VIP

Shoe paradise Zappos is opening the doors to its VIP Club during a special four-day window from Black Friday, November 27, through Cyber Monday, November 30. Starting at 12:01 a.m. on Friday and lasting until midnight on Monday only, log onto to the special holiday VIP Club page and join for free, overnight shipping forever.

My love for Zappos has been documented on this site, plus all my friends and family know too. I am a hazard to my budget when I get within an inch of the site. But keep watching my posts on Luxist for more from Zappos, including great holiday gift ideas -- Zappos also carries bags, clothing, housewares, beauty items, and more -- a gift card giveaway, design contests, and more about its Couture section, which is what Luxist readers really care about, right?

UPDATE: The holiday VIP promotion has ended, but you can join Zappos's VIP waiting list here.

Most people see bottle service with VIP treatment at a hot club in a big city a special treat and a perk of being able to afford spendy bottles of booze. But one Boston official disagrees and is cracking down on the clubs that offer bottle service to their clients. His argument? That the price of the bottle causes patrons to feel they have to down the whole thing before the night is over which, consequently, steps on the toes of the "happy hour" law of a two-drink max per patron. Club owners and VIP's agree that it is an important part of high-end establishments. Personally, I've only seen people partake in bottle service -- and typically there are more than enough people at the table to help decrease individuals portions.

For millions of travelers every year who fly coach it's hard to walk past the spacious first class seats and through the little curtain to the cramped rows in the rear, but what do those first class passengers look up to? Those traveling better than first class, of course.

Many airlines offer "extra special" treatment to celebrities and other big names, and although the services vary from airline to airline some things are consistent across the board: little to no waiting in airport lines, extreme efforts to protect privacy, and extra security. Plus, of course, VIP lounges and premium food/drink. Not a celebrity? You can buy the services yourself and feel like one for only about $100.

Most of the airlines who offer special upgrades don't advertise their services, and many don't even post them on websites and flyers. Airport Assistance Worldwide, though, is one that isn't so secretive. On their website you can check out services and even make a reservation. Happy travels!

Shopping is one of those things that's pretty darn fun in all but the worst of circumstances, but of course there's always room for it to be even better! VIP shopping experiences are available to only the biggest of spenders, which means you get in by actually shopping a lot instead of by paying a fee for the services.

So where do those "biggest spenders" do their spending?

• Barneys, New York
  
• Bergdorf Goodman, New York
  
• Neiman Marcus, Dallas
  
• Van Cleef & Arpels, Bal Harbour
• Harvey Nichols, London
• Kaviar and Kind, Los Angeles
• Rene Caovilla, Milan
• Printemps, Paris
• Prada, Tokyo
• Joyce, Hong Kong

A VIP experience is a very subjective thing, so it's really all about your personal experience and taste. Would you change anything on this list?

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which we heard about last October, just might be the fastest selling airplane in aviation history. It seems like all the big dogs want one, the latest being Hong Kong real estate tycoon Joseph Lau with his $153 million dollar 787 Dreamliner VIP Edition order. Once completed the Boeing will have 2,400+ square feet of luxurious space filled with amenities like vaulted ceilings, spiral staircases, and video wall displays.

And on a related note, new pictures have been released of the even bigger 4,786 sq foot 747 Dreamliner, complete with Skyloft feature. Gorgeous!

Made by Moooi and designed by Marcel Wanders, the V.I.P. Chair really puts users up on a pedestal. It features flared legs (the "chair with flares") that offer maximum support to the user, while at the same time allowing for some flexibility that a completely solid base would not. It has a steel frame with a soft, upholstered finish and is shaped to offer the maximum comfort to anyone who sits in it. The designer seems to suggest that the chair could work equally well in a conference room at the office or in a home dining room. It measures 31"H x 24 ½"W x 21"D. Price: $1,680.

Forbes has put out a list of their top ways to shop like a VIP. By VIP, they don't just mean the ultra rich in this case. Forbes is referring to celebrities, people who are "in the know" and people who are known, like fashion editors and personal shoppers. It's not as simple as just buying the things you want, though VIPs can usually afford to do so, because VIPs are often given products at steep discounts or solicited by designers to wear and promote their products. So what are some of the things that mark you as a VIP shopper?

• Free gifts a.k.a. schwag
• Having your clothes custom made by designers like Henry Poole or labels like Dior, rather that having to buy off the rack
• Getting on the guest list for exclusive events, like the Billion Dollar Babes pre-sale. VIPs should have a good PR firm to assist them.
• Hiring personal shoppers, so you don't actually have to shop. Of course, some VIPs don't have to go this far and will automatically have designs sent to them straight from showrooms.
• Spending your way into an exclusive credit card, like an American Express Centurion (the Black card), which can get you designers on call and after-hours private shopping.

 

 

If you are still dreaming of attending the Super Bowl or one of the many, many parties in the Detroit area, it's not too late. I checked in at Cheap Premium Tickets to see what the various events were going for. Tickets for the game now sell for upwards of $2,450 each, in pairs. Tickets to the parties are a little more reasonable but if you want to see Tommy Lee guest DJ at The Vault it will run you $548 ($1,158 gets you access to the VIP section to party with Penthouse Pets). Tickets to the Pepsi Smash starring Kanye West and Nickelback run $366 each for VIP.