Fancy living in a Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs-themed neighbourhood? How about an opulent flat influenced by the luxury fashion house Versace? If that is not your thing, what about a luxury abode with a layout approved by tennis legend Rafael Nadal?
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Branded residential property – projects affiliated with well-known international marques and built in partnership with a developer – continue to be dominated by hotel brands, as homebuyers prefer to obtain the same amenities or services from those establishments in their place of residence.
Non-hotel branded residences, however, have also become major players in this segment of the property market, as their developers target buyers who identify with and have a strong connection to a particular name brand, according to Riyan Itani, founder and director of the UK-based consulting firm Global Branded Residences.
“So the attraction is – and this flows to almost all brands in the sector – that people are fanatic about brands,” Itani said.
“It’s like the ultimate collector’s piece,” he said. “If you’re a collector of Porsches or you’re a fanatic of Porsches, then having a Porsche-branded flat or villa would be the ultimate status symbol of your affiliation with that brand.”
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That brand affinity has spurred luxury fashion houses Versace, Fendi and Maison Margiela; carmakers Mercedes-Benz and Bentley; and even the Japanese dining marque Nobu – founded by celebrity chef and entrepreneur Nobuyuki Matsuhisa – to lend their prestige to residential projects.