The Christmas spectacular from luxury retailer Neiman Marcus signals the beginning of the holiday season and this year it doesn't disappoint. The catalog is gorgeous--full of stunning models (hello, siren-haired model Karen Elson could sell just about anything), incredible art direction, and there's even a Table of Contents to help navigate the glossy. We looked at it online and the ability to click and buy makes this truly a modern magazine.
Neiman Marcus Christmas Book 2011
Karen Elson frolicking on a ladder, in heels and a $2000 Stella McCartney dress
But let's cut to the chase here--this is a catalog for rich people, for the 0.0005 percent of the population not affected by the recession. The rest of us can think of it as an opportunity to dream of what some people will be receiving on December 25th. When I saw this latest catalog I couldn't help thinking to myself, "WHO is buying this stuff?". Even if you do have that kind of disposable income sitting around (or more likely, gold bullion locked in a dungeon somewhere), don't you have better things to spend it on? A small island nation, maybe?
All jokes aside, we appreciate luxury and even if we aren't laying down the big bucks these days that doesn't mean that we can't look, drool and get inspired. The catalog is divided into sections based on trends (red, fur, ski-inspired) and there's even a section titled "Under $100" full of jewelry, makeup and the customary annual tub of popcorn. There is a conscious mix of expensive gifts (A crocodile duffle bag for $6500? I can't wait to see how that holds up to the conveyer belts at TSA.) and more reasonable items like a pair of cozy slippers from Ugg for $100. But what really gets our liberal hearts beating is the "Fantasy" section. This is where you find gifts for the people who truly have everything. The folks down in Dallas have run the gamut with nine unique gifts, ranging from the WET Dancing Fountains for $1million to the bespoke Ferrari FF roadster for $395k (of which there are only ten, so no need to worry that your neighbor will pull up in the same ride). The little girl in me swooned over the "Dream Folly"--a yurt designed to look like the inside of Jeannie's bottle from the 1960s television classic. They say they'll install it on my "estate grounds". Hmm, wonder what they could do with my fire escape? To ease the guilt there is a charity component to each item ($10k will be donated to Water.org for the aforementioned fountains).
WET Fountain
Fancy Yurt
Crocodile duffle bag
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