Opening up shop in Russia these days is more like a casting call for luxury brands than the open auditions of yesteryear. Shoppers know what they want and, led by these confident, educated and eagle-eyed consumers, the fawning euphoria that greeted early arrivals like Gucci, Chanel and Cartier in Moscow in the mid-1990s has turned to a more finicky kind of enthusiasm.
Rationing and bread lines are long gone. Now, retailing in Russia is more synonymous with Gucci, Prada or Dior setting up in trendy spots like Moscow's Tretyakovsky proyezd, which boasts Ralph Lauren's flagship store, and luxury malls in swanky suburbs. But there are worries about the political situation and inflation.
From Moscow and St. Petersburg to Hong Kong and Paris - as Russia's place in the modern luxury market continues to grow, so does the reach of its legendary style and culture. Whether you're talking art or nail polish, it's all things Russian.
Moscow's most unusual private home is on the market again: a four-story, 342-square-meter house that resembles a huge Fabergé egg, the elaborate jeweled creations associated with the imperial family.
IHT fashion editor
Chairman and chief executive, LVMH
Chairman and chief executive, Louis Vuitton