[close] The Cult of the Luxury Brand is the first book to explore how and why an amazing phenomenon is rocking Asia, sweeping up not just the glitzy upper crust, but also secretaries clutching Burberry bags, junior executives sporting Rolex watches and university students flaunting Ferragamo shoes. Hong Kong boasts more Gucci and Hermes stores than New York or Paris. China's luxury market is growing with such momentum that it will be the world's biggest by 2014. In Tokyo, the epicenter of this "luxe-plosion," 94% of women in their 20s own a Louis Vuitton bag. Even India, the new kid on the luxury block, has three-month waiting lists for hot items.

Written by world-leading retail consultants in a highly accessible style, The Cult of the Luxury Brand draws on more than 150 interviews with industry experts, market studies in 10 countries, and the authors' vast experience across Asia. It offers a glimpse of the thriving retail scene, from glorious flagship stores in Tokyo to bustling local markets in Seoul, and compares the various consumer segments to understand the inner motives for their obsession. It demonstrates how the continent's massive economic and social transformation is dismantling centuries-old ways of defining one's place in society, and how your spot on today's social totem pole is marked by your Chanel suit and your Cartier watch. [close]