Oprah Winfrey denied handbag in Swiss shop, told cannot afford it

Oprah Winfrey is said to have a personal fortune of around $2.8 billion

OPRAH WINFREY talk show host attempted to purchase a £24,460 ($35,000) Tom Ford bag at Trois Pommes in Switzerland last month but was told that bag is too expensive for you. Winfrey, who was staying in the five-star Dolder Grand Hotel during her visit and was in Zurich for the wedding of her friend Tina Turner to Erwin Bach. Coincidentally, the store, the Trois Pommes Boutique owner, Trudie Goetz, was also a guest at the wedding.

The 'Trois Pommes' boutique, Zurich

Who can forget back in 2005, while visiting Paris, the US celebrity host experienced the similar negativity when she arrived at the Hermès store, when an assistant from inside the store, raced to lock the door and was refused entry. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight on Monday, Aug. 5, the 59-year-old star of Lee Daniels' The Butler said she was denied service because the sales clerk didn't believe she could afford such a pricey handbag.

 "I was in Zurich the other day at a store, whose name I will not mention, and I didn't have my eyelashes on, but I was in full Oprah Winfrey gear," she recalled. "I had my little Donna Karan skirt and my little sandals and all that on, but obviously The Oprah Winfrey Show is not shown in Zurich. This doesn't happen to me unless somebody obviously doesn't know it was me."


During her solo shopping trip, Winfrey asked the clerk to show her a luxury crocodile bag. "She says to me, 'No. It's too expensive.'" Winfrey asked to see it again, but the clerk once again denied her request, saying, "'No, no, no. You don't want to see that one. You want to see this one because that one will cost too much and you will not be able to afford that.'" Winfrey then said, "'No, I really did want to see that one.' And she refused to get it!"

The Tom Ford 'Jennifer' bag at the centre of the controversy surrounding the 'Trois Pommes' boutique.

The clerk proceeded to show Winfrey "these other little bags," but the star was unimpressed with the other options. "One more time, I tried. I said, 'But I really do just want to see that one.' And she said, 'Oh, I don't want to hurt your feelings.' I said, 'Okay, thank you so much. You're probably right. I can't afford it.' And I walked out of the store." ‘I left the store but it proves that racism is still an issue,’ she added.


After Winfrey told her BFF Gayle King about the experience, King said she would have returned to the store and caused a scene a la Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. The TV mogul, however, she didn't want to give the clerk commission. The bag in question was a Jennifer bag in crocodile skin.

"I could have had the big blowup thing and thrown down the black card and all that stuff," Winfrey said, "but why do that?"

Tom Ford designed the handbag for the actress, pictured with it

Trudie Goetz, head of the Swiss luxury chain Trois Pommes, denies that Winfrey was discriminated against because of her race. "This is an absolute misunderstanding," she tells Us Weekly in a statement. "Any sales person would love to sell a crocodile bag. She simply explained [to Oprah] that the bag she wanted to look at was beautiful but in a very high price range and suggested lower priced models in leather, ostrich and so forth." Goetz adds, "It was a misunderstanding. The staff member who welcomed Oprah is one of the hardest working and regularly deals with VIP clients. There was no discrimination."

Apologetic: Trois Pommes Boutique owner Trudie Goetz put the incident down to a 'misunderstanding'

In a separate statement to the BBC, Goetz said the employee in question is of Italian descent. "Of course, she speaks English, but not as well as her mother tongue," she explained. "It was a real misunderstanding." ‘Everyone wants to sell a crocodile bag,’ Ms Goetz went on to say, ‘It’s a misunderstanding. She insisted her saleswomen put customers first and try to be ‘kind’.

The Tom Ford 'Jennifer' bag now makes it in a number of different finishes

The Swiss Tourism Association also issued a statement saying it regrets the pain and embarrassment the experience caused Winfrey. "We are very sorry for what happened to her, of course, because we think all of our guests and clients should be treated respectfully, in a professional way," spokeswoman Daniela Baer told the Associated Press. Daniela Bar added: ‘We are totally ashamed about what happened. This sales assistant was completely in the wrong.

'We apologise on behalf of Swiss tourism for what happened. ‘This was a one-off and will not have a long lasting effect on the popularity of Switzerland, but the saleswoman should apologise to Oprah Winfrey.’

Despite this, The incident comes as the Swiss authorities came under fire for introducing “apartheid” type plans to separate asylum seekers from its citizens.

Some Swiss towns plan to keep asylum-seekers away from public places such as swimming pools, playing fields and libraries, in a move human rights groups say is racist.

The curbs are aimed at preventing tensions with residents, officials say. Asylum-seekers are to be housed in special centres, mainly former army barracks. About 48,000 people are currently seeking asylum in Switzerland. It has twice as many asylum seekers as the European average.


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Victoria Beckham To Launch E-Commerce

Victoria Beckham pic credit GCMD/ WENN

VICTORIA BECKHAM will launch e-commerce for the first time this spring, a venture that could be the prelude to a future standalone store - the label's CEO suggests. The website will sell accessories, eyewear, denim and the designer's Victoria Victoria Beckham line, marking a new stage of growth for the brand.

The most successful female group ever are set to re-form for a new album and tour – but without the reluctant Victoria Beckham.

Beckham, who has forged a more successful solo career than any of her former colleagues, kept her distance from the rest of the Spice Girls at the first night of their musical Viva Forever! on Tuesday 11 December, 2012.

While the foursome arrived at the premiere looking happy, Victoria Beckham met fans alone on the red carpet, Beckham’s publicist said: ‘Victoria respects all of the girls and will always support them all personally and professionally.

Five become four: Melanie Chisholm, Emma Bunton, Geri Halliwell and Melanie Brown posed together at the premiere of the Spice girls musical in London, without Posh who turned up separately!

Rumour has it, Victoria snubs Spice Girls reunion, sparking hunt for her replacement. She arrived late, missing a photoshoot with the rest of the group and delaying curtain-up, then left the after-party earlier than the others. The reunion plan is being spearheaded by Halliwell, who was  the first to leave the group in  1998, at the height of their fame.  She is understood to have been  performing private showcases for record executives in a bid to drum up interest.

She is said to have compared the planned reunion with Take That’s hugely successful decision to  re-form without Robbie Williams in 2005 (although he later rejoined).

Take That never used a substitute for Williams, but the Spice Girls are considering either a reality TV series to find the ‘new Posh’ – or recruiting a singer with more experience of the music business.

Add to that the real reason rumoured for Victoria's behaviour secretly terrified of upsetting US Vogue editor Anna Wintour.

We've learnt that Anna's finally deemed Victoria 'classy' enough to be the mag's cover star in February.

It's been Posh's ambition for a decade and despite gracing countless other international editions, including UK Vogue, Victoria, 38, has always been refused a US cover by Anna - until now.

A pal says: 'The Spice Girls were on the January 1998 cover of US Vogue and that's the problem.

'Anna still saw Victoria as a former Spice Girl and WAG and said it was the wrong image for the mag.

'Victoria's made great strides changing that, but she fears one wrong step could make Anna have an about-turn. She's sweated blood to get the cover and wasn't going to let Viva Forever! ruin it all.

Victoria Beckham at the first night of the Spice Girls musical Viva Forever!

The band source added: ‘At the moment they’re thinking who, out there, who’s been in a another band, could “be” Victoria. There would be interest in a television series, but I think they’re keen on someone with industry experience rather than discovering a new star.’

Sources say the girls will announce plans to re-form within weeks. They split in 2000, after releasing their farewell studio album Forever, but reunited for a world tour in 2007, which netted them £10 million each.

The move may also trigger commercial wrangles about whether the remaining band members will be able to use the Spice Girls name without Beckham’s involvement and whether the new fifth member with have the right to use the ‘Posh’ title.

In 2002 Beckham attempted to block Peterborough United FC from registering their long-standing nickname, The Posh, as a trademark.

The E-commerce launch is to create it's own environment allegedly, "For us, this is the first step toward creating our own store environment," said Victoria Beckham CEO Zach Duane. "There are obviously already some fantastic digital stores in place, so the bar to entry is very high. But we feel that we've learned a lot from the market and that we are bringing our take on what we believe is ultimately all about customer experience."

VICTORIA BECKHAM, Leather and canvas shoulder bag, £1,650

With art direction from Jonny Lu and Isaac Lock, the website will feature branded content that users will be able to share using social media channels. A holding page has gone live on victoriabeckham.com today, asking shoppers to sign up for brand updates.

 "My new website has been in the making for a very long time," said Beckham "It was so important that the concept, tone and look of it were true to me and my aesthetic and that the shopping experience was the very best that it could be for my customer. The site will be ever evolving, featuring never-seen-before insights into my world through the medium of film. I'm incredibly excited with what I have created and the unique access to the brand I am now able to offer."

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MiMi's World's Most Expensive Purchases 2012

Every one knows, in my work as a luxury authentic shopper, I see some of the most luxurious, not to mention expensive, exclusive gifts in the world.  Ferrari F340 Wrapped in Luxury Leather and World's Most Expensive Handbags, both proved popular, I thought you might like to share a few more luxury toys with me.

Here I will share some of the most expensive and will add to them as the luxury world gets more flamboyant, so bookmark this spot!

Mouawad 1001 Nights Diamond Handbag

Mouawad 1001 Nights Diamond Handbag

Mouawad 1001 Nights Diamond Handbag

World's Most Expensive Handbag:

Mouawad 1001 Nights Diamond Handbag, officially entered the Guinness World Records as the world’s most expensive handbag at $3.8 million.

The luxury UAE-based jewellery house, Mouawad, created the 1001 Nights Diamond Purse and was inspired by an epic tale of romance and intrigue, and was designed to draw attention to the intricate details and skilled craftsmanship needed to set thousands of diamonds into this magnificent purse. It was made by ten artisans who worked on it for a total of four months, over a period of 1,100 hours.

The heart-shaped purse is handcrafted from 18 karat gold, encrusted with 4, 517 diamonds (105 yellow stones, 56 pink, and 4,356 colorless jewels), weighing an impressive 381.92 carats in total.

In 2004, the luxury jeweller's entered the Guinness World Records when they collaborated with Victoria’s Secret to produce the World’s Most Expensive Bra, diamond-encrusted with 3,500 black diamonds, The Very Sexy Fantasy Bra then priced at $11 million and famously modelled by Heidi Klum. 

Worlds Most Expensive Bra Sports 3,500 Black Diamonds

The luxury UAE-based jewellery house also hold the record for the World’s Most Expensive Pear-Shaped Diamond that was purchased for $12,760,000.

Mouawad Splendor pear-shaped diamond

The Most Expensive Pen In The World

World's Most Expensive Pen:

The most expensive Pen in the world is created by a very elitist and highly regarded pen maker called Aurora. This small and highly specialized Italian company makes once every year a fountain pen called the Aurora Diamante. The pen is worth approximately US $1.3 million.

There are several reasons why this pen is so valuable. The most obvious are the 30 carats of De Beers diamonds that cover most of its visible surface. Roughly two thousand class 4 C diamonds are used in this process; it is a delicate and meticulous task that requires an impressive level of talent. The two hectogram barrel of the most expensive pen in the world is made out of solid platinum and the nib out of 18 carat gold. The nib can be customized on request to display the coat of arms of the client, the signature of the owner or even a portrait. This is understandable as the most expensive pen in the world is a highly personal item and any owner would want to leave his or her mark on it.

Building Spins 360 Degrees

Building Spins 360 Degrees:

Company in Brazil (Suite Vollard) constructed a building in which each floor can rotate 360 degrees. Each building has 11 apartments and each apartment can spin individually in any direction. One rotation takes a full hour, but apartment owner can set rotation speed through apartment control panel. Facades are made of three different types of glass which give wonderful effects when building spins during the sunset. Cost of each apartment is $300,000.00.

The Most Expensive House In The World

World's Most Expensive House:

The most expensive house in the world is owned by Billionaire Mukesh Ambani of India. With a net worth of $43 billion built a skyscraper for his wife and 3 kids to live in. This 27 story (family home) skyscraper is located in downtown Mumbai India.

WORTH : $2,000,000,000

World's most-expensive kitchen costing £1m

World's Most Expensive Kitchen:

World's most-expensive kitchen costing £1m by top designer Claudio Celiberti features crystal worktop, solid copper walls and a Swarovski Crystal chandelier.The centrepiece is a £36,850 'island' made from solid Murano crystal

The Claudio Celiberti-designed kitchen, which comes with a £37,000 solid Murano crystal 'Island' and 27 crystal-fronted cabinets, costs £1m

The 'Fiore di Cristallo' features a £26,000 Swarovski chandelier, which projects light to bounce off the cut crystal cabinet fronts and worktops also copper worktops and bespoke appliances.Buyers can choose opulent finishing touches, including copper lining, on the 27 cabinets, which cost over £400,000 to design and come with a 9mm crystal door and handle.

The centrepiece is a unique 'crystal island' worth £36,850, illuminated by a £26,400 Swarovski chandelier.

The basin is also made from crystal and costs £2,680, while the Philip Starck taps, chrome clad in crystal, are valued at £1,600. Then you'll need a stretch of stone worktop at £6,850 and some handcrafted German appliances from Gaggenau at £24,000. The fridge alone is £5,000, while extras including a wine climate cabinet and an espresso coffee machine are £2,762 and £1,714 respectively. Currently an eight-month waiting list for the services of Celiberti's designers. Read more Daily Mail UK

Disney Pure Gold $4.3 Million Xmas Tree

World's Most Expensive Xmas Tree:

A delightful Disney Gold Christmas Tree created by Ginza Tanaka jewellery store in Tokyo. The Disney inspired design, reported to cost an estimated £2,682,219.38 ($4.3 million), double last year's tree. To celebrate the 120th anniversary of the jewellery was in fact made the tree pure gold decorated with Disney characters. All this in fact was sponsored in part by the fact Walt Disney to celebrate its 110 ° anniversario.Il work behind this veritable sculpture was huge: over two months to create the 50 statues decorates for about 10 artisans engaged solely on the project.

World's Most Expensive Car

World's Most Expensive Car:

That is NOT stainless steel people. It's WHITE GOLD!! It's a Mercedes Benz owned by an Abu Dhabi oil billionaire (naturally). Featuring the newly developed V10 quad turbo with 1,600 horsepower and 2800nm of torque? 0-100km/h in less than 2secs, 1/4 mile in 6.89 secs running on bio-fuel. Priceless.

World's most expensive iPhone 4S:

Stuart Hughes maker created the iPhone 4S Elite Gold. At $9.4 million, it is officially the world’s most expensive phone.

The bezel is covered with 500 diamonds which total over 100 karats. The back plate is 24 carat gold and the Apple logo is made of 24 carat gold and 53 diamonds. The customised logo  brings the diamond count up to 553. The home button is a single 8.6 carat diamond, choice of colour, a pink 8.6 carat diamond is also included.

Stuart Hughes iPhone 4S

Stuart Hughes iPhone 4S backplate 24 carat gold

It comes with a beautiful platinum chest, which includes pieces of an original t-rex bone. Where on earth did they find a t-rex bone? It also has rare stones such as Opal, Pietersite, Charoite, Rutile Quartz, and Star Sunstone at a cost of $8 million. There are only 2 of these in existence.

Stuart Hughes iPhone 4S platinum chest

ORRA diamond bustier

World's Most Expensive Bustier:

Loaded with diamonds for £810676.1000 ($1.3 million) ORRA made headlines by unveiling a diamond bustier. Marketed for the Western fashion market, it was showcased by Indian model Anjali Lavanya wearing a royal gold lehenga (traditional Indian dress). It is currently the world’s most expensive bustier.

Camael Diamonds iPad

World's Most Expensive iPad:

London based Camael Diamonds unveiled an iPad in It comprises of 1 kilo of 18 carat gold and adorned with 300 carat flawless diamonds while the home button and backside Apple logo features black diamonds. Priced at $1.2 million.

Mercedes Diamond Encrusted SL 600 £623 ($1000) to Touch

Mercedes Diamond Encrusted SL 600

Mercedes Diamond Encrusted SL 600

Mercedes Diamond Encrusted SL 600

World's Most Expensive Mercededs SL 600:

Prince Al-Waleed of Saudi Arabia celebrated his 38th car and had this diamond encrusted Mercedes custom built for £29932656.00 ($48 million) and charges £632 ($1000) just to touch it. The Mercedes features diamonds on just about everything: the tailpipe, rims, logo, entire body, each section of the luxury car is covered. At  £2.50 ($4) per gallon it could be cheaper to touch than to drive.

The Cora Sun-Drop Ring

World's Most Expensive Diamond Ring: 

The Cora Sun-Drop is among the most stunning diamonds in the world, so rare that it is almost impossible to determine its value. At 110-carats, the Cora Sun-Drop is roughly the size of a woman's thumb and is the largest vivid yellow pear-shaped diamond known in the world.

Eclipse - the biggest and most expensive private yacht ever built

Eclipse - interior - the biggest and most expensive private yacht ever built

World's Most Expensive Yacht Eclipse: 

Owned by Roman Abramovich, Russian billionaire and Chelsea football club owner, this must be the most expensive oceangoing luxury that has gone over $1 billion that features a missile detection system, bullet-proof windows, 2 helicopter pads and three launches just to describe how well-protected and secured it is. To add more to its high-priced features, this yacht has a 5,000 square foot master bedroom, 11 guest cabins, 2 swimming pools, hot tubs , sports complex and dance floor.

The billionaire's master bedroom will be armor-plated and fitted with bulletproof glass, as will the bridge. Missile detection systems will warn the crew of any incoming rockets, and there's a bunch of anti-intruder, anti-bugging and other security systems on board, Abramovich will need as many as 70 crew members to run the Eclipse.

But it's the Eclipse's anti-paparazzi system that's stirring up the most interest. Abramovich and his ex-model girlfriend Daria Zhukova are so keen not to appear in tabloid spy shots that he has fitted the Eclipse with an innovative laser system that is said to be able to detect the CCDs of digital cameras and blind them with laser bursts - rendering any photos useless, presumably without destroying the cameras. Priced: $1.2 billion.

Owner: Roman Abramovich

Estimated Length: 557 feet

Built: Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg, Germany

Interior Designer: Terence Disdale

Material: Steel

Propulsion: Diesel

Cruise Speed: 22 knots

Maximum Speed: 25 knots

Approx. Weight: 13,000 gross tons

For a round up of my Favourite Luxury Gifts for Christmas 2012.

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Penélope Cruz becomes the face of Loewe

Penélope Cruz

The new Maia colours have just arrived, all in Loewe Napa leather

Loewe announced today (13 November, 2012) that Penélope Cruz is to represent the image of the brand, starting from January 2013.
Spain's star actress Penelope Cruz has gone back to her roots as chosen face of the capital's luxury fashion house, Loewe.

The 38-year-old Madrid-born Oscar-winning actress has signed a three-year deal and will make her first appearance in the spring/summer 2013 campaigns which have been shot by fashion photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott.

The Luxury brand that have no shortage of celebrities taking every opportunity to be seen carrying the luxury leather skin bags in spectacular colours never seem to end.

Leighton Meester as Blair Waldorf set of Gossip Girl orange Amazona

Pippa Middleton dual colour Amazona

Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas Loewe black May bag

During The Year of the Dragon! Loewe celebrated it with a limited edition of the iconic 'Amazona' bag in red refined calfskin and not the brand signature piece.

Limited edition of the iconic 'Amazona' bag in red refined calfskin

 Loewe's creative director and designer Stuart Vevers said it was precisely Penelope's "strong, sensual beauty" that has long been an inspiration and a constant reference for his "ideal of Spanish womanhood".

"I always start with the woman and a character. I find film very useful as a fictional character can be liberating creatively."

But this isn't the first brand venture the busy actress has taken part in, having also worked alongside Lancome and L'Oreal as their beauty spokes-model. Penelope has also kept things in the family, teaming up with younger sister Monica to design and launch a collection of lingerie for British brand, Agent Provocateur.



Loewe Penelope Cruz Media Announcement

Even with her involvement in many exciting projects, the mum-of-one explains that the label's Spanish roots – which promotes values of excellence and craftsmanship – were too good to refuse:

"Its collections are made by Spanish master artisans and I have always admired their work. I feel fortunate to be a part of this project."



Additional pics Loewe


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