Beijing: In China, big name brands serve one main purpose - they tell the world you're wealthy.
As designer labels become an increasingly common sight on streets there, analysts say that in decade, China will consume the biggest chunk of the global luxury market.
Charles Liu is one of the haves in a land of almost a billion have-nots. He made most of his $100 million through real estate and is unabashed about his wealth.
"When you have money, you want the best quality for your money,” he says.
Like a 16,000-square foot home designed by a French architect with domed roof to resemble the US Capitol Hill and seven purebred horses brought over from England.
It's a long way from 20 years ago, when most had little choice but to wear a Mao suit, the trademark uniform of the so called "worker's paradise".
More like "shoppers paradise" these days, for a small but growing middle and upper class.
Esther Yim and Li Ya - both professionals - spend almost $2,000 a month on designer clothes hand-bags and shoes.
Almost half their monthly salary and more than three times what China's farmers make, on average, each year.
In this newest of new economies, there is only new money wealth, not style is a fashion statement.
China's billion-dollar plus luxury spending spree is just getting started - within a decade, analysts believe China's growing middle and upper class will become the world's biggest consumers of luxury brands.
In the country’s 5,000-year-long history, this could well be remembered as the Bling dynasty.
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