The Luxury Index 2007

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Chris Eckert
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Tahari Boutique
Elie Tahari makes clothes that women want to wear. His coterie of polished customers know where to turn for something that not only is pretty but also fits. And now that place is the beach. Opened in August with a lot of fanfare, Tahari's East Hampton, N.Y., flagship is housed in a former post office. The Piero Lissoni-designed interior is light and airy, and it's Tahari's first boutique to house all the brand's collections, plus books and decorative objects.


Tequila
Partida Tequila Elegante ($350) is the leader in a new trend of ultra-premium tequilas. Aged for more than three years in American oak, Elegante is made with 100% blue agave. And the bottle is as alluring as the spirits inside. Individually numbered, each one comes with a silver charm and crystal bottle top.




Ties
Neckties are back in a big way, and not just in the boardroom. Harvard grad Alexander Olch is creating considerable buzz with his handmade styles ($140), available in preppy stripes, classic plaids and racy signature prints. Olch even offers buyers the ultimate luxury: customized designs.




Twenty-One
The hottest restaurant in Paris right now is flying under the radar—so low, in fact, that the staff seems unaware of the fact that it's a popular noshing spot for Hollywood celebs and trendsetting fashionistas. On the Left Bank's rue Mazarine, 21 has no sign or any other exterior indication of what lies within. Inside, diners feast on exquisitely prepared dishes like fresh herring and squid risotto courtesy of seafood maestro Paul Minchelli (best known for his eponymous Parisian restaurant that closed five years ago). With only 42 seats, the casual bistro could be called a small treasure.

Best Foot Forward

The Ferragamo family built its fortune on shoes, but the tight-knit clan is stepping boldly into a new era, with a new managing director and plans for a public offering

How They Spend It

Warhols and Petus wines should suffice, but today's über-rich want something nobody else has, literally

Photo Gallery: Edge of Night

The demure 1950s debutante look is now more punk than prim

Style & Design: The Global Luxury Survey

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TIME Style & Design looks at the future through the eyes of the most creative icons and thinkers in their fields

The Style & Design 100

Good design is everywhere these days. Great design is more elusive. Take a look at the standouts