The latest in up-yours yachts : Courtesy Phillipe Starck and Andrey Melnichenko

The very face of contemprary art buying power: Dakis Joannou

The people who buy today's best known contemporary art not only acquire major art but also earn an entry ticket to the exclusive circle of the artistically super-privileged around the world.
In so doing they are following in the footsteps of early mega collectors such as Eli Broad in California, the co-founder of the Kaufman +Broad property empire, Francois Pinault in France and Dakis Joannou, the scion of a big Greek Cypriot civil engineering group. These fortunates enjoy instant access to the contemporary art lifestyle .And as newly rich collectors they also enjoy outsize purchasing power.

Judith Benhamou-Huet tells it like it is in Vogues Hommes International Spring/Summer 2008