One can't venture too far into downtown Tampa (where our business is based) and not take notice of the numerous luxury condo offerings. Whether it is the uber luxe Plaza being developed on Harbour Island, The ubiquitous Trump Towers in downtown or the Five-Star architectural feast of the Bellamy fronting the beautiful winding Bayshore Drive with its million dollar views they all have one thing in common – unsurpassed luxury and style. Characteristics only seen and delightfully experienced in the finest international hotels can now be found at home. With 24 hour concierge service, valet parking, yoga and fitness centers, wine cellars and activity/business conference rooms that rival those seen at the Breakers in Palm Beach. Viking, Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances, marble floors, hand-milled tiles, and exotic woods are all standard fare. However that is only where the luxury starts. You can now expect the finest in haute couture as part of the luxury condominium offering.
The trend to add designer cachet to luxury condominiums has been steadily rising. Many condominium developers have sought out world renowned designers such as Jean Nouvel or Philippe Starck to design the interiors. Of course even if a designer isn’t explicitly part of the design as in the case of Armani – his name is still invoked and associated with the interior design simply by using items from his collections. Peter Som has quickly become the wunderkind of the Fashion Designer / Interior Designer class. His breathtaking haute couture has successfully crossed-over from the world of textiles to the world of architectural materials. Most famous is his amazing interpretation of a black and white lace dress from his Spring 2006 collection into a carved metal staircase in the lobby of 485 Fifth Avenue a high-end property in New York.
Expect to see the haute couture for the home trend to continue to grow as more upscale homeowners demand added luxury touches in their homes. Also as in all fashion trends you can expect to see a less expensive pret-a-porter version of home haute couture as the trend toward luxury items grows to encompass more than just high-end property owners.