Infamous Editor in Chief of American Vogue, Anna Wintour, was out scouting some luxurious apartments with her daughter, Bee Shaffer. The pair is believed to be looking for the perfect starter home for the 22-year-old.

Anna Wintour is the Editor in Chief at American Vogue and she is certainly no wallflower. But this past week she was seen quietly making her way through some of New York’s finest apartments with her 22-year-old daughter, Bee Shaffer, looking for the perfect new place for Bee to call home.

Bee Shaffer and fashion mogul Wintour were all over SoHo looking at apartments, including some at 330 Spring Street,  also known as “the urban glass house”, and at 505 Greenwich, consisting of two 15-story glass and steel towers located on the western portion of SoHo.

Reports indicate that both two-bedroom apartments that the dynamic duo was looking at were in the $2.3 million range. Not too shabby for a 22-year-old’s first place; hopefully little Bee will soon find her perfect nest.

Via: The New York Post

The past year has been a financial disaster for many, but that hasn’t stopped some of Miami-Dade’s luxury condos from selling at impressive prices. Here’s a rundown of the top eight selling luxury condos over the past six months in Miami-Dade County.

Continuum South Tower—Penthouse 1: $9,900,000 ($1,343 per square foot)

A magnificent South Beach oceanfront, three-level 7,374 square feet penthouse featuring 360 views, five bedrooms, and seven and a half bathrooms. The penthouse includes 13 foot ceilings (26 feet in the dining room), smart house touch panels integrated for high-end audio and video, automatic shades, four plasma TV’s, a private elevator, and walk-in closets. Building amenities included an exercise room, extra storage room, heated pool, additional pool, tennis grounds, spa, hot tub, and sauna. The home was listed for $14,950,000, but sold on May 15, 2009 for $9,900,000.

Apogee South Beach—Unit 1104: $6,000,000 ($1,444 per square foot)

This unit is located in one of Miami Beach’s most exclusive condo buildings south of Fifth Street. The four bedroom, five bath, 4,154-square-foot unit features an 11-foot deep terrace, open kitchen with gas stove and large island, a summer kitchen on the balcony, a midnight kitchen in the master bedrooms, private two car garage and views of the Bay, Fisher Island, Downtown, and Miami Beach. The unit was listed for $6,800,000 and sold on May 4, 2009 for $6,000,000.

Apogee South Beach—Unit 1201: $5,450,000 ($1,312 per square foot)

The unit features four bedrooms, three and a half bathrooms, and 4,154 square feet. The condo also includes grey limestone on terraces, 12-inch wide plans of French Oak Wood floors throughout the interior, black glass walls in entry foyer, interior mahogany doors, renovated kitchen with gas cook top, and an insulated media room with surround sound. The unit was originally listed for $5,750,000, but sold on July 23, 2009 for $5,450,000.

One Bal Harbour—Unite 2008: $5,200,000 ($987 per square foot)

A stunning four bedroom, four and a half bathroom unit measuring 5,266 square feet. The condo features 10 foot ceiling windows with panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean, Miami Beach, Downtown, and Haulover waterways. The building amenities include a private spa access by the master bedroom and all the luxuries of 24 hour room service. The condo was listed for $6,299,000 and sold on September 29, 2009 for $5,200,000.

Acqualina—Penthouse 4506: $4,999,000 ($779 per square foot)

This condo features five bedrooms and six bathrooms over 6,419 square feet. The penthouse includes the typical five-star hotel amenities including room service, housekeeping, and Il Mulino dining. There is a private pool for the unit with over 2,770 square feet of balcony space. The penthouse was listed for $7,900,000, but sold for $4,999,000 on August 2, 2009.

Ocean Tower 1—Unit 401: $4,600,000 ($851 per square foot)

This unit features four bedrooms and five and a half bathrooms. Measuring in at 5,403 square feet, the condo features a library, family room, formal living and dining rooms, and staff quarters. Marble floors and select Wenge wood are featured throughout the condo. The unit was originally listed for $5,490,000 but sold on June 9, 2009 for $4,600,000.

Apogee South Beach—Unit 1902: $4,300,000 ($1,387 per square foot)

This three bedroom, three and a half bathroom unit is spread over 3,103 square feet and features luxury Italian kitchen Miele appliances, gas cook top, and a summer kitchen on the terrace which includes an electric grill, fridge, and sink. The terraces of this unit are 11 foot deep and there are standard loft ceilings through the condo. The unit was originally listed for $4,975,000 and sold for $4,300,000 on September 30, 2009.

Oceanside at Fisher Island—Unit 7161: $3,950,000 ($998 per square foot)

This spectacular oceanfront unit features custom designs and furnishings by Kreiss, and the master bedroom has his and her marble closets. The unit has three bedrooms and four and a half baths. Originally listed for $4,500,000 this unit sold on June 1, 2009 for $3,950,000.

Via: Miami Condo Investments

Luxury-home prices in central London have risen on an annual basis for the first time in 17 months as executives buy homes and apartments in anticipation of bonuses.

Everyone knows that living in London, England is a pricey endeavor; but for those of us who know and love the vibrant English city, somehow, it’s just worth it.  According to recent reports, many bank and hedge-fund executives agrees, as they begin to buy houses and apartments again in London in anticipation of bonuses, driving up luxury-home prices in central London on an annual basis for the first time in 17 months.

The value of properties costing more than $1.6 million were 1.6 percent higher this November than they were a year ago, making it the first annual increase since June 2008. While prices remain 15 percent below their peak in March 2008, any increase is a good sign for the city and a hopeful indication of where things may be turning.

The head of residential research at Knight Frank said, “Anecdotal evidence from across our offices suggests that City money is becoming more apparent as we get closer to the end-of-year bonus season. Demand from senior management is driving the market.”

Luxury-home prices rose 1.2 percent between October and November 2009 as the city saw the “eighth straight month-on-month increase.” Frank adds that the most expensive London homes didn’t actually start to recover in value until May.

End-of-year bonuses for financial-service employees in London and Canary Wharf, another large financial district, are expected to rise 50 percent this year to an impressive $9.82 billion, which may explain why it’s reported that finance workers account for half of the demand for luxury homes.

But there’s one problem. Despite the potential increase in bonuses and consequential increase in luxury-home buyers, the number of properties available is anticipated to remain quite low. Louise Hewlett, managing director of London-based Aysleford International explains, “It is the shortage of supply which has given the rather false impression of a buoyant market. In some instances, high prices have been paid purely based on the lack of choice and competition from other buyers.”

Some people are suggesting that luxury homes may only return to their peak prices in 2012, and while this is still approximately one or two years sooner than the rest of the UK housing market is expected to rebound, it’s still two years away.

The British pound’s 19 percent decline against numerous currencies, including the euro, has resulted in a surge of demand from foreign investors. Italians, for example, accounted for almost half of European buyers of London property in 2009, 30 percent more than in 2008.

Houses and apartments in the Chelsea, Kensington, and Knightsbridge area’s of the city have seen the most increases in prices, as they tend to be areas favored by bankers.

Via: Bloomberg

This holiday season is certainly gearing up to be the season that keeps on giving; literally. Gucci has launched the fifth anniversary of the Gucci Campaign to Benefit UNICEF, which is a holiday period promotion of original collection items sold to directly benefit UNICEF.

Frida Giannini is Gucci’s creative director and she has joined forces with author and illustrator, Michael Roberts, for the fifth annual Gucci Campaign to Benefit UNICEF. Just like other years, this year’s initiative is focused on the holiday time promotion of “original collection items designed by Giannini to be exclusively sold in more than 200 Gucci stores worldwide and on Gucci.com.”

The Gucci Campaign to Benefit UNICEF has repeatedly supported education, healthcare, protection, and clean water programs for orphans and children affected by HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa.  Over the course of the campaign’s existence, Gucci has designated more than $7 million to UNICEF as a direct result of their campaign efforts.

Robert’s successful 2004 children’s book, Snowman in Paradise, is the inspiration behind this year’s collection, and Giannini commissioned the author to write a sequel, Snowman in Africa, which will be sold by Gucci until December 31, 2009. One hundred percent of the book’s retail price will go directly to UNICEF.

But for fashion powerhouse, Gucci, that wasn’t enough. Giannini was also actively involved in the design of exclusive Gucci accessories and a Gucci Gift Card which also will be benefiting UNICEF. All of these additional items have been inspired by Robert’s illustrations, and they include two medium sized Gucci Joy handbags (pictured), symbolic charms, a wrist wallet, and a coin purse.

The popular Joy Bags, charms, small leather items, and gift cards are all available in Gucci stores in more the 20 countries. The campaign runs through December 31, 2009 and 25 percent of the retail price of these additional Gucci-designed items will be generously donated to UNICEF.

These recent reviews of fashion icons stepping up the plate to aid those in need through various charitable outlets is a true inspiration to everyone. Help these organizations out by doing your part and joining them in their campaign by viewing and purchasing items in stores and online.

Via: Luxist

Miamians, and art lovers worldwide, are gearing up for the 2009 Art Basel event set to take place next week in the Magic City, from December 2 through 7.

To catch up on all the latest news coming out of the preparations for this year’s Art Basel Miami Beach, click here and be fully equipped for five days of extreme cultural enjoyment, Miami style.

Also look for our upcoming December/January issue of Haute Living’s Art Basel edition, where articles like “How to Basel” will guide our elite audience through the highly anticipated weekend.  

If you’re still in need of some lodging during the festival, check out our featured hotel deals here.

And, of course, stay connected with Hauteliving.com throughout the coming days, as well as during the week, for insider details on the most exclusive Art Basel events.

The holidays tend to conjure up some good old fashion charitable spirit in most of us, but Bentley has taken that spirit and actually done something about it. The British car maker has generously completed a luxurious renovation of a London Routemaster double-decker bus for the hospice St. Lukes. 

St. Luke’s hospice acquired a London Routemaster double-decker red bus in April and requested that Bentley help give it some TLC in the form of a luxury renovation. Bentley quickly jumped on board for the project and began working on plans to give the run-down bus a whole new deluxe makeover.

The project required the laborious efforts of 59 workers and took around 2,000 hours to complete. Bentley used hand stitched leather with the St. Luke’s and Bentley logos to overhaul the interior of the bus, while craftsmen from the firm’s woodshop, tool room, and maintenance departments developed custom-made surfaces for larger details such as rails, a kitchen unit, and shelves.

The double-decker will be used by the hospice as a traveling shop for colleges and universities in addition to being used as an education and awareness base when it visits schools and other events.

Via: Luxury Launches

Hermes-designed 8 days Spiral Boule Clock features a white gold face, rhodium-plated details, and a single button to switch to time-set mode, all for $560,000.

Designed by the House of Hermes, the 8 days Spiral Boule Clock is not your run of the mill clock, and it’s certainly not your run of the mill price. Selling for $560,000 the exclusive clock will find shelter in the homes of the fortunate few who can find solace in the fact that, at the very least, having this clock will ensure waking up in the morning and glancing at the clock will be a visual delight.

  The clock is approximately the size of a hardball and its design was inspired by a clock exhibited in the Hermes Museum. The clock winds up by twisting the two hemispheres and features a white gold face, rhodium-plated details, and a single button to switch to time-set mode.

Need other lavishly wonderful gift ideas? One website has compiled a list of billionaire gifts such as “Dallas” actor, Larry Hagman’s eco-friendly home, a gold-coated ostrich skin travel case for $60,000 called Henk Travelfriend, or a new Gulfstream 250 private jet for $24 million.

Ah, the joys of taking ‘stocking stuffers’ to a whole new level.

Via: Halogen Life

Nightlife visionary, David Judaken, recently opened Los Angeles hotspot, East, and the incredibly hard worker is set to open yet another swanky nightclub just west of East, called My Studio.

David Judaken’s Hollywood Boulevard “Modern Asian eatery”, East, just opened on October 6, 2009, and now the nightlife visionary is scheduled to open yet another Los Angeles hotspot called My Studio, not far from East.

My Studio is scheduled to open in early February and will be a nightclub that offers plenty of private areas for guests, a DJ booth for entertainment, and small dishes since it’s rumored to be part restaurant as well.

Via: Eater LA

.

Divorce’s can be costly (just ask Frank McCourt…) and Italy’s Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, is about to realize that hard truth as his estranged wife, Veronica Lario, is seeking $65 million each year in alimony from the allegedly unfaithful Prime Minister.

Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, has hit the news waves running as reports of indiscretions and a wandering eye have surfaced over the past few months. His estranged wife, Veronica Lario, has apparently had enough, and is seeking $65 million each year in alimony.

Lario and Berlusconi met in 1980 and married in 1990. Lario, who is 20 years younger than Berlusconi, remained publicly astute for many years when allegations of her husband’s imprudence behavior surfaced, however, after word spread that the Prime Minister had attended an 18-year-old’s birthday party, remaining calm and collected no longer seemed an option for Lario. While the couple has, in fact, lived relatively separate lives for years, Lario is finally moving forward, and that apparently requires a pretty sum in regards to potential alimony payments.

Berlusconi reportedly has a $6.5 billion fortune from owning three of Italy’s largest private television networks and a multitude of other businesses. Lario and Berlusconi have three children together; all of home are in their early 20s and own stakes in Berlusconi’s holding company Fininvest. Berlusconi also has two additional children from his first marriage, a son and a daughter who are actively involved in two of his other businesses.

Berlusconi is said to be Italy’s second-richest man, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to give in to Lario’s demand for $65 million in yearly alimony so easily. Berlusconi has made a counteroffer of approximately $300,000 but may even go up to approximately $449,500—clearly a long shot offer compared to what Lario is actually seeking. And the Italian saga continues….Mama Mia!

Via: Luxist

Own a Lamborghini LP560-4? Looking to expand upon your car’s head-turning potential? German tuners, ENCO, have just unveiled a new styling and performance package just for you and your LP560-4 that will give your supercar an haute makeover designed to spins heads instead of just turn them.

ENCO Exclusive, a Germany-based tuning company, has just unveiled a brand new styling and performance package specifically designed for the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 supercar. By providing a variety of upgrade options, ENCO ensures that a car you may have assumed to have reached its sleekness potential far exceeds any expectations.

Lamborghini owners can choose from a variety of exterior carbon fiber exterior components such as a front bumper for $4,465, a boot cover for $5,960, a front splitter for $1,480, and attention-grabbing side skirts for $5,960. ENCO’s new package also offers a carbon fiber laminate for the rear diffuser, mirrors, and boot lid vents for $5,975 and a matt black foil wrap for $4,480.

For the interior of your luxurious automobile, ENCO is offering faux carbon fiber trim for the steering wheel, central console, dashboard, handbrake, and door handles for $7,470. If you’d like to boost your car’s engine capabilities, however, the company’s performance package for the 5.2-liter V10 increases the car’s 560 hp and 540 of torque to an impressive 620 hp and 575 of torque.

Via: Luxury Launches