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Luxury Brands Enlisted to Add Gloss to London Yacht Show
The symbiotic relationship between luxury yachts and the luxury lifestyle in general dates back centuries, perhaps even to before the splendour of Cleopatra’s Barge and its famously opulent interior.
In the more modern world of commerce, luxury brands perpetually jostle or position in an effort to align themselves with the superyacht industry, keen to capitalise on the strong cross-over between yachts and luxury sectors such as watches, cars and high-end homes.
The London Yacht, Jet & Prestige Car Show, which kicks off on Wednesday, is the latest example of this marriage of convenience. Taking place at Old Billingsgate in London – once the world’s largest fishing market, but now a lavish event space – the show will bring together many of the key names from the yacht industry along with luxury purveyors such as car brand Aston Martin, watchmakers Ulysse Nardin and property agents Harrods Estates.
For Shirley Humphrey, a director at Harrods Estates, the opportunity to present her company’s ultra-premium residences in front of a captive audience of affluent yacht owners and potential buyers was too good to turn down. Indeed, for Harrods Estates, affiliating themselves with yachting has already proved its worth.
“After attending and hosting a very successful event at the 2014 Monaco Yacht Show, we are delighted to participate in this London event, which promises to be even bigger and better,” she told us ahead of the show.
With Harrods Estates’ super prime luxury London property ranging from £3 million to £140 million, it is clear that yacht owners are a key target demographic.
“Most of Harrods Estates’ international clients own a portfolio of property around the world, and the luxury residences are often accompanied by the luxury trophy toys [such as yachts, watches, cars, etc]”, she continued.
For Peter Bryant, Director of the London show, attracting luxury brands as well as yachting companies to exhibit was essential to its chances of success.
“To get a High net worth individual to come to an event just about yachts would be difficult,” he told us. “From the outset, we wanted this event to be entertaining and have therefore invited a wide range of luxury brand companies to participate […] In all you have a show which we believe will be very attractive to all guests, and much, much more than just a yacht show.”
The London Yacht, Jet & Prestige Car Show runs from Wednesday 8th – Friday 10th April.