Millionaire Fair in Moscow strikes visitors' imagination with luxury

The most expensive exhibit at the fair was an exclusive helicopter for $1.5 million

Millionaire Fair, which opened in Moscow on Saturday, will close on Wednesday today. Thousands of so-called “new Russians” inundated numerous stands selling all kinds of luxurious goods that wealthy people need in their everyday lives: gold-plated coffee pots, marble angels, jewel-encrusted pens, Lamborghinis, yachts and helicopters. There was even a live tiger on a lead near the stand filled with gold suitcases.

”Russia has become one of the best markets for us, which is a lot more stable than the US market, - Christina Bluethner, the heiress of the renowned German piano-maker said. – We have sold over 30 pianos in Russia since 2003 for $95,000 each.”

”Moscow is like paradise to me. Moscow and Shanghai – these are the only two cities in the world where one can amass huge fortunes,” interior designer Alexander Vasiliev said. The man acknowledged that he was making a lot more money in Moscow than in Paris.

According to the recent research conducted by Cap Gemini and Merrill Lynch, there are 88,000 dollar-millionaires living in present-day Russia. On the other hand, the average monthly salary in Russia does not exceed $200. Wealthy Russians are especially conspicuous in Moscow where they acquire luxurious goods apparently trying to catch up with the time that they lost during the Soviet era. The number of millionaires living in Russia pales in comparison with the USA, which counts 2.5 millionaires, Germany with 760,000 and Great Britain with 418,000 millionaires. Russia, however, ranks second after the USA on the number of billionaires.

The Millionaire Fair was held for the first time in Amsterdam three years ago. It has won the reputation of one of the most respectable exhibitions devoted to the world of luxury. Organizers of the fair consider Russia to be a very perspective market for luxurious goods and therefore chose Moscow as a hosting city of the show in 2005. Over 200 prestigious companies and brands took place at the Millionaire Fair in Moscow, including Bvlgari, Bentley, BMW, Cartier, Fairline, Jaguar, Remy Martin, Mercedes, Mont Blanc, Porsche, Riva, Rolex, Sony, Starline, Wolford and many others.

The organizers provided beautiful girls to serve strawberries on large platters, artists on stilts to scatter rose petals on visitors' heads, ladies with high coiffures to walk Dalmatians and millionaire-looking gentlemen to wear derbies and lace-up shoes.

The most expensive exhibit at the fair was an exclusive helicopter for $1.5 million. There are only three of such helicopters in Russia now.

There was a strict dress code for visitors to enter the Millionaire Fair: men were supposed to wear tuxedos, whereas women had to be dressed up in beautiful evening dresses. Some visitors did not feel well because of what they could see at the show: one of the female visitors was hospitalized with “luxury shock.” Another visitor, however, purchased an island during the weekend. Next year the Millionaire Fair will take place in Shanghai, Newsru wrote.