Top 30 Luxury Articles in 2008 H1

From gold sea horses to $2 billion homes, 2008 has kicked off to be a luxury filled year.  Diving into our database of 20,000 articles, we’ve compiled this ranked list of the top 30 luxury trends and innovations in 2008. 

I realize that the Superhero Fashion is borderline luxury, but the picture’s awesome and you’d have to make a lot of money to feel comfortable walking down the street in your Catwoman suit. 

This is one of many features in our new FREE Micro Trend Reports section.

Enjoy the following list, and may it inspire your own expensive ideas:

Top 30 Luxury Trends

1. 7 Floors & 7 Stars Below Sea Level - Istanbul Underwater Hotel (GALLERY)

This seven floor underwater hotel will give its guests a new view of the famous city of Istanbul. It is due to open in 2010, and will coincide with its Culture Capital of Europe nomination and lay down… [More]

2. $2 Billion Homes - Antilla is World’s Most Expensive House (FOLLOW-UP) (VIDEO)

Nearly a year after our first post, we have more info about the personal skyscraper being built by Mukesh Ambani, the head of the Mumbai-based petrochemical Reliance Industries. He is also the fifth richest… [More]

3. Levitation Furniture - Hoverit Floating Lounger (GALLERY)

This is not a prop from “Future MD” or the classic “Barbarella.”

It’s a Hoverit magnetic lounger. The chair levitates because of the magnets in the base and on the lounger. You know - the magic of Perez… [More]

4. Superhero Fashion - Fantasy Exhibit at the Met (GALLERY)

The Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art spring exhibit called Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy kicks off on May 7th. The exhibit, spearheaded by the work of young super model, Coco Rocha,… [More]

5. World’s First Wooden Supercar - The Splinter (GALLERY)

I don’t think we will ever see those supercars around, but it is still a unique and innovative car. American designer, Joe Harmon, 27, started the project with other students at North Carolina State University… [More]

6. 7 Coolest Ice Hotels + Iglu-Dorf (SUPER GALLERY) (VIDEO)

While most people wouldn’t be ready to move up north to an igloo, many are enthralled by the idea of staying in an Inuit-style igloo for a shorter period of time. There is something about unique vacation… [More]

7. Dubai Builds Fashion Island - Isla Moda

Dubai Infinity Holdings is doing it again. They have announced a mixed use development to establish Dubai as a global “fashion hub.” Isla Moda will combine super style and ultra luxury to attract only… [More]

8. Kirsten Dunst For Miu Miu - Ad Campaign Spring/Summer 2008 (GALLERY)

The long-awaited Miu Miu campaign with Kirsten Dunst, that was shot last November is finally out! These photos are simply mesmerizing! Kirsten, who replaced Laeticia Casta fits amazingly in the world of… [More]

9. Haute Celebrity Fashion - Herve Ledger Bandage Dress (GALLERY)

The Herve Ledger, by Max Azaria, bandage dresses are the “it” fashion garment of the season, the rich and famous are going crazy for it. These bandage dresses hug the bodies of Lindsay Lohan, Victoria… [More]

10. Retro SuperCar Revivals - BMW M1 Homage (GALLERY)

BMW unveiled the M1 Homage, the luxury auto maker’s sleek new super car at the Concorso d’Eleganza at the Hotel Villa d’Este this past weekend. The unveiling of the Homage was to commemorate the 30th anniversary… [More]

11. Buy Diamonds, Get MOney Back - DeBeers $300M Price-Fixing Dispute

DeBeers, the diamond monopoly, acted like one, and got caught doing it.

It turns out, if you purchased any jewelery from the company, you may be entitled to a rebate on your dazzler. Individuals can… [More]

12. Top 10 Fashion Watches + Orb Bracelet Watch - Time for Style (GALLERY)

With most people relying on their mobile phones to tell the time, designers are coming up with creative, fashionable watch designs that try to bring the watch back into your lifestyle as a fashion accessory.… [More]

13. Super Stylish Fashion Phone - The Edge Phone (GALLERY)

The Edge Phone, with its fashion-oriented design and glowing glass keyboard, uses light and touch technology to target the style-conscious fashionistas. To answer an incoming call, simply slide the glass… [More]

14. Visual Extravaganza Ads - Dolce & Gabbana Women Spring/Summer 2008 (GALLERY)

Dolce & Gabbana’s Spring/Summer 2008 women’s ad campaign embodies the designers’ vision for the season - a perfect fusion of fashion and art - with hand painted dresses shot in an artist’s studio… [More]

15. Luxurious Black Coral - Bernard K. Passman Jewelry (GALLERY)

“Beauty is simplicity with a dash of daring.” Bernard Sassman lived those words.

The result of this aesthetic philosophy is the creation of his jewelry that is admired and coveted around the world. He… [More]

16. Genetically Modified Glittering Animals - Gold Seahorses

It wasn’t enough to have luxurious objects, diamond-encrusted and golden everything. For those who could afford it, the mainstream luxury trend got old, very fast. The Vietnamese market found a way to… [More]

17. Eco-Luxury Architecture - $15 Million Orchid House (GALLERY)

This is the design of a sustainable, eco-friendly house shaped in the form of a bee orchid. The house, which is called The Orchid and is located in the UK, uses geothermal heating and an underground pump… [More]

18. Mile-High Tower (UPDATE) - Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (GALLERY)

The big building competition in the Arabian Peninsula is really heating up with a really ginormous tower just announced for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Although we revealed this project would be under construction,… [More]

19. Showers Without Borders - Walk in Shower (GALLERY)

Simple and elegant, the Walk In shower from Artweger removes all barriers from you and your shower.  Made almost entirely of glass, the shower gives you an unadulterated look at your surroundings… and… [More]

20. Upside Down Stores - Viktor & Rolf in Milan (GALLERY)

No matter how long I look at the pictures, they still blow my mind. Everything defies logic and reason.

Famous for their unconventional and unorthodox designs, Victor & Rolf’s latest store in Milan further… [More]

21. Luxurious Trucks - International LoneStar Coming in Fall 08 (GALLERY)

We have featured many exciting truck design concepts, but a concept is one thing and reality is another. That is what makes the new International LoneStar, which will be out by Fall 2008, the most advanced… [More]

22. Batmobile Supercars - The Spada Codatroncadue (GALLERY)

Let me start by asserting that this is not a concept! 20 individual, beautiful Spada Codatroncadue are to be built in the near future. The price tag? More than £200,000 a vehicle. [More]

23. Braziers As Wearable Art - The La Perla Dragon Bra

The spring and summer ‘08 Lovers & Dragons collection for La Perla includes Black Label features the are wearable art.

This example is an ornate metal bra that features two golden dragons fastened together… [More]

24. Gold Flake Champagne - Gold-Cuvée With 23K Gold (GALLERY)

Remember the Gold Flakes Vodka? Now there’s an even more luxurious, yet much more affordable alternative! Gold-Cuvée Sekt mit Blattgold is a Gold-Cuvée champagne with flakes of real 23 K gold.

Imagine… [More]

25. Movie Car Ownership - Real Batmobile on eBay (VIDEO)

We’ve used to term “Batmobile” loosely in the past, using it to describe futuristic carts that remind us of Batman’s supercar, but this beauty is actually an original from the 1980 movie, and it’s on eBay… [More]

26. Bling Bling Boring (Part III) - Top 34 Bizarre Blinged Things (SUPER GALLERY)

As the final part in our Bling Bling Boring series, we bring you a list of the most random things adorned with crystals, gems and diamonds.

The list has such a diverse range of items, it was impossible… [More]

27. Casual Luxury - Diesel Adds Black Gold Label (VIDEO)

In order to expand into a higher spectrum of the fashion market, Diesel has launched Black Gold, a new luxury division of the brand. The collection debuted today at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New… [More]

28. Top 22 Billion Dollar Features - Ultra Luxury Lifestyles (SUPER GALLERY)

A few decades ago, a billion dollars was an unfathomable amount of money. Today, however, billion dollar companies are, dare I say it, common. Even individual billionaires aren’t hard to find, and that… [More]

29. Religious Phones - Buddhist Nokia N70 (GALLERY)

This first of its kind Buddhism mobile phone is a heavily customized Nokia N70 that is decorated with numerous Buddhist aesthetics that makes for the ultimate religious phone.

The phone features 24 K… [More]

30. All Wonders of the World in Dubai - Pyramid, Taj Mahal and More in Falcon City of Wonders (VIDEO)

The biggest pyramid in the world will no longer be in Egypt; rather, it will be in Dubai. As part of a new project called Falcon City, Dubailand will be adding replicas of the world’s wonders that will,… [More]