Forum Post: SICKENING!!! Christmas catalog revealed for the 1%
Posted 13 years ago on Oct. 19, 2011, 11:16 a.m. EST by ArrestAllCEOS
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What a display of excess, inequality, greed, hate, and disgust.
Get your $1 million dancing fountain! Neiman Marcus unveils latest extravagant Christmas ideas By Associated Press, Published: October 18 DALLAS — For shoppers seeking a bit — or a lot — of holiday extravagance, the Neiman Marcus Christmas Book unveiled Tuesday is offering options like a $420,000 tour of European flower shows on a private jet and a $250,000 handcrafted mahogany speedboat.
At a cost of $1 million, customers can have a fountain installed at their home. The “his and hers” gift features two underwater robot nozzles that will be programed to make the water “dance” to music. If that’s not in the budget, though, there’s also the calendar paperweight for $25.
The Dallas-based luxury retailer, known for the extravagant and often outrageous “fantasy gifts,” said the 85th edition of its catalog has about 600 items, with almost half of them under $250.
“When I look at this book, there’s something for everyone but at the same time you do have the whim and the whimsy of the fantasy,” said John E. Koryl, president of Neiman Marcus Direct. “You don’t need to buy everything to be inspired.”
Publishing house Assouline is offering a custom-built library filled with 250 of their books for $125,000. Eduard de Lange, vice president of sales and distribution for New York-based Assouline, says the company will create the library anywhere a customer choses: “It could be in a mansion. It could be on a boat, on an airplane,” he said.
Looking for something with a little speed? There’s an exclusive edition of the 2012 Ferrari FF, which reaches top speeds of more than 200 mph. The catalog offers 10 of the Ferraris with four-wheel drive in the silver-gray color “grigio caldo.” A set of tan leather luggage matching the interior is included in the $395,000 price.
Artist Tom Burr has created a $45,000 piece made of black rubber that doubles as a pingpong table. For $5,000, Johnnie Walker is offering a scotch tasting for the buyer and 20 guests — complete with a bagpipe player. An 18-foot-diameter yurt for $75,000 could provide someone with a backyard getaway, said interior designer Rebecca Vizard, who will decorate the inside of the tent.
“I think it would be great as just a little escape, a place to go .... Or to have a dinner party in there would be fun,” she said.
Koryl said that part of the lure is getting items that show fine craftsmanship. The 27-foot mahogany Hacker-Craft speedboat took 1,400 hours to build and will feature the name its owner bestows in 23-carat gold leafing.
“This is the most glamorous boat that can be seen on waters anywhere in the world,” said Ken Rawley, spokesman for New York-based Hacker Boat Co. Inc.
Most of the fantasy gifts are paired with a charity that will benefit from their sale.
The department store chain is part of Neiman Marcus Group Inc.
I may not be part of the 1%, but I would sure love the books and book cases. Unfortunately I refuse to get myself $125,000 in debt to get them. Shame.
From reading your post, I have to say that though there are plenty of seriously expensive things in that catalog, there are also a lot of items (about 50% according to your post) that are very affordable, less than $250. Which by the way is cheaper than a new laptop, big screen TV, iPhone4, iPod or many other "Must have gadgets"
your post defeats it's self.
Class envy is a terrible thing. If this OWS has been reduced to class envy it has already failed.
That is what it is being built on. What party thrives on class envy?
This is only a symptom, focus on the problem please. There would be no art history if there were not folks able to afford it...
There are homeless people, people below the poverty line and people in 3rd world countries that see your iPod/iPhone as a display of excess, inequality, and greed.