WHERE the money is, the luxury brands go. A recent visit to Cebu’s latest star development, NUSTAR, seems to say that the money’s in Cebu. A walkthrough at NUSTAR’s mall (stylized The Mall | NUSTAR; which opened in 2023), part of the five-star integrated resort development by Robinsons Land Corp.
in Cebu was a recitation of some of the world’s most coveted brands, finding their first outposts outside Manila. The first level alone boasts of (in alphabetical order) Boss, Bulgari, Burberry, Celine, Dior, Ferragamo, Givenchy, Gucci, Kenzo, Lacoste, Loewe, Louis Vuitton. On the same floor, there’s Montblanc, Off-White, Saint Laurent, Tiffany & Co.
, Tory Burch, and Versace. Now Cebu’s rich and famous need not travel to Manila to get their luxury fix. Media guests were taken to some of the stores in the area on Sept.
25 and were treated to these brands’ Cebu-only privileges. For example: Louis Vuitton’s latest bag, the Neverfull Inside Out (a reversible version of its famous tote, but now the lining was made to be exposed; but one can have it in leather), was already there, just a few days after its September launch. Guests were taken to the Very Important Customer (VIC) dressing room, featuring some bags made of exotic leathers like ostrich, available to view only for those willing to pay the price.
Louis Vuitton also has a stamp for travel goods that’s only available in Cebu. Gucci’s store had bags with lime-green leather detailing — something found only in C.