The Really Rich List

Photo: Davies + Starr

Bed Linens
A set of Léron sheets takes a year to make in Italy—they’re 800-thread count, but the cost is driven by embroidery or Fuselli lace (shown here) woven tight as hair around a pinhead.











Photo: Courtesy of Green-Wood Cemetery

Burial Site
By 2010, there’ll be no room left alongside the Tiffany founders at 167-year-old Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn. Top dollar buys space for a mausoleum.











Photo: Courtesy of Associated Aircraft Group, Inc.

Hamptons Commute
Associated Aircraft Group drives up to seven people to a 24-hour Chelsea helipad, where they board the latest Sikorsky for a 36-minute ride.












Parking Spot
Private garages are as scarce as gold dust in Tribeca and nearly as expensive. Only five loft buildings have them; this nondescript 153-square-foot spot is one of eighteen in the Dietz Lantern. A suburban-style remote-controlled door, video cameras, and concierges are thrown in.









White T-shirt
This handmade Marc Jacobs tee is cut on the bias, with a folded collar made from the same fine Italian jersey fabric as the rest of the shirt (most tees use prefab collars). The material may be luxe, but the look is faux scruff with unfinished, seamless edges.









Dog Collar and Leash
This Hermès crocodile-and-calfskin-leather leash-and-collar set is handcrafted in Paris and made to last—although if your dog chews through it, the store will charge for the repair. Naturally, there’s a Birkin to match.











Lingerie
Hand-painted flowers make every Jillian Sherry bra and thong unique—and time-consuming to produce. After five weeks, you get beautiful silk underwear fit mainly for taking off: There’s no underwire or padding.









Sneakers
The sneaker caste system is all about exclusivity. Fewer than 50 of these Shady Air Force Ones were produced for the Who’s Who of the music industry. A single “leaked” pair is enshrined at Nom de Guerre in a glass case.










Hot Dog
Old Homestead Steakhouse’s twelve-inch dog is made of Kobe-style chuck (the rear end of a Texan cow that’s been artificially inseminated by a Japanese bull) and served with Kobe-style beef chili, Vidalia onions, bell peppers, and melted Cheshire cheddar sauce—no additives or nitrates. The eleven-inch roll is made from an old-fashioned recipe by Tom Cat Bakery.









Glass of Wine
Twenty-three years ago, Robert Parker made his name when he declared Château Pichon Lalande ’82 one of the best vintages ever. After pouring, sommeliers vacuum-seal and refrigerate the $600 bottle. Cru has just 28 left, so the wealthy should drink now before it gets even pricier.









Eyeglasses
Handmade in southern Germany, Friedrich’s Optik’splatinum frames are heavy, durable, and styled for men leery of the architect look. Lenses are extra.












Onesie
Machine-made in France, this Bonpoint “bodysuit” has a hand-embroidered, 100 percent cotton collar. It’s tested on real babies several times for perfect fit, but the high cost is primarily derived from the Parisian label, which maintains cachet by staying out of American malls (it’s much more affordable in France).









Photo: Christopher Griffith

Powder Brush
Only 150 of these Botan brushes were made for the United States; ten found their way to Shu Uemura’s New York store. Just two a day are crafted from black Japanese goat hair by a septuagenarian in Osaka.









Don’t Hate Them Because They’re Rich
The Trickle-Down Effect of Ridiculous, Ostentatious Wealth.

The Really Rich List