excerpts from an inspector general’s report slated to be released Tuesday.
An August 2010 conference in Anaheim, Calif., cost the IRS $4 million. About 2,600 managers attended the event and stayed in presidential hotel suites that usually cost $1,500 to $3,500 per night.
About 15 outside speakers were paid $135,000 each, one of which was hired to discuss “leadership through art”, according to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which released the excerpts.
Read the full article at RT...
Source: Hurriyet Daily News
Global private financial wealth grew at a fairly high rate of 7.8 percent in 2012, beating the 3.6 percent rise in 2011, and reached nearly $135.5 trillion, according to the Boston Consulting Group’s 13th annual Global Wealth Report, which was launched last week.
While the developed world made money on mainly equity markets, the so-called emerging world earned a lot from higher GDP growths.
The year 2012 appeared to be the best in recent history. The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) found that the principal driver of the rise in the wealth was the “strong rebound in equity markets,” particularly during the second half of the year.
In the developing economies of BCG’s “new world,” however, the phenomenon was inverted, with newly created wealth accounting for 55.6 percent of total wealth growth, according to the report.
Read the full article at Hurriyet Daily News...
Source: Forbes
Nigerian billionaire and Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote has become the first African entrepreneur to lay claim to a $20 billion fortune as the stock value of his largest holding, Dangote Cement, leaped just about three-fourths since March when Forbes released its annual ranking of the world’s richest people.
Aliko Dangote’s 93% stake in the cement company is now worth $19.5 billion.
Add this to his controlling stakes in other publicly-listed companies like Dangote Sugar and National Salt Company of Nigeria and his significant shareholdings in other blue-chips like Zenith Bank, UBA Group and Dangote Flour; his extensive real estate portfolio, jets, yachts and current cash position, which includes more than $300 million in recently awarded Dangote Cement dividends, Dangote is now worth more than $20 billion.
Read the full article at Forbes...
Source: PR Web
Rosaline Jewelry, an internationally-renowned luxury jewelry brand and custom jewelry manufacturer, celebrates its 10th year anniversary.
The Rosaline Jewelry collections are original, fresh, inviting and aesthetically alluring. Its unique collections unify Eastern and Western motifs with artful simplicity that make a truly luxurious statement.
Collectors from around the world have praised Rosaline Jewelry for its top quality materials and elegant designs, including the unique Emperor Butterfly, the lovely Angel Eyes, the sophisticated Falling Leaves, and many other collections.
Rosaline Jewelry began in late 2003. Since inception, Rosaline Jewelry has amassed an array of notable milestones and honors; including an exclusive line of jewelry for Sands Corp Marina Bay Hotel/Resort/ Casino, the World Trade Center Association, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Chaine des Rotisseurs, and featured on “Decade of Discovery” on QVC, “Silver Gallery – Rosaline Jewelry” on HSN, just to name a few.
Read the full release at PR Web...
Former Bank of America Founder, Legendary “Giannini Estate” For Sale
The 1920’s Italian Renaissance estate compound is located in Los Angeles’ super exclusive gated community of Fremont Place.
The private neighborhood has been home to some of Los Angeles' most prominent residents, including Mary Pickford, Louis B. Mayer, Cardinal McIntyre, Mohammed Ali, King C. Gillette, Courtney Vance and Angela Bassett.
The 10,000 sf. former compound of A.P. Giannini (founder of Bank of America) has been reunited to its original grandeur and includes 2 large historic homes, separate guest apartment, cabana and a huge double lot.
Classic details include original batch-elder tile floors, hand stenciled wood beams, magnificent ceiling heights, and extraordinary trompe l’oeil painting.
Living spaces include 9BR & 9BA’s, a grand entry hall, formal living & dining rooms, great room and conservatory.
The expansive grounds offer a spectacular cobalt blue-tiled pool, formal lawns, outdoor terraces and rose garden.
Located only 4.6 Miles from famous Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills - A truly rare opportunity for the architectural connoisseur.
Log on to http://www.fremontplacehancockpark.com for more pictures and information...
Source: Stuff.co.nz
BMW has revealed a new concept coupe with interior wood trim sourced from a New Zealand tree that is "more than 48,000 years" old.
The BMW Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupe revealed at the prestigious Villa d’Este concours in Italy over the weekend is seen as a potential reincarnation of the luxury-focused 8-Series.
The concept model is the result of collaboration between the Bavarian manufacturer and the well-known Italian design house that could introduce a new flagship model to the BMW range.
The exterior design is sleek and arguably more mature than anything else in the range, and the interior is designed to take plush to a new - yet very old - level.
Read the full article at Stuff.co.nz
Source: CNBC
Today's wealthy investors seem to have split personalities.
Survey after survey shows that they are back to pre-crisis boom years when it comes to their outlook for their own finances, their investments and their retirements.
Then there is the darker side. When it comes to their outlook on the broader economy or in stock markets, they take a dimmer view.
This contrast was on view in a recent survey from U.S. Trust. Its "Insights on Wealth and Worth" survey—which polls people worth $3 million or more (one-third of respondents had $10 million or more)—showed that 88 percent of respondents feel financially secure today and 70 percent feel confident about their financial security in the future.
Red the full article at CNBC...
Source: Brand Channel
The splashy debut of the new 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class in an Airbus factory in Hamburg, Germany, last week promises to shake up the global battle among the three German luxury brands for worldwide dominance.
From the choice of seven different interior-light colors to radar and night-vision systems that practically allow the sedan to drive itself, the new S-Class gives Mercedes-Benz reason to believe that it can compete more effectively in the US market and worldwide with arch rivals BMW and Audi.
The long-awaited remake of the S-Class—whose current version has a sticker price beginning at about $95,000—is meant to imbue the entire Mercedes-Benz brand with a perception of technological leadership.
Read the full article at Brand Channel...
NEW YORK — Bargain hunters from around the world flock to Manhattan’s Chinatown for bags, jewelry, and other accessories bursting onto sidewalks along Canal Street. 
