Dubai can afford more luxury than any other city these days and that’s why we’re not at all surprised that the luxurious Mall of the Emirates will be welcoming new luxury brands to their Fashion Dome.

Come September the Mall of the Emirates Fashion Dome will add more high-profile luxury stores to their already existing 472 retailers.

The new additions will include Mulberry, Missoni, Diane von Furstenberg, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Galliano, Versace, See by Chloe, Sephora and the largest D&G boutique in the region.

Better start planning the trip now, it’s time to get your luxury shopping done all in one place!

Check out the latest in Montblanc‘s limited edition writing instrument (yeah, the many-syllable alternative to “pen”) which celebrates Queen Elizabeth I.

The pens are part of the new Patron of Art Edition Pens and comes in two variants – the 4810 and the even more limited 888 edition.

The lacquer of both editions is modelled on the queen’s royal garments. The cap features the British Crown cross, the royal insignia and the Tudor Rose. The words “Video et taceo” – the queen’s supreme prinviple – is engraved as well.

The 4810 edition have a body and cap of black resin with gold-plate inlay while the 888 is a solid gold fountain pen with a red lacquer barrel and cap. The nibs are hand-crafted 18K gold with engraved royal crown motif.

You’ve got to hand it to Louis Vuitton because they do conjure up some unique concepts for luggage and bags.   As you

Louis Vuitton provides luxury cases for timepieces.

may recall, Vuitton recently entered into the luxury timepiece market — and what better way to carry you stylish accessories than in one of their prestigous cases.

One case is trunk style, and suitable for 8 watches ($4,070). While the other is more like a roll case, and sized for 3-4 watches ($620). Each are made in France, with the brand’s usual style and noticeable exterior.

It’s that time of the year boys and girls!

Neiman Marcus unveils their 2009 Christmas Book.

Neiman-Marcus has unveiled the 2009 Christmas Book.  Oh happy days and damn any recession because we have visions of cupcake-shaped electric cars for the kiddos, the world’s fastest electric motorcycle, and dinner with some of today’s bestselling authors.  These are just a few of the fantasy gifts for sale in Neiman Marcus’ 2009 Christmas book.

Dallas-based Neiman Marcus made a conscious effort to offer more affordable options while not disappointing loyal luxury shoppers as it unveiled its Christmas Book at the Dallas Contemporary.

Among this year’s offerings are a customized Cupcake Car for kids that costs $25,000 and reaches top speeds of 7 miles per hour. For adults, there’s a 2010 Jaguar XJL super-charged sedan, priced at $105,000. Neiman Marcus customers will be the first to be able to purchase the vehicle, which comes with a 5-piece set of luggage that matches its leather interior.

This year’s his-and hers gift – an annual tradition – is an ICON A5 sports aircraft, with pilot training for two. It costs a mere $250,000.

At $200,000, the Algonquin Round Table Experience includes dinner for two at New York’s Algonquin Hotel with Malcolm Gladwell, John Lithgow, Nora Ephron with eight famous authors, including and Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

About 40 percent of this year’s catalog items are priced under $250.

The luxury retailer’s his-and-hers gifts and other over-the-top holiday gift ideas represent a tradition that dates back to the 1950s. Stanley and Edward Marcus started picking attention-grabbing gifts to get the store on national TV, and it still works.

Last year, the Dallas-based retailer offered all 530 square yards of one of the end zones at Texas Stadium and a party to go with it for $500,000. His-and-hers gifts were life-size Lego likenesses of the buyers for $60,000 apiece.

A limited-edition 2009 BMW Individual 7 Series sedan offered a year ago didn’t sell out. Thirty-one were offered to represent the number of years that BMW has been selling in the U.S. A car has been part of the catalog for many years and has been known to sell out in a matter of minutes.

Luxury has been hard hit by the recession and has experienced some of the biggest sales declines. Neiman Marcus is adding more merchandise in its middle price points this year, while it continues to sell its highest priced luxury brands.

For the second year, Neiman Marcus is publishing a separate holiday book featuring “giftable” items, many under $100.

Despite the downward spiraling luxury economy, JPMorgan Chase & Co. has just launched a new luxury credit card.

Aimed at household exceeding $120K, this new Chase Sapphire credit card has no pre-set spending limit and comes with the point-earring per dollar system. 

Think you’ll switch from American Express to the new Chase Sapphire?

Gucci’s new chief executive officer, Patrizio di Marco has unveiled his strategy for the Italian brand’s future. His strategy includes cutting production and multiple variations of the same style and solidifying the mid-range of the brand. Di Marco, who comes to Gucci from another PPR-owned company luxury leather brand Bottega Veneta, wants to balance contemporary fashion with the Gucci traditions, emphasizing craftsmanship and quality. Di Marco is also behind the lawsuit filed against Guess? Inc. last month.

Driving Gucci sales currently is the revival of the Jackie bag by creative director Frida Giannini. The bag which was named for Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, sells for around $3,000 has received fashion acclaim this season. Di Marco has nothing but praise for Giannini he is quoted by Bloomberg as saying that she “knows how to balance the fashion elements with Gucci’s heritage,” Di Marco and Giannini, shown above, represent the continuation of the Gucci aesthetic fine-tuned by Tom Ford in the 1990s, chic and soigné with a dash of lethal sexy.

Google has decided to let more U.S. advertisers use trademarked terms in ad text on search result pages as of June 15. For advertisers who want to promote the top brand names through Google keywords, the change being made by the search engine company is an opportunity but owners of prestige brands don’t see it that way. They see use of their terms in Google’s “Sponsored Link” ads is a trademark violation.

Under the old policy if a company wanted to advertise the brands they sell they may not have been able to use specific keywords. But now while that advertiser can promote brands he sells this also opens the window to all sorts of attempts at fraudulent advertising and the selling of counterfeit merchandise. According to Bloomberg, Google has said it will still “perform a limited investigation of reasonable complaints about use of trademarks in ads.” Google’s website instructs trademark owners to go after the advertisers themselves.

For luxury brands the keywords may not be as much of a problem as Google’s own native search results. Do a search for Louis Vuitton and online retailers selling “replica” bags are right there on the front page, no advertising required. Louis Vuitton parent company LVMH has already taken on Google in French court over a long and involved trademark- infringement lawsuit in Europe which is ongoing.

Ferrari just opened its first store (above) in the UK in London‘s fashionable Mayfair, second in size only to their Milan flagship.

Located in a beautiful historic stone building, the store features a Ferrari Formula 1 racing car on display and carries the full line of Ferrari by Panerai watches, sunglasses, luggage, clothing, model cars and even Ferrari-branded bicycles – everything but actual cars. Ferrari’s Formula 1 driver Kimi Raikkonen presided over the opening of the chic boutique, billed as not just a store but an “homage to the history and spirit of Ferrari’s twin souls of racing and luxury.”

Ferrari plans to open 40 retail stores worldwide to capitalize on customers who want a bit of (relatively) affordable Ferrari magic.