City to serve as playground for the rich and famous
The second annual Millionaire Fair is set to once again showcase extravagant goods and services to an exclusive public audience from June 1 to 3 at Shanghai Exhibition Center.
More than 120 companies and brands will present everything from cars, boats, watches, jewelery, fashion and fine food to travel, interior design, finance and banking services.
"I am confident that Millionaire Fair will be a significant event in Shanghai. Not only have most of our 2006 participants come back this year, they have committed to bigger booths to create an even more impressive experience for our visitors," said David Zhong, CEO of Millionaire Fair Shanghai.
According to Zhong, many famous international luxury brands such as Boucheron, Remy Martin, Korloff, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Meissen and Hutchison Whampoa Property Group have confirmed their participation in the upcoming edition. Also Dutch diamond cutter Gassan Diamonds will once again display their unique diamond collection.
The Millionaire Fair was founded five years ago in Amsterdam as an event for advertisers and readers of Millionaire magazine. A cross between the extravagance of Harrods in London and the wonderment of Disneyland, the Millionaire Fair has been launched in Amsterdam, Kortrijk, Cannes, Moscow and Dubai.
In April 2006, the first Shanghai edition of the Millionaire Fair was organized jointly by the Shanghai-based VNU Exhibitions Asia, Catchmedia and Gijrath Media Group International B. V. More than 100 companies and brands participated in the fair, which attracted some 10,000 visitors.
Increased attention from top-flight businesses, the mass media and Chinese celebrities is an indicator of Millionaire Fair's growing popularity in China. In a recent publication, KPMG stated: "Increased buying power is paving the way for luxury brands to invest in China" and after companies like Louis Vuitton, Bally and Gucci opened outlets in China 10 years ago, many more have followed.
But it's not all about enjoying the good life, organisers say. They hope to balance the promotion of luxury goods with spreading a message of sharing with the less fortunate.
For this reason, Millionaire Charity Nights were held in Shanghai on March 31 and in Beijing on April 27. The Shanghai Night raised one million yuan ($130,000), which has been donated to the Special Olympics.
(China Daily 05/11/2007 page18)
