RETAIL

SRI LANKA, the Future Hong Kong of the Indian Subcontinent

by

Magda Knop

|

This is the featured image caption
Credit: This is the featured image credit
According to Magda Vandenbussche-Knop, freelance International real estate consultant… The city of Colombo, Sri Lanka According to Magda Vandenbussche-Knop, freelance International real estate consultant… I recently returned from a trip…

Over the last decade, collaborations between luxury brands and contemporary artists have gone beyond mere artistic partnerships towards a new kind of luxury branding.

PARIS – Art and fashion have always developed side by side, for fashion, like art, often gives visual expression to the cultural zeitgeist. During the 1920s, Salvador Dalí created dresses for Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiapparelli. In the 1930s, Ferragamo’s shoes commissioned designs for advertisements from Futurist painter Lucio Venna, while Gianni Versace commissioned works from artists such as Alighiero Boetti and Roy Lichtenstein for the launch of his collections. Yves Saint Laurent’s vast art collection, recently auctioned at Christie’s in Paris, testified to his great love of art and revealed the influence of a variety of artists on his own designs.

In the 1980s, relationships between luxury brands and artists were advanced when Alain Dominique Perrin created the Fondation Cartier. In the Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain, a book marking the foundation’s 20th anniversary, Perrin says he makes “a connection between all the different sorts of arts, and luxury goods are a kind of art. Luxury goods are handicrafts of art, applied art.”

The Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemparain building in Paris

According to Magda Vandenbussche-Knop, freelance International real estate consultant…

The city of Colombo, Sri Lanka

According to Magda Vandenbussche-Knop, freelance International real estate consultant…

I recently returned from a trip to Sri Lanka and was absolutely taken by the country, the people and its opportunities. Although there are no major brands on the market yet, it’s a question of time before they will settle. The government is planning on making Sri Lanka a major luxury destination. In June 2009, Bloomberg predicted that Sri Lanka would become the Hong Kong of the Indian subcontinent and I must say that the country is on track. Last year the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) was up by 100% and tourist arrivals in 2010 increased with 47%, compared to 2009.

Sri Lanka is known as “the island of gems”. I must admit that I couldn’t resist the beautiful blue sapphires. The magnificent blue stone in the engagement ring of Kate Middleton, now Princess Catherine, has it’s origin in the Ratnapura area.

Luxury boutique hotels are to be found at the beaches, south of Colombo, while in the main city the major hotels are all updating their rooms. A newcomer is “Casa Colombo” (www.casacolombo.com), a quiet luxury escape in a busy city. All rooms are design masterpieces. The hotel is also the host of one of the best Ayurveda spas, Spa Ceylon, and is on the Condé Nast Hotlist. Colombo is buzzing with excitement. Restaurants and clubs are opening. One of the nicest restaurants is “The Gallery Café”, located in trendy “Paradise Road”. The building used to house the offices of Sri Lanka’s renowned architect Geoffrey Bawa.

Inspired by the ‘Indian Melon’ shell, found on a beach, an innovative Sri Lankan property designed by Belgian architect Geert Deviaene

The Sri Lanka Tourist Development Authority recently gave the green light for major tourist developments. One of the most important ones is the Kalpitiya Dutch Bay development. Many hotels, one of them being a 7 star palace will rise up, as well as a marina, a sea plane harbour, a golf court, an underwater tourist visitor’s centre and a luxury beachfront development. The company, Havicus Sri Lanka real estate development (www.havicus.com), has several developments around the country. All located in a prime beachfront area. The villas are all built with keeping in mind that real luxury is nothing more than excellence and perfection. Some of the villas are real masterpieces of architecture. Word is around that Sting already owns a property on the pristine beaches of the east coast and that Julia Roberts is searching.

Although, today Sri Lanka has no major luxury brand representation, visiting the country is already a luxury experience. Soon, in a few years, all this will change. Let’s just hope that the island will remain the gem of the Indian Ocean.

Magda Knop
Magda Knop

PERSONAL TRAVEL PLANNER

After a few years in France, I spent my time between Knokke (Belgium) and Houston, TX. I’m helping people to savour the world, planning the unique trip that will be a lifelong memory.

RETAIL

SRI LANKA, the Future Hong Kong of the Indian Subcontinent

by

Magda Knop

|

This is the featured image caption
Credit : This is the featured image credit
According to Magda Vandenbussche-Knop, freelance International real estate consultant… The city of Colombo, Sri Lanka According to Magda Vandenbussche-Knop, freelance International real estate consultant… I recently returned from a trip…

Over the last decade, collaborations between luxury brands and contemporary artists have gone beyond mere artistic partnerships towards a new kind of luxury branding.

PARIS – Art and fashion have always developed side by side, for fashion, like art, often gives visual expression to the cultural zeitgeist. During the 1920s, Salvador Dalí created dresses for Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiapparelli. In the 1930s, Ferragamo’s shoes commissioned designs for advertisements from Futurist painter Lucio Venna, while Gianni Versace commissioned works from artists such as Alighiero Boetti and Roy Lichtenstein for the launch of his collections. Yves Saint Laurent’s vast art collection, recently auctioned at Christie’s in Paris, testified to his great love of art and revealed the influence of a variety of artists on his own designs.

In the 1980s, relationships between luxury brands and artists were advanced when Alain Dominique Perrin created the Fondation Cartier. In the Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain, a book marking the foundation’s 20th anniversary, Perrin says he makes “a connection between all the different sorts of arts, and luxury goods are a kind of art. Luxury goods are handicrafts of art, applied art.”

The Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemparain building in Paris

According to Magda Vandenbussche-Knop, freelance International real estate consultant…

The city of Colombo, Sri Lanka

According to Magda Vandenbussche-Knop, freelance International real estate consultant…

I recently returned from a trip to Sri Lanka and was absolutely taken by the country, the people and its opportunities. Although there are no major brands on the market yet, it’s a question of time before they will settle. The government is planning on making Sri Lanka a major luxury destination. In June 2009, Bloomberg predicted that Sri Lanka would become the Hong Kong of the Indian subcontinent and I must say that the country is on track. Last year the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) was up by 100% and tourist arrivals in 2010 increased with 47%, compared to 2009.

Sri Lanka is known as “the island of gems”. I must admit that I couldn’t resist the beautiful blue sapphires. The magnificent blue stone in the engagement ring of Kate Middleton, now Princess Catherine, has it’s origin in the Ratnapura area.

Luxury boutique hotels are to be found at the beaches, south of Colombo, while in the main city the major hotels are all updating their rooms. A newcomer is “Casa Colombo” (www.casacolombo.com), a quiet luxury escape in a busy city. All rooms are design masterpieces. The hotel is also the host of one of the best Ayurveda spas, Spa Ceylon, and is on the Condé Nast Hotlist. Colombo is buzzing with excitement. Restaurants and clubs are opening. One of the nicest restaurants is “The Gallery Café”, located in trendy “Paradise Road”. The building used to house the offices of Sri Lanka’s renowned architect Geoffrey Bawa.

Inspired by the ‘Indian Melon’ shell, found on a beach, an innovative Sri Lankan property designed by Belgian architect Geert Deviaene

The Sri Lanka Tourist Development Authority recently gave the green light for major tourist developments. One of the most important ones is the Kalpitiya Dutch Bay development. Many hotels, one of them being a 7 star palace will rise up, as well as a marina, a sea plane harbour, a golf court, an underwater tourist visitor’s centre and a luxury beachfront development. The company, Havicus Sri Lanka real estate development (www.havicus.com), has several developments around the country. All located in a prime beachfront area. The villas are all built with keeping in mind that real luxury is nothing more than excellence and perfection. Some of the villas are real masterpieces of architecture. Word is around that Sting already owns a property on the pristine beaches of the east coast and that Julia Roberts is searching.

Although, today Sri Lanka has no major luxury brand representation, visiting the country is already a luxury experience. Soon, in a few years, all this will change. Let’s just hope that the island will remain the gem of the Indian Ocean.

Magda Knop
Magda Knop

PERSONAL TRAVEL PLANNER

After a few years in France, I spent my time between Knokke (Belgium) and Houston, TX. I’m helping people to savour the world, planning the unique trip that will be a lifelong memory.

Related articles

RETAIL

Shoppers Want More Personalised Technology In-Stores and Online

RETAIL

Polarisation Strikes Back for the Luxury Industry: Bain

RETAIL

A Neo-Westward Movement: Luxury’s Geo-Expansion In China