They say that there are some things that money can’t buy. But it’s a mantra that doesn’t hold much sway in luxury. If you’ve got the cash to splash on a Chanel wardrobe (which you keep in a wardrobe made of the finest mahogany that was personally delivered by a Selfridges concierge at 5am), there’s simply no differentiation between high street, premium and luxury: everything is accessible.

For fashion’s most moneyed, a designer pair of shoes or overcoat just doesn’t hold the same appeal as it does for the rest of us who know we’d have to go hungry for a few months to afford it. Which is why, in order to snag the HNWIs, high-end labels need to add an extra layer of enticement.

Brands routinely offer VIP experiences and services to its blue chip clients in a bid to retain their elite edge. Be it celebrity access, pre-launch browsing or 24-hour consultation, the luxury world’s top spenders can benefit from some jaw-droppingly exclusive services.

So, for a brief respite from overdue credit card bills and student loans repayments, we look to the gilded stuff luxury shoppers get that we want too. Because apparently, the best things in life aren’t free, whatsoever.

Claim To Fame

Fashion is no stranger to the cult of celebrity, with stars like Jennifer Lawrence and Eddie Redmayne fronting campaigns for labels including Dior and Prada. Obviously luxury brands rely on these faces to help shift all kinds of product (from fragrance to fine tailoring) to all kinds of consumers, but in fostering these partnerships they also add some extra appeal for their top-tier clients: VIP access.

Take the recent Gucci Cruise 2017 show in London, for example. The cloisters of Westminster Abbey were filled not just with fashion editors and buyers, but with Gucci‘s top-spending devotees, who were seated alongside A-list stars like Alexa Chung and Salma Hayek.