THIMIOS MOUTSELOS & "MY DESTINATION GREEK ISLANDS"

"Experience, travel - these are as education in themselves"

 Euripides (Greek playwright, c. 480-406 BC).

MY DESTINATION GREEK ISLANDS is a top online travel guide for the spectacular Greek Islands. It features informative and interesting articles, helpful tips and stunning photos of breathtaking locations in the Mediterranean. Created and daily updated by local experts, this leading travel website also posts travelers own experiences and personal photos. It is the best source of valuable information regarding the beauties of the Aegean and Ionian Sea's islands and explores in detail the best accommodation options, things to Do, the nightlife, Wellness, services, weddings, local and International events and many business and conference options.

MY DESTINATION GREEK ISLANDS is an active member of the global online travel network of www.mydestination.com and has won awards for: Online Business of the Year in the StartUps Awards 2009, Young Entrepreneur of the Year in the GBA Awards 2009, winners of the UKFAST 'Travel' Digital Entrepreneur of the Year Awards 2009 and the 2010 UK Trade & Investment London Exporters Award.

                         CORFU OLD TOWN

Thimios Moutselos who owns "MY DESTINATION GREEK ISLANDS" talks about this popular online travel resource and shares his own views on favorite island destinations in this exclusive interview:

                                             Thimios Moutselos

First of all Thimio, “MY DESTINATION GREEK ISLANDS” is more than just an online travel guide. Can you explain what services you offer and your role in the company?

Well, the time when a visitor selected a vacation package from just a nicely set poster or travel guide has passed. Today, they choose among various sources, and criteria sets have also changed.

“MY DESTINATION GREEK ISLANDS” (MDGI) is an online travel resource, designed to be pioneering in the latest trends and technologies available. MDGI comes with a full set of valuable locally informed offerings, rich in social, multimedia and image collections.

What distinguishes us from other online listing pages is the fact that we maintain close contact with our visitors, offering services covering their entire travel experience.

Our social tools (Facebook, Twitter, ‘Events’, etc) and mobile application will keep them posted on all the nearby attractions, special offers and activities they should not miss.

My main interest is to establish and facilitate regular communication with all our visitors & also clients, providing them with the best means and advice to promote their business, and at the same time, ensuring that our destinations are fully exploited. They all come together through our motto: “locally informed, globally inspired.”

Do you spend a great deal of time on research, travelling and constantly updating the website? Also, do you regard yourself as a travel writer?

Up-to-date information is the key to the success of our business. That’s exactly what a visitor looks for. To us, it means that we have to remain knowledgeable about what is happening to the destinations we write about. Be sure that we cover all that is important.

Our clients have a local person to contact with, to explain all their options, to work together to provide results, and to help them succeed. Constantly updating our services, we always focus - as a Group - to innovate and be ahead of market trends.

When it comes to travel articles and resources, we have professionals who ensure that content quality is at a high level. And who knows, perhaps in the future I might become one of them.

Can you tell me a little about the franchising side of things and whether you think it was smart to team up with James Street and Neil Waller, the co-founders of My Destination? I believe the company has franchised in 120 countries?

MY DESTINATION” is a global brand, a multi-award winning network of experts, which covers all continents and over 120 destinations. We are one of the fastest growing organizations in this market sector, attracting more than 12 million unique visitors a year.

Being part of this family is a lot more. It ensures that through continual improvements in every aspect, we are market leaders in each and every destination. Unlike many of our competing websites, we are not just focused on online bookings for hotels and flights. Created with the local business in mind, we become an ideal advertising platform for them. Skilled in-house teams ensure the best outcome in online marketing, design and development, innovation and collaboration. All these are difficult (not to say expensive) to achieve on your own, when starting an online business.

With online travel continually becoming one of the fastest growing markets worldwide, how do you intend to remain so popular and set yourself apart from your competitors?

I have already touched a number of aspects that distinguish “MY DESTINATION” Group from the rest of online travel agents (OTA). Our unique selling proposition (USP) is to stay close to our customers; expand our portfolio offerings and to provide exclusive services. Through our virtual tours, informative videos and visitor reviews, we help other visitors meet their vacation expectations.
Today, one out of two travelers is choosing a holiday destination online. Quality content is what matters most.

PAROS ISLAND- THE INNER HARBOR AT NAOUSSA

Why have you focused on the Greek islands when there are so many breathtaking and beautiful locations around the whole of Greece?

Our hot summers, bright yellow sun and golden sandy beaches are what make Greece such an attractive destination worldwide. Our country is full of beautiful locations as you say, but the variety of scenes, history, flavors and culture is so rich among the Greek Islands. Every year, at least one of them is listed among the most attractive vacation destinations. Our beaches are world-known for their crystal blue waters; Mediterranean cuisine is a trend being followed by millions of people. Not to mention, our hospitality, a warm welcome which is a Greek tradition that has been kept alive throughout the centuries.



SANTORINI ISLAND - KATIKIES HOTEL

Finally, from what you have seen in recent years, which is the most favorite destination for visitors to Greece?

That’s rather difficult to say. It all depends on what you are mostly asking for. Mykonos is full of life, an island which is partying all day long. Amorgos and south Cyclades are rather quiet, but full of natural beauties and picturesque landscape.
Kefallonia or Skiathos islands are green and full of rich vegetation; Corfu and Rhodes are cosmopolitan, with a long history, ancient monuments and tourist attractions.
If I had to choose, I would pick among Dodecanese (Kos, Rhodes) and the Ionian Islands.

                          KOS ISLAND - DODECANESE - LAGOUDI

NAXOS ISLAND - CYCLADES -

CHORA

RECOMMENDATION:

MY DESTINATION GREEK ISLANDS is an incredibly informative and beautifully designed website that takes care of everything from helping choose the perfect location and offering excellent travel advice to organizing hotel bookings and car rental. It provides virtually everything related to island vacations and has built up an enviable well-deserved reputation.

As Saint Augustine (Ancient Theologion) was quoted as saying, "The world is a book, and those who do not travel, read only a page."
So why not run your eyes over the pages of MY DESTINATION GREEK ISLANDS, travel to Greek paradises and get to the end of that book.


FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.mydestination.com/greekislands or contact address: Agios Onoufrios, Iolkos, 38500, Volos, Greece

 

ELENA NANI & 'ARTISTIC WORK'

Elena Nani is an amazing photographer and talented artist whose paintings and sketches of people, faces and interesting places are filled with strong character and life. She captures intense human expressions on film and canvas and transforms her own emotions into the striking images. Not only does Elena put her heart and soul into the tips of her brushes and pencils, she has the uncanny ability to transform something rather mundane into an extraordinary image.

Here in an exclusive interview, Elena talks about her creative art, her inspirations and her distinctive style:

Can you tell me a little about your family background and how long you have been painting and sketching?

I grew up in a family of artists, and five of them were involved in some form of art. One of the members, (my uncle) was a self-taught painter and sculptor. From a very young age, I saw my sister (self-taught) to paint and I always admired the sketches she did. I remember myself, making sketches in secret because my parents thought I should be devoted to school. 
Painting was for me a challenge, but also a form of expressing emotion as it was very difficult to be heard in an eight-member family.
I started out being interested in clothes designs, but with no real agenda at that time, I moved quickly on. However, I never stopped loving fashion.
As far as painting is concerned, I started promptly after an El Greco exhibition. It was a revelation for me to see his artwork up close. I was then 18, and I have never stopped painting and drawing since.

I know that you have studied philosophy and psychology. Do you think that they play a role in artistic expression?

Art is always a philosophical yield of psychological states. In my painting, where the main subject of the expression is the multi-dimensional man, I portray my emotions as a form of psychotherapy of my own soul.

 

Can you describe your process of creating a sketch or painting?

I can describe myself as a person of multiple stimuli. The "muse" is not enough for me; a strong feeling is also needed to start the movement of the brush.

That is “INSPIRATION” for me.

What is your favourite subject to draw or paint and why? Do you ever sketch from photos?

As I said the main subject of my work is man, but for aesthetic reasons I prefer sketching or painting women. I can express the feminine beauty, charm, grace, movement and a shape full of curves, very easily. I think it's easier, more familiar, and it is entirely my own need for the expression of femininity.
Although, I would prefer to always use artist’s models, unfortunately there is no such option. I paint from photos due to circumstances, but it is incomparable to the feeling that you have working with a human model.

Are you inspired by other artists or the ever-changing artistic influences, both past & present?

Αs I have already said, the painter who motivated me to paint was El Greco, then the Renaissance painters such as Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, also, the more recent, Caravaggio, Rembrandt and Dali.
But after nearly 7 years of attending painting classes, I eventually formed my own style. So, I can say that the last person who influenced me was my teacher Constantinos Tsigkris, who greatly formed my way of perceiving and displaying of objects.

How would you describe your own style of art?

I would describe it as free, pragmatic, and without limitations. Definitely a style that has its own character but also develpos only through the emotions of its creator.

You also enjoy photography. Tell me where you like to go and what kinds of things you like to catch on film.

I became interested in photography last year. My favorite subjects are always near the ocean, in trees or models on a catwalk. I like outdoor photography and fortunately, Athens has so many contradictions that are inexhaustible.
I have also photographed models, fashion shows and Barbie dolls with which I experiment. However, I would say that nature has proved to be a major attraction for me.

                                          Athens Xclusive Designers Week

Which of your exceptional talents; painting, drawing and photography, do you have more fun with?

Although all my talents are overlapping, I can say that I have more fun with photography, with which I feel the joy and excitement of a young child.

Finally, is any of your art work for sale for those people who admire your work?

Of course, my ultimate goal is to sell my work, but for now, I work personally with the primary purpose of enriching my collection.

RECOMMENDATION:

According to Pablo Picasso, "the artist is a receptacle for emotions that come from all over the place: from the sky, from the earth, from a scap of paper, from a passing shape, from a spider's web." Elena Nani, uses her deep sensitivity to capture and display a remarkable collection of magnificent images, either through the camera lens, on paper or on canvas. She explores the boundaries of everyday life with a fascinating artistic approach and then shares its beauty with the rest of the world.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ELENA NANI & HER "ARTISTIC WORK": GO TO HER FACEBOOK PROFILE.

THE SPIRE BOAT - A MODEL OF PERFECTION

THE SPIRE BOAT - A MODEL OF PERFECTION

Super stylish, extremely luxurious and highly innovative, the SPIRE 4-seater lightweight speedboat takes boat design to the next level. Its futuristic revolutionary design is intended to evoke comparisons to the well-known comic vehicle the "Batmobile." However, this state-of-the-art open water craft is also perfectly fitting for the high-speed adventures of spy agent "007" in the James Bond movies.
It is powered by twin outboard engines producing between 250 to 300 hp and reaches speeds of 90 knots. At 9.5 meters in length, boasting a carbon composite and having a plush leather interior, it is much more than the average speedboat.
The prizewinning SPIRE BOAT, (vice world champion in the 2007 offshores) comes in two models, the classic and fully customized version (see below) and the second, remarkable transformation designed by the distinguished French fashion designer, Thierry Mugler.

 

 

In an exclusive interview, I spoke to Christophe Saducci, owner & founder of the SPIRE BOAT to find out more about this unique and most extraordinary speedboat:

Can you start by telling me about the SPIRE BOAT design and who or what inspired you to build it?

The SPIRE BOAT is inspired by offshore boating, where a combination of lines and speed are employed to have clean design and a breakable aero dynamism set.

Its unique design and breathtaking performance make it an exceptionally state-of-the-art craft. What makes the Spire so cutting edge?

The boat’s shape has an edgy lightweight design in order to reach high speed limits and achieve its outstanding performance.

What did you find the most challenging in designing this super powerboat?

Considerable challenges for this kind of boat was to design it to be capable of attaining breakneck speed, ensuring complete safety and guaranteeing security conditions with an adequate provision for crew comfort, having basic but comfortable accommodation and being able to reduce weight and maximize performance.

How many people worked on its production and how long did it take from the first stage until its completion?

This project started in June 2006, and its final design was released in September 2010, with multiple ads-on and changes that were brought about by our two naval architects. Therefore, it followed drastic design procedures and controls, throughout our R&D center. These, were carried out by experienced designers and technical staff whoall participated in producing the final concept, while always tending to reach for perfect buoyancy and on-water performance.

The SPIRE BOAT can reach speeds of 90 knots, is that correct and how does it compare to other powerboats in the terms of weight?

Yes, that’s correct. The maximum speed for this type of boat is 90 knots (105mph – 170Kph) while the sailing cruise is average of 60 knots (70 mph – 110kph). This was possible thanks to materials such as carbon fiber, Kevlar, coatings of fine films and glues usage – all manufactured through vacuum infusion which allows the rig to be lighter and stiffer than traditional yachts.

Where did you get the idea for its name?

The name SPIRE was an inspiration that came from « limit, extremities and direction ». Indeed, when the SPIRE BOAT is in motion, it could be compared to a bullet shot ripping through the ocean waves.

How do you see the development of the SPIRE BOAT when it comes to racing and what do you think its future will look like?

This model is final now. There will not no further structural modifications and it has also reached the ideal balance for hull and engineering.

As far as its future is concerned, it will soon be developed into a high-speed racing boat. It will have the cockpit weight increased with heavy seating assets which represent approximately 80 kilos and it will also be closed instead of having an open top in order to gain in velocity and improve safety.

There are two models, a basic one and another designed with the distinguished French fashion designer, Thierry Mugler. How did this partnership come about?

This exciting project was conceived at the Thierry Mugler Studio and then, the SPIRE BOAT staff met in November, 2010 at the Nautilus Boat Show in Cannes and then, in Monaco. The Mugler team immediately realized that both universes could be merged into one by having the MUGLER contemporary refinement and seducing design combined with the classic model of the SPIRE BOAT.

The teams met regularly and worked intensively, until we reached a common look-alike style pattern. Thereafter, we started to work on the project’s feasibility which required all participants to work and exchange collaboration for over 10 months.

How do you feel now after seeing the SPIRE BOAT completed? Do you have any other prototype boats in the pipeline?

Every time we look at our unique boat, the same overwhelming emotion surges over us as if we are seeing it for the very first time. I think just for a moment, time stands still, allowing us to admire its forms and lines once again.

We are also filled with great respect and admiration for this most powerful ‘beast’ that is capable of taking us safely and comfortably at extreme speeds across the oceans of the world.

As the design director, I put all my intense passion into its production and coupled with the success of the design by the Thierry Mugler Studio I believe that we have given new ideas and influenced other boating and business markets. I also hope that other well-known fashion brands or famous designers will seriously consider following in Thierry Mugler’s footsteps by instilling their own distinctive style in the SPIRE BOAT.

Finally, how much would it cost to own one of these impressive speedboats?

Well, the price of the classic model is €220.000 (full with engines) excluding taxes and without options. The SPIRE BOAT by Thierry Mugler costs €400.000(full with engines) excluding taxes, but without the boat cover which is an option. I would also add that the hull is guaranteed.


RECOMMENDATION:

When Aldous Huxley, an English novelist (1894-1963) said that, "Speed provides the one genuinely modern pleasure, he was ahead of his time unless he was foretelling the future and describing the SPIRE BOAT. This innovative, spectacular speedboat allows some small indulgence in the world of boating. It is a model of perfection and a great creation of our time.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE SPIRE BOAT: www.spireboat.com &
www.spireboat.mugler.com

PERICLES KONDYLATOS ART

PERICLES KONDYLATOS ART

Everything about artist, scene director, photographer and jewelry designer Pericles Kondylatos is unique, mysterious and sensual. He is a master of the bizarre and conceptually imaginative. Using a combination of ingenious techniques and distinctive styles, he manages to convey his intriguing thoughts and emotions through extraordinary surreal works of art.

Pericles Kondylatos, although known for his sinister, artistic darker side, has also created some of the finest, most beautiful collections of handmade jewelry. He is without question, a dark chivalrous knight pledging his alliance to his own creative soul, taking us with him below the surface of everyday reality.

Here in a remarkable interview, this immensely talented artist talks about his sources of inspiration and how he develops his stunning masterpieces:

First, can you tell me one or two things about yourself and in particular, Pericles Kondylatos Art?

I am an artist who works and lives in Greece, I love music and animals. I began painting almost since the beginning of my life and I haven’t stopped since then.

Who or what inspired you to become an artist and how did you get started in jewellery designing?

Generally I am inspired by the beauty of nature, but there isn’t anything specific, because I am in an “inspiration mode” all the time. Jewelry design came as naturally as painting or as creating a sculpture did, it just happens, there isn’t a more specific reason. It was the next thing let’s say, as I have tried everything.
I can create art: painting, sculpture, photography, video art…. An artist must be involved in everything if he is truly dedicated to expressing himself. There must be no limits in creation, because in the supernal worlds where creativity exists there are no limits.

How would you describe your art and the kind of jewelry you create? Are there certain types of materials you prefer to work with?

I describe them as works of art for the body and this is how I perceive them. I prefer to work with “unexpected” materials, things that you would not normally expect to see in jewelry. Because I like breaking boundaries with my art, in the same manner I choose my materials: I go around my studio and think: What is the most unusual thing in here?

In a few words, describe your own personal style.

For my personal style I am an extremist: I like black, old fashioned suits, black hats, black shades. I like the color black in general…


What is a typical day like for you and what keeps you inspired and motivated?

A typical day is a creative day at my studio, where I spend almost all of my hours. This is it basically. I don’t do anything else. It inspires me a lot to walk around trees and be close to nature. I like to be in the wilderness and amongst the wildlife.

What do you love most about designing and creating works of art?

That I have the ability to express what is inside of me, without having someone to express it to. A work of art is being created and then it’s a constant expression to the universe.

"The Burial Treasure Collection", is extremely breathtaking and beautiful. Where did the inspiration come from?

Thank you. I had to design jewelry for the Vassilis Zoulias collection – which was a great success – and the collection was created together with the design and organization of the show. I was in Vassilis's atelier during the daytime with Nicolas Georgiou, with whom I had an excellent collaboration. We looked at the clothes, and then I presented him with ideas which helped him decide on what he wanted. Then, I went to my studio and worked all night long and then again in the morning. It was a very creative process, deciding what was in and what was not.

Are there any artists who have profoundly impacted your life?

Of course there are, but unfortunately they are all dead. I love Mozart, Tchaikovsky, ..there are so many.

Share with me how you view your art and jewelry design in the future.

I want to create exceptionally beautiful things, inspire people, and offer through art, beauty in their lives. There isn’t a greater art, than the art of loving people.

What other plans do you have for 2012?

I want to set up a small museum for old damaged dolls and toys, but nothing is certain yet, we are looking for a place at the moment. I have a huge collection of old toys and I am trying to find them a home. We shall see…………..

RECOMMENDATION:


Pericles S. Kondylatos Art knows no boundaries, simply because the man behind these beautiful creations, may it be complex paintings, mystical photos or precious jewelry, puts all his intense passion and artistic insight into producing the highest level of craftsmanship. His dedication to creating art and willingness to share it with others, makes him a self-styled magician.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON PERICLES S. KONDYLATOS: www.myspace.com/kondylatos

CARLO TROTTA & HIS COMPANY "MOOOH!!"

CARLO TROTTA & HIS COMPANY "MOOOH!!"

Wear as earrings or as a pendant

"Moooh!!" is an up-market luxury shopping website with a difference. It's not just a place to find stylish custom made goods, it's also an excellent site for networking and ample business opportunities. Apart from offering everything from exquisite jewelry, elegant apparels, fashion accessories to chic home decor, "Moooh!!" encourages people to participate in reward programs and activities, even offering consumers the chance to become affiliates. There are regular special offers and a variety of E-gift cards to choose from, all at your fingertips. "Moooh!!" is more than an online site for shopping, it's an exciting unique experience where you can browse through pages of high-quality products at your own leisure and become involved in something new and innovative.

Carlo Trotto is an independent Italian jewelry designer, fashion maker and luxury brands lover. Although he is not connected to any particular luxury brand and doesn’t follow established trends, he tries to create beautiful items and shares them and his business on "Moooh!!"

Here, Carlo talks about the idea behind this luxury website and what he is hoping to achieve:

Carlo, can you tell us a little about yourself and your roots?

I was born in a small city in South of Italy, a place lacking of opportunities for people without any “important friends” or without any “friends in politics.” It is almost impossible to create, and have a business there, especially if you come from a poor family. I was still a teenager when I promised myself that I must run away from that reality.

You moved from Italy to China many years ago. What brought on that decision and how difficult was it to settle down in a country with so many cultural differences?

In the South of Italy, there are no opportunities to create and develop a business, the global environment conditions and infrastructures are really poor. It was not really difficult to find a place better than Italy to develop a business. I never fear cultural differences. I believe that differences are a chance to improve ourselves, a chance to have a better view of the world and new cultures.

In China, Guangzhou, I found the best place possible to develop a business considering the labor quality and the presence of many small laboratories and factories that help to develop the entire production process of a product. This is impossible to find in the South of Italy, maybe even in Italy, except if you produce large quantities of a product.

Apart from being a jewelry designer, fashion creator and luxury brands expert, you are also the man behind “Moooh!!” Can you explain the idea behind it and where the inspiration came from?

The idea behind “Moooh!”! is very simple and easy. “Moooh!!”
“Moooh!!” is not the sound of a cow, but a dialect form of its hometown language, Bari, a language that is a creative blend of Latin, Greek, Turkish, French, English. “Moooh!!” It may cause a major shake-up in the luxury market, or even for the word “luxury” itself. The word “Moooh!!” means surprise, stupor, the unexpected that happens, something never seen before, never heard because it has never been disclosed yet. Everything new, surprising, uncommon, beautiful and positive can be expressed with just one word – “Moooh!!”
You can say “Moooh!!” when you see a beautiful piece of jewelry at a very competitive price, you can say “Moooh!!” anytime you engage in one of the sweepstakes on “Moooh!!’ or when you read a blog post and discover that many luxury brands produced in China, prefer to hide the origin of their products because they cannot justify the expensive prices of the goods they sell. I think that this practice is not an ethic way to conduct a business, especially if you have a worldwide recognition.
“Moooh” is making valuable the phrase “Made in China”, it lets people know that luxury can be produced in China and that luxury doesn’t always have to be expensive.
Overall, there are many reasons to say “Moooh!!” just browse www.moooh.net and you will understand.

I understand that you encourage people to get involved with you on “Moooh!!” Can people actually make money from this?

Yes, “Moooh!!” can help in many ways to save and make money. People can make money joining our Fashion Affiliate program (www.moooh.net/pages/fashion-affiliate) and get from 10 to 25% commission, selling the items featured on “Moooh!!” I think this is the highest percentage for affiliation programs that promote jewelry and other products.
Wholesalers and small businesses can enjoy very interesting discounts on our custom made products. Furthermore, we are also a big sourcing opportunity in China, for fashionable and home decor items. Small stores and retailers that want to produce high quality items at factory price can contact us for their fashion and home decor requirements.

Keeping in mind my goal, I started to look for something useful, free, to study and learn, useful for my future working life and to help me someday to run a business. I studied programming when the first personal computers came out in 1985, I believed that the PC could be the future; in fact I was not wrong. Then, I was selected to study on free marketing and communication courses. In 1990, I was selected to be part of a free course for young entrepreneurs financed by the European community and finally, in 1991, I was backed by a small investor and ran my first company.

Later, in 1994, I traveled to Senegal on a business trip and then spent 8 years in West Africa where I was trading in rough diamonds. During that time, jewelry and stones became the object of my passion. So, I actually started to design and love jewelry without any background.

In the beginning, I read and flicked through jewelry catalogs and I fell in love with the idea of designing my own pieces. I thought it was perfect to develop my creativity and combine working with different natural materials, stones and metals. I take the inspiration from the color of the stones and I love to combine them.

Let's talk about your collections. What materials are you on the lookout for when traveling and do you have any environmental considerations when designing a piece?

I love to “study” the local designs, especially artistic custom make pieces and get inspiration from it. I’m interested in everything beautiful, different and truly ethnic. I think there’s not a better place than China to get inspiration, considering the large number of minorities and each minority has its own traditions and “personal” artistic products, from jewelry, clothing and home decor. A silver or brass ethnic jewel, a pair of shoes, a lantern, anything can attract my attention. When I look at a particular piece, I think globally, how I can modify that piece, which kind of materials I can use to recreate that produce, how I can make it appealing for a wider market, the latter are proper marketing considerations.

Materials are usually silver, brass, Gobi jade, local agate, Shandong sapphire, woods and many others, not only for jewelry.

I love to “study” the local designs, especially artistic custom make pieces and get inspiration from it. I’m interested in everything beautiful, different and truly ethnic. I think there’s not a better place than China to get inspiration, considering the large number of minorities and each minority has its own traditions and “personal” artistic products, from jewelry, clothing and home decor.

A silver or brass ethnic jewel, a pair of shoes, a lantern, anything can attract my attention. When I look at a particular piece, I think globally, how I can modify that piece, which kind of materials I can use to recreate that produce, how I can make it appealing for a wider market, the latter are proper marketing considerations. Materials are usually silver, brass, Gobi jade, local agate, Shandong sapphire, woods and many others, not only for jewelry.

What exactly is a luxury brands expert and what makes Luxury a special field in marketing?

A brand expert must love fashion or generally beautiful things and products not necessary related to fashion. A Brand expert doesn’t have to only promote and advertise a brand or blog positively during a fashion week, just like many bloggers do. I think this is talking about nothing, just nonsense. This is just a different and free way for the brands to be promoted. I have a totally different concept of a brand luxury expert, maybe too personal.
As a brand expert, I prefer to “discover” what a brand likes to say and what it doesn’t like to say, one of the things that a brand doesn’t like to say is for example that they have been produced in China. This is not an ethic way to conduct a business, especially if you are famous and have a worldwide recognition.

What do you predict will be the most desired luxury brands in China this year?

I’m quite sure that nothing will change in the Chinese market for luxury brands. Many brands will try to enter into the market and many will fail, just a few will be successful and the same brands, already famous for many years, will still be the favorite of the Chinese people. Vuitton , Gucci, Chanel in the top places. The reason is simple, Chinese people have a typical Chinese concept of luxury, often luxury must be useful and for everyday use. My opinion is that there’s a great deal of attention from the luxury Chinese consumer on custom-made fashion, personalized and truly unique.

How do you think the recent economic crisis has affected the luxury industry? Is it still possible to develop luxury markets?

The economic crisis will not affect the luxury brand’s industry, people who have money and love luxury brands will always buy luxury brands. Furthermore, thanks to the Chinese market, famous luxury brands can gain market quotas and recover where the market is already mature.
Instead, I can see the development of a new social luxury concept. Small and unknown brands can think better of leveraging their social media presence and make it one of their primary marketing elements. This is what I’m doing and it works.

Do you believe the internet is of benefit to brand manufacturers as a way of reaching an elite global audience?

Definitely yes, the Internet and especially social media can help small brands to develop faster and develop their audience exponentially. Already “social luxury” websites like “Fashionstake”, nowadays purchased by “Fab”, help designers and small luxury brands to reach a wider audience. I’m sure this trend will grow this year and in future years. Once again, thanks to the social media, I wouldn’t make my brands just for the “elite”, instead, I would prefer to create “elite items” and promote them for a wide target of people that love beautiful and fashionable things, but cannot have access because of the expensive prices. This is “Moooh!!’s” mission, creating, hand picking, beautiful “elite” pieces and “selling” them social for many people and not just for the elite.

RECOMMENDATION:

''Moooh!!" is an exceptional up-market website offering consumers a great deal in the way of luxury shopping and other business opportunities. Just like taking an elevator and stopping on all the floors in a high-street department store, "Moooh!! takes its visitors to the the site, on an exciting journey through its pages. This unique website and blog is the key to social shopping in the future and Carlo Trotto will enjoy sharing his expertise and designs, including his custom-made jewelry (www.moooh.net/collections/carlo-trotta) with all its members.