The news isn't good for luxury department stores lately. Both Neiman Marcus and Saks have reported that same-store sales fell by double digits last month, numbers that are, as the Dallas Morning News Reports, reminiscent of the post-9/11 declines in 2001 and 2002. Neiman Marcus had a drop of 12.9 percent last month (Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman stores had a 15.8 percent drop but the Neiman Marcus Direct catalog and online business had a 5.3 percent increase). Saks saw same-store sales fall by 10.9 percent. Both companies also have said they don't expect things to get any better soon, they are predicting weaker sales for the rest of the year. Nordstrom is also suffering with a 9.6 percent decline in September same-store sales. The good news for consumers is that sales will start earlier than usual and discounts will be deeper during the upcoming holiday season. For these three stores especially, it is the return shopper that will sustain them. I predict that these loyal customers will most assiduously courted by the stores with free gifts, deep discounts and other enticements over the coming months so now might be a good time to sign-up for their email alert lists.

Christmas comes early in Dallas. Neiman Marcus has just announced its unveiling of the legendary Christmas Book, full of the rare and exceedingly unusual items that become so many holiday wishlists.

A couple of examples: the entire end zone for you and your friends at a Dallas Cowboy's game, including tailgate party with the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, and VIP touches at every turn ($500,000). His-and-hers life-sized Lego sculptures by artist Nathan Sawaya, who claims he can "brickalize" anyone ($60,000 each).

The biggest ticket item in the book? Your own stable of a dozen or so thoroughbreds, trained and managed by Three Chimneys Farm over the next four years. Any race day winnings will be yours, but you'll pay $10,000,000 for the privilege.

Perhaps what Santa hears the most requests for? A Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course. In your backyard. He'll come meet with you, work with his design team to create the course and throw in a bag of clubs, too. Then he'll come play the first round with you and your buddies. For $1,000,000, not including construction.

Various magazines and other sources are reporting that shades of purple are hip for fall. Fashion Week Daily reports that Neiman Marcus has joined the purple push. Their Fall 2008 trend event which runs from August 15 to August 23 will focus on berry colors as well as showcasing other key fall trends such as the return of the lady-like look. Any customer who spends $250 at the store will receive a Neiman Marcus PDA/mobile phone cover in the plummy shade shown at right.

Swiss designer Albert "I cannot work with cheap fabric" Kriemler has gradually built his family-owned brand, Akris, into a luxury power seller. Now serious competition for longstanding luxury brands Armani and Chanel, Akris often outsells both in that elusive upper echelon of fashion. But you won't see the brand on many a young starlet. Akris is not for the trendy, despite a criticized attempt to change things up for the Spring 08 collection. Favored by women looking to be taken seriously -- Condoleeza Rice is a fan, as is Diane Sawyer -- Akris focuses on quality and timelessness, with the seasonless, highly packable fabric to prove it. Yet highly packable translates to highly priced: a cashmere/silk jersey dress is in the $3-4000 range. Check out selections from Fall at Bergdorf's and also at Neiman's. Then browse the gallery to see some evening pieces, and all those gorgeously cut pants. To see some new shapes and a few perfectly draped dresses, check out the Akris resort collection on Style.com, which isn't out quite yet.

Neiman Marcus often saves the droolworthy cars for their big Christmas catalog but this year's spring men's catalog holds a tempting treat for men and women alike: seven special 2008 Hennessey Venom 700 NM Vipers. The special upgraded Vipers do the zero-to-sixty hop in 3.3 seconds and hit a top speed of 214 mph in the hardtop coupe model (it also comes in a convertible version). The sleek back cars also come with matching luggage and entitle you to a day of high-perfomance driving school at Lonestar Motorsports Park. The magnificent seven go on sale on April 10 at 9 a.m. and cost $179,500 each.

Each year we chronicle the Neiman Marcus Fantasy Gifts but we rarely get to hear about who purchases them. This year though, free-spending Victoria Beckham is said to have bought one of them. It is being reported that Posh Spice spent $50,000 on the Treetent at the Neiman Marcus in Beverly Hills. The Treetent was created by Dutch sculptor and designer Dré Wapenaar and has a a nine-foot-diameter hardwood floor and round mattress. It sleeps two adults but she is said to have bought this as a fabulous fort for her three children. it isn't the first time that the Beckhams have bought their children a luxurious treehouse, a couple of years ago they spent around $187,000 for a much-contested playhouse at their English estate.

Sometimes guys want a little bling too, you know? But it's hard to find that right balance of flash and masculinity, and although I'm not claiming this Pavé Diamond Dog Tag by David Yurman does the trick (it's all about personal preference and I'm not even a guy) the mix of pave diamonds and dog tag style seems to at least be in the right ballpark. It has a total of 1.15 carats total with a sterling silver logo, cable trim, "925" inlay, and a sterling silver chain pulling the whole thing together. Available at Neiman Marcus for $1,950.

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?

We're not there yet but the holidays are just around the corner, and along with them all the stress of thinking up gift ideas for everybody and finding time to shop. Some bath and body products probably belong on your shopping list regardless, whether as a gift for someone or just a way to help yourself relax amidst the annual holiday stresses, and I'm thinking the Usiku Organic Bath Collection sounds particularly good since they work for men or women and I love all things organic (not to mention the fragrance description sounds heavenly).

The collection from Jo Wood includes body soap, body lotion, body oil, and bath oil, and prices range from $24-$125 each.

It's the most wonderful time of the year, the unveiling of the Neiman Marcus Fantasy Gifts in their Holiday catalog. This year's catalog includes the following:
--a dragon topiary created on your land with 15 indigenous plants and gold-leaf horns. It starts at $35,000.
--his and hers portraits done in chocolate syrup by artists Vik Muniz for $110,000.
--a treetent that sells for $50,000.
--the butterfly-covered two-seat ultalight aircraft used by documentary filmmaker Vico Gutierrez to create his movie The Flight of the Monarch which documents Monarch butterflies. It sells for $80,000.
--a classical music concert by the Kirov Orchestra for you and 499 friends. The concert will be filmed and is hosted by Regis Philbin. For $1.59 million you also get to keep the piano.
--a two-person Neiman Marcus edition Gem Triton submarine that sells for $1.44 million and comes with a gemstone keychain.
--the Swami conversational robot which runs off an included laptop PC and can hold conversations, recognize family members and give advice. It sells for $75,000.
a 305-carat uncut diamond which will be turned into custom necklace designed by Diamonds in the Rough to your specifications. It starts at $1 million.
--a Vertu phone designed by Frank Nuovo with pink and white diamonds for $73,000.
--your own plane in the Rocket Racing league complete with training for pilots and pit crew and support for one year for $2 million.
--an online media wall for $100,000.
--ten acres at the Ameya Preserve in Montana for $2.3 million (this isn't a Neiman gift it's just being advertised in the catalog)
--and the car this year is a special 2008 Lexus IS F special-edition which goes on sale October 18 and sells for $68,000.

Is it just me or was last year's fantasy gift collection a little more alluring?

Estee Lauder makes some of the most beautiful perfume compacts around. Current designs includes the Great Wall of China, a crystal-covered feather, a tiny turtle and a sparkling sailboat. Perhaps the most extraordinary is the design they have created to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Neiman Marcus. The monarch butterfly is made of black enamel, orange and clear crystals and golden highlights. The compact is filled with Beautiful solid perfume and sells for $300.

Neiman Marcus first opened its doors on September 10, 1907 - that's 100 years of great shopping to celebrate. NM is doing so in typical style with exclusive offerings from top designers in every department, including handbags. Prada marks the occasion with this beautiful clutch in a rich cherry leather. It's a simple fold-over with a magnetic snap closure and features a gold embossed luggage tag hanging from a slim leather strap. Also available in nude and black. $995.

We love Shu Uemura's luxe eyelashes, but it is the flair with which the designer approaches them that really appeals to us, not necessarily the lashes themselves. That same spirit of fun and drama was applied to Shu Uemura's Holiday Lip Kit. It's a Neiman Marcus exclusive and includes a Rouge Unlimited Lipstick in brown, a New Drawing Lip Liner in wine and a sexy, sweet lip gloss in cherry. Everything is packed in a red patent leather lip-shaped case that is equal parts Marilyn and Rocky and makes a great little gift. The set is only $65.

Yesterday was the day for eager, deep-pocketed buyers to snap up the 2007 BMW M6 featured in this year's Neiman Marcus Christmas Book. The Neiman Marcus BMW M6 has a Ruby Black exterior and power sports seats in a custom Gold Brown shade of supple BMW Individual Merino leather. Speedy-fingered dialers hit the phone number to order and all 50 were gone in just one minute, thirty-two seconds. That's pretty fast for a car that sells for $139,000.