Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster

Deluxe Tea time, 9" x 11"

I'm reading a thriller and there's no blood or guts like Girl with The Dragon Macaron Tatoo, which I dropped in the bin after 10 pages.

A wine expert told me about Dana Thomas' Deluxe:How luxury Lost Its Luster. I'm enthralled. It's the perfect summer read or plane read or anytime read and a page-turner. Deluxe gives you the inside scoop on major high-end fashion brands, particularly Louis Vuitton. Remember I took you inside the grand Avenue de Champs-Elysee flagship store?
There's a huge new branch in Bloomies.Photo c/o Elle Japan
Author Thomas takes you behind the scenes of these best name status brands we've come to associate with must-have luxury. She tears out the lining and looks inside. Things are not what they once were. Formerly family-owned companies have been gobbled up by the conglomerates and the picture ain't pretty. Certainly past quality for the select few has made way for quantity for the masses. Is it all 'Dreckitude' now? Read the book. Dana Thomas says, "Marc Jacobs is King of Paris fashion." I caught him leche-vitrine. The King with Miss Piggy. Another point Deluxe makes is the essential role of perfume to support top luxury fashion brands. Don't we feel great when we own a few ounces of a brand name no matter how tiny the bottle or how costly? Everyone on the planet knows SATC2 is opening today - an OTT excess of conspicuous luxury consumption if ever there was one. Nevermind that. W.H. Smith, my favorite hangout in Paris, is having a slew of fun events starting yesterday!
Dana Thomas will be reading at Cafe Etienne Marcel next Thursday. I'll try to catch her before I board the Chunnel. Elizabeth Bard of Lunch in Paris, Jamie Cat Callan of French Women Don't Sleep Alone and David Lebovitz of Ready For Dessert will be there on various days too. So if you're in Paris for Gawd's sake high tail it over there. It's bound to be great fun! In honor of Sex and The City 2 Bergdorfs has put on some splendid windows full of luxe items. Window designer David Hoey loves camels and they pop up frequently in the windows for no reason at all. OK so there's a camel or three in the movie. Cary's closet full of stuff that Thomas talks about in Deluxe...ahem One terrific thing Deluxe did for me was demystify the big name brands. I have every intention of waltzing into all the posh Paris joints and acting like I own the place. I will be FEARLESS! Very fearless. Well I'm gonna try. Famous last words...
I have absolutement pas no fear waltzing into any posh Parisien pastry shop. I feel right at home. I know I don't have to worry about being served up any ersats counterfeit macarons bien sur. Have you read this book?
Do tell.
PS *note Parisbreakfast has had a face lift-it's the REAL thing too.
BONJOUR DELUXE!