It's official, according to the latest Global Luxury Brands Survey the "most coveted luxury brand" in the world is Gucci -- 1 in 5 global customers said that if money was not an issue they would choose Gucci over every other luxury brand. The survey was done this past November and this marks Gucci's third year holding on to the top spot in what is a more challenging and competitive luxury market than ever before.

It's worth noting that this survey ranked Gucci as #1 globally, not regionally. Other brands ranked better in specific places, like Chanel was #1 in China and Christian Dior did the best in Russia.

Aston Martin is being bought by LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA, the most high-profile luxury goods consortium in the world, joining the 60-or-so other brands that already make up the group. Aston Martin will be the first luxury car brand in LVMH's portfolio and it is the first to be run by a lifestyle/luxury goods group. The sale price wasn't revealed, but Aston Martin was reportedly valued at as much as $1.2 billion last December. Ford Motor Company, which put Aston Martin up for sale to begin with, is said to be retaining 15% interest.

We're not expecting to see a LV logo roadster entering the automaker's lineup anytime soon, but we wouldn't be too surprised if a limited edition, branded car rolled out of the factory at some point in the future.

Are luxury retailers too optimistic about the opportunities in China? As the economy rapidly grows, retailers are faced with rising costs for labor and rent and a customer base that is more reluctant to purchase luxury items than in other countries. Many high end brands - Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Hermès, to name but a few - are all in competition for the same small segment of the population. While that doesn't sound so different from the way the retailers operate in other parts of the world, there is on big difference. In China, consumers are primarily interested in things that are "obvious status symbols," with easily visible logos from only the top brand, so many companies, even big name ones, are barely breaking even after years in the country.

But the segment of the population that can afford luxury is growing and as the country moves more towards a market economy, they grow more willing to purchase such goods. The lesson to retailers? Start small and learn the market. It's probably only a matter of time before more consumers start to want to add some luxury to their lives.

Naming your Porsche is one thing, but the line must be drawn somewhere, since more and more car buyers want to pass their cars off as something they're not. We're not talking about body kits and fresh paint, but about buying the manufacturer's emblems from more expensive cars to try to make their own seem more impressive. This isn't necessarily a new concept, but apparently automakers don't have a problem selling the parts. Mercedes dealers sell the lettering and logos that indicate "cars are the high-end AMG version for about $65" and the GM of the country's top-selling dealership says that 1-2% of all buyers "ask to have their car rebadged." High performance companies, like Shelby Automobiles and Saleen, on the other hand, aren't about to risk their reputations by selling their various indicators of authenticity, so not every brand is available for purchase.

No one who knows their wheels is going to blink twice at an obviously mis-branded vehicle, so the question remains as to who these buyers think they're fooling? Most likely, the answer is themselves.

According to the Wall Street Journal, only a few days into her new gig, Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts said that she wants to see more diversity in the label. Their signature plaid, a.k.a. "check," is a bit overexposed at the moment due to its tremendous popularity over the past few years and the rise in counterfeit or look-a-like goods. They're not eliminating the check, but they're scaling it back already. For example, their new fall quilted jackets (the one pictured is $495) all feature solid colors and the square-toe pumps ($365) have only the smallest amount of checked piping.

The general plan is to always keep the check, but to promote other brand symbols, such as a mounted knight that was trademarked by the company over a century ago. The company has also hired several new designers to focus on adding accessories to the brand, giving consumers options beyond just clothes.