American consumers have become accustomed to the luxury of fresh, refrigerated milk as a mainstay in their consumption habits. But that luxury is slowly eroding, as dairy plant consolidations are altering distribution and mass-merchandiser venues operate through strategies of non-refrigerated retailing. The result is that dairy beverages that can be...
Luxury is essentially useless, physiologically superfluous, and yet more psychologically vital than ever before. To reach the masses, brands display their products far beyond the simple flash; to accommodate the growing number of enthusiasts, boutiques become temples; and yet, luxury has managed to maintain its illustrious aura, its sense of...
Knowledge@Wharton's latest Off the Shelf, posted today, reviews Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster (published in August 2007). In a review titled Illusion, Not Quality: The Transformation of the Luxury Niche into a Global Mass Market, Off the Shelf gives an extensive recap of the rise of luxury goods makers,...
Since the first days of the green movement, consumers have been on the lookout for ways to save the planet while keeping their standard of luxury. Deirdre Wallace introduced such a way when she opened The Ambrose Hotel in Santa Monica, California in 2003. With 77 rooms, The Ambrose...
The luxury experience is summed up in the store visit, the immersion within the highly aesthetic, creative and prestigious ambience of the retail atmosphere and ultimately interacting with the products through touching, feeling and sometimes smelling them. The retail store plays a prominent role in the overall luxury buying experience...
It's no secret that luxury fashion brands have lost revenue over the last five years and are struggling to find new, innovative ways of breathing life into their brands to stay relevant and extend customer bases. Ultra-premium fashion houses may be well known even to Target shoppers but remaining fresh...
[ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] THE OFFICE environment affects people enough to increase their productivity. Because we spend more than 10 hours a day in the office, it needs to be comfortable. If possible, the majority of workers should have a window view. When visiting clients who are fortunate...
With its ever-growing portfolio of boutique hotel properties , Sequel Hotels and Resorts is pleased to announce that a management agreement has been signed with the award-winning Chateau Beauvallon in Mont Tremblant, Quebec . Set in the heart of the majestic Laurentians, the luxurious lakeside retreat is...
Custom home buyers expect endless choices whenit comes to designing their homes, and thanks to the wide reach of TheJohnson Development Corp., luxury home buyers have just such an array ofoptions in Houston-area neighborhoods. The well-established developer touts custom neighborhoods in each of itssix active communities, including two in Fort...
Portland's housing market may have slipped substantially this year, but luxury home builders that will be showcased in the Home Builders Association's Street of Dreams tour next month say they're managing to avoid the fallout. This year's featured street, Southeast Scotts Summit Court, curves 960 feet to...
The future of the Tulsa Drillers could be thrown a curveball. Last month, city officials presented a plan to build a $60 million stadium downtown in the Greenwood District. The ballpark would be the new home to the Drillers, a Double-A minor league team that currently plays...
Real estate and infrastructure investment firm extends socially conscious investment model to refurbish middle-income homes in Mumbai NEW YORK -- Trikona Capital Ltd., the leading fund management firm for institutional investment in infrastructure and real estate, today announced the expansion of its urban rejuvenation platform in Mumbai to...
Hoteliers are introducing healthy snacks and even happy hours to minibars in an attempt to revitalise the image of the maligned fridges. Wasabi crackers, fruit smoothies and other fashionable products have been placed alongside the traditional miniature bottles of spirits and overpriced mineral water. In luxury establishments,...
Today, more and more corporate workers --from senior executives to office administrators -- are making 'disconnectedvacations' a luxury of the past. Professionals are no longer leavingproductivity tools at home, making themselves accessible and business-awareeven when on vacation. The proliferation of devices like Blackberrys,iPods, USB sticks and PDAs makes it easier...
High net-worth consumers rated Google the mostprestigious search engine in the 2008 Luxury Brand Status Index LBSIsurvey from the independent New York City-based Luxury Institute( www.LuxuryInstitute.com ). Respondents who would recommend Google say ithas the "most complete and relevant search results combined with theability to search images, news, etc.," and...
Not just the economy is sagging. Cash-strapped folks are cutting back on body-firming services such as gym memberships, diets and cosmetic procedures. Some 53% of plastic surgeons say business has slowed, according to a recent survey by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery of nearly 700 members....
HERCULANEUM, Italy AFP — Visitors to Herculaneum, destroyed along with Pompeii in the 79 AD eruption of Mount Vesuvius, can now take a 3D virtual tour recreating life in the ancient Roman town. The virtual walk, inaugurated Wednesday, seems to take the visitor through the town, stopping at...
TOYAKO, Japan AFP — It's not only the leaders who feel the strain at marathon talks on solving some of the world's most pressing problems. As a summit of the Group of Eight rich nations entered a third day on Wednesday, the legions of security guards, smiling hotel...
COST OF LIVING One barometer of success is when you have either the requisite space, or clothes, for a walk-in wardrobe. It would be harsh, however, to dismiss these efficient instalments as mere luxury accessories. Think of the time saved - all your clothes...
Top 25 are each over a city block long and filled with amenities NEW YORK -- POWER & MOTORYACHT, the #1 enthusiast marine category publication, unveiled its 23rd annual list of the world's 100 largest megayachts, a.k.a. "The POWER & MOTORYACHT 100." A megayacht is defined as a...
