If you’ve been learning about menswear you’ve most likely heard these words.

- Bespoke 

- Made To Measure 

- Off The Rack

But what do they mean?

What’s the difference?

And most importantly why should you even care?

In this article and video (below) I help you understand the main differences between these types of menswear and why knowing these details is important to your pocketbook.

First – understand this.  One type of build is not necessarily better than any other – each has its place.

Depending on your individual need you may be better served by any one of the three.  

The amount of money you spend does not guarantee better fitting or higher quality clothing.

Instead, the difference in terminology is about control.

It’s about an art form vs. factory efficiency.  It’s about something being hand-made and 100% unique vs  another piece of clothing being uniform, mass produced, and economically affordable for even the poorest student.

So Why Is This Important?

It’s all about the money really.

It’s about what we are conditioned to pay for, and what we value and define to be quality clothing.

It signifies prestige and enables the art of bespoke to charge a premium which makes it sustainable and forces the ready to wear industry to keep its costs down and efficiency up as in that realm price is the driver of purchase decision.

In the video I use the example of USDA Beef Quality Grades - as a Texan I felt this was an easy to understand example because we purchase food more often that we purchase clothing (at least I do).

The Gray Area Between Clothing Definitions 

Technological change has made the distinction between Made to Measure and Bespoke more subtle.  Within this confusion has emerged a battle for profitable relationships.

Initially all clothing was handmade – wealthy men had their clothing made by tailors and the rest of us made it within the family unit.  The industrial revolution changed this and made mass manufactured clothing affordable, but the distinction between the two was clear cut as professional handmade clothing was superior in cut, fabric quality, and fit.

Made to measure however has evolved over the last few decades from a simple offshoot of ready-to-wear to being almost indistinguishable from the custom hand-made process – at least in the eyes of the consumer.  Fittings are increasingly required for both bespoke and made-to-measure; a bespoke service may require an individually-cut pattern, which is then kept should further suits be required, and now made-to-measure measurements are often stored on a computer. Even hand-work is now increasingly found in made-to-measure garments – this used to only be found in custom bespoke.  And cash or skill strapped bespoke makers are now starting to utilize machines in the process.

Basically – the two worlds are getting closer.  Bespoke still commands a premium, while made to measure is closer to off the rack prices.  Yet if the difference is hazy, you can bet that the merchants will look to find a way to make a higher profit.  And that’s where the fighting has started.

Word Protection – Bespoke clearly defined by law?

The precedent was set by the French – the word “haute couture” is protected by law in France and any one using this term must abide by a set of rules.

Vested parties in the UK have pushed to have similar protections for the word “bespoke”, however the British Advertising Standards Authority has ruled it is a fair practice to use the term bespoke for products which do not fully incorporate traditional construction methods.

But the fight won’t end here – as long as there is money involved and one well heeled manufacturer is threatened there will be a push for protection.

Quick Menswear Definitions – The 3 Classifications

1. Off The Rack or Ready To Wear

The vast majority of clothing made and worn in the world fits within this category. Ready to wear clothing is factory made in finished condition and standardized sizes, and has a wide range in quality standards depending on manufacturer.  Of the three types ready to wear has the least control.

2. Made To Measure

Menswear produced to order from an adjusted block pattern.  Usually a paper pattern is not built, rather pieces that match those needed are collected and assembled. It is differentiated from bespoke in that Men who choose to buy made to measure have some, but not all control over the process. The degree of control varies considerably – expect more control to cost more.  However it is very possible to get a perfect fit – the same as in bespoke, from a made to measure garment.

3. Bespoke

The word bespoke itself is derived from the verb to bespeak or to “speak for something”.  Specifically it means “to give an order for it to be made”. It is a term analogous to women’s haute couture, and enjoys widespread use in UK and Europe while being rare in the United States.

Bespoke clothing offers a man full control. Bespoke standards particularly stress:
1) hand work used almost entirely on all garments
2) the individual cut of a paper pattern
3) personal service such as qualified advice
4) a large selection of fabrics
5)keeping of all records for future orders
6) involvement in approved training that ensure standards are adhered to.

This post originally appeared at Real Men Real Style.

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Skulduggery amid the gently rolling vineyards of Tuscany has sent at least £10 million worth of one of Italy’s most celebrated red wines gurgling down the drain.

Saboteurs broke into the cellars of the Case Basse winery in the middle of the night, turned on the taps of the giant wooden casks in which the wine was maturing and allowed 60,000 litres of prized Brunello di Montalcino to pour onto the ground.

The huge lake of wine represented 80,000 bottles, each of which can sell for 170 euros or more – a total value of more than 13 million euros.

The nocturnal raiders did no other damage to the estate’s “cantina”, nor did they steal anything, deepening the mystery and suggesting that it was less a random episode of vandalism and more a deliberate act of spite.

The raid wiped out the last six vintages of the 6.5 hectare vineyard in the hills of southern Tuscany.

Gianfranco Soldera, who worked as an insurance broker in Milan before buying the estate in 1972, said he had no idea who might have been behind the raid on Monday night.

His family described it as “a mafia-style attack”.

“We cannot come to terms with what happened,” Mauro Soldera, his son, told Corriere della Sera newspaper.

“We’ve never been involved in controversy and we’ve never received threats. We’ve suffered a serious blow, not just in economic terms, but we will not give up. The estate will survive, we have the strength and the courage not to quit.”

Case Basse is a small but highly acclaimed producer of Brunello di Montalcino, making around 15,000 bottles a year, which sell for up to 170 euros a bottle.

The wine has to be matured in barrels for at least four years before it can be sold under the Brunello di Montalcino name, so the vineyard will have nothing to sell until 2016 at the earliest.

The sabotage is being investigated by Carabinieri police from nearby Montalcino, a town popular with British summer tourists which is dominated by a 14th century fortress.

Fabrizio Bindocci, the president of the Brunello di Montalcino Consortium, said the sabotage would shock all 250 producers of the esteemed red in Tuscany.

Donatella Cinelli Colombini, the vice-president of the consortium, said: “I cannot think of a similar incident in this region in living memory. It is a dismaying affair.”

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The holiday season tends to be a time for nostalgia and reflection, but as the calendar turns from 2012 to 2013, we will undoubtedly begin looking to the future, making resolutions, basking in the potential that comes with new beginnings, and wondering what the New Year has in store.

But why wait? Foresight is important in finance, so let’s make some predictions for what will affect your wallet most significantly in 2013.

Armed with an ability to see into the future, most consumers, analysts and even politicians would all be interested in many of the same things: Will we fall off the “fiscal cliff,” what will become of our European brethren, and will the U.S. economy continue its slow rebound or finally burst to life? While the rapidly approaching economic precipice has garnered top billing lately, all of those issues loom large and, in combination, are what our finances hinge on in the coming year. Though countless variables remain undefined, we can nevertheless make the following educated guesses for the state of credit:

1. The “fiscal cliff” will have minimal lasting impact on consumers:There will undoubtedly be a lot of hysteria, cable news discussion, and political posturing related to the “fiscal cliff,” but we can expect either an eleventh-hour deal to be struck or an agreement to be reached soon thereafter, retroactively preventing catastrophe. No one wants to see what’s at the bottom of that cliff, after all, so even if Washington can’t come up with a lasting bipartisan solution, disaster will at least be delayed. As a result, initial market fluctuation borne from uncertainty will make way to normalcy and the economic recovery will continue unencumbered.
2. Mobile wallet technology won’t catch on: The rumblings related to mobile wallet technology being the future of personal finance have indeed grown louder over the years, but like a construction project, additional delays are inevitable. There are a number of reasons for this. First of all, the requisite infrastructure is not yet in place. Not only will retailers likely have to invest in new point-of-sale terminals, but more smartphones capable of supporting mobile payment technology are also needed, and it seems that the most exciting features are always delayed until the release of the next model. Part of the problem is the fact that smart phone providers have yet to effectively safeguard their devices against cybercriminals, according to the 2012 Georgia Tech Cyber Security Summit’s Emerging Cyber Threats Report.

   Secondly, the mobile wallet market is still far too fragmented. Just to mention a few, we have the Google Wallet, “V.me” from Visa, “Isis” from the big cell phone carriers, and the MCX program that has the backing of major retailers like CVS, 7-Eleven, Lowe’s, Shell and Darden Restaurants. It’s hard for any one manifestation of mobile payment technology to gain traction when there are so many different options competing for business. Finally, it’s frustrating enough to have your phone run out of battery without that also leaving you moneyless. While you may disagree with any of these individual factors preventing the widespread adoption of mobile payment technology, when you consider them together it’s clear that 2013 won’t become infamous among wallet manufacturers.

3. Overall credit availability will increase: As we all know, available credit withered during the Great Recession but has since bounced back. Consumers are expected to rack up $43.5 billion in credit card debt during 2012, nearly 483% more than in 2010, and that would not be possible if credit card issuers weren’t being more liberal with their underwriting. We can expect this trend to not only continue but build momentum in 2013, as the increasingly healthy portfolios of credit card companies, mortgage brokers, and other lenders will translate into more relaxed underwriting standards and more lines of credit being extended to more consumers. This is especially true given that the coming months will see a marked decline in unemployment. While joblessness is currently hovering around 8%, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York predicts that it could fall as low as 6% by mid-2013. The more people there are with steady income sources, the more qualified credit candidates there will be.
4. Credit card companies will continue offering lucrative sign-up offers: In 2011, we saw initial rewards bonuses skyrocket into the hundreds up dollars and 0% introductory rates last as long as 24 months. The trend continued in 2012 (though the length of 0% terms declined slightly), and there is no reason to expect that the same won’t happen in 2013 as well. The reason: Even though credit availability will increase, the Great Recession taught banks how important it is to have a low-risk customer base, and extra points, miles or cash back as well as 0% intro rates are a useful tool for garnering the business of consumers with the highest credit scores. The average initial rewards bonus will score you around $60 cash back or 9,500 points/miles, but you can get up to $400 cash back by opening the right card and meeting a certain initial spending requirement.
5. Secured credit cards will continue to become more popular: The CARD Act of 2009 capped first-year credit card fees at 25% of an account’s spending limit. Since such fees were the only way credit card companies could properly offset the risk posed by unproven consumers, unsecured credit cards for people with bad credit have largely disappeared. Secured credit cards are a safe alternative for all parties involved in that they require a security deposit that represents the cardholder’s credit line, protects issuers from losses, and makes high fees unnecessary. The fact that secured cards are essentially the only worthwhile show in town for people with bad credit naturally increased their popularity in 2012, but we can expect a bona fide secured card boom in 2013 as people become more familiar with them and issuers realize that the secured card market is a potential goldmine.

   What’s more, secured credit cards represent a natural solution to the problem of stay-at-home spouses being unable to independently build credit. This would be especially true if the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) decides to eliminate the redundant income verification requirement for this card segment. There are roughly 16 million stay-at-home spouses in the United States, according to Census data, and that’s an awful lot of potential secured card users.

6. There will be a prepaid card boom: The writing has been on the wall for a while now. Prepaid cards were the fastest growing form of electronic payment from 2006 to 2009, according to the Federal Reserve, and data from the Mercator Advisory Group shows that consumers have loaded 33-50% more money onto them each year since. There are now 7 million prepaid cards in circulation – double that in 2009 – and we can expect this number to explode in the near future.

   The Durbin Amendment made sure of this by capping the fees banks are allowed to charge merchants for debit card transactions, robbing them of $9.4 billion in annual revenue and prompting a search for more profitable alternatives. Prepaid cards are an obvious choice since they offer basically all of the same features and functionality as the combination of a checking account and debit card, aside from an actual physical checkbook. As a result, we’ve seen an infusion of funding and big-bank activity in the prepaid card space, highlighted by endorsement deals for the likes of Magic Johnson and Suze Orman as well as very attractive new offers fromChase and American Express. Not only will these household names attract their own followings, but if the initial forays prove successful (and we expect that they will), it’s only a matter of time before the rest of the banking industry’s big boys take the plunge. Ultimately, the Mercator Advisory Group’s projection that consumers will load $117 billion onto prepaid cards in 2013 might therefore prove to be low.

7. Transparency will increase throughout financial services: Transparency has long been a hot-button issue in personal finance, largely due to the fact that certain banks engaged in bait-and-switch pricing, assessed excessive fees, unfairly allocated payments, etc., prior to the CARD Act’s implementation in 2010. However, that law primarily addressed issues related to the credit card industry. Now, as the CFPB becomes more mature, it is expanding its focus to other segments of the personal finance world. It recently began monitoring credit bureaus as well as debt collectors, and we expect prepaid cards and checking accounts to be next. The ultimate effect will be an altogether more consumer-friendly personal finance landscape in 2013, marked by fewer hidden pitfalls and predatory practices.
8. Check cashing stores will continue to trend toward extinction: For a long time a check cashing store was one of the few places that unbanked consumers could go to collect their payday. That was unfortunate because such businesses tend to charge excessive fees, thereby robbing a traditionally low-income consumer segment of limited spending power. The seeds of the industry’s downfall have perhaps been sewn, however, given the availability of low-cost prepaid cards that enable consumers to load checks directly into their accounts using certain ATMs or mobile banking applications. Not only do we expect such cards to become more prevalent as the prepaid card market grows, but costs should also fall as more companies enter the prepaid card space and thereby increase competition. More and more unbanked consumers will therefore become aware of this obviously superior alternative to check cashing stores, and we can expect the industry to continue bleeding customers in 2013, resulting in a number of store closings.

(Bonus) The Prediction We Wish We Could Make: In a perfect world, the first prediction on our list would be that “Insurance will be regulated at the federal level beginning in 2013.” Why would that be a positive development? Well, it would lower overhead costs and in turn the barriers to entry for small companies, thereby creating more competition and lowering costs for consumers. The insurance industry would also become more efficient by necessity, since large companies would no longer be essentially guaranteed of a certain amount of business. Finally, an industry regulated at the national level would obviously attract more attention from both the media and consumer advocacy groups, which would reduce predatory practices throughout the space.

Why won’t it happen? The answer is simple: Lobbyists. The insurance lobby is far too strong to allow such a fundamental change to occur because there is too much money at stake for the companies currently dominating the industry. There’s also a significant divide among those who think federal regulation would be beneficial and those opposed to bigger government who feel that states are better positioned to oversee insurance, among other matters.

Finally, if you have any doubts about our predictions for 2013, you might want to check out how we did last year. Comments will let us know. You can also share your thoughts on this year’s predictions and even offer some of your own in the comments section below.

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Chinese netizens are outraged over an incident in Xinjiang that allegedly showed preferential government treatment of ethnic minorities.

The incident involved a fight between a villager and ethnic Uyghurs over the extremely high price they were charging for a nut cake.

Local police intervened aggressively in favor of the Uyghurs, as announced on the official Weibo account of Yueyan police (translated by Off Beat China):

“#Police Alert# Villager Ling went into a fight with Uyghurs due to communication misunderstandings when buying a piece of Xinjiang nut cake. Verbal dispute escalated into a fight and then a mass fight. As a result, two people were injured; and Xinjian nut cakes of a total worth of about RMB 160,000 were destroyed. Total damage was about RMB 200,000, including fees for broken motorcycle and injured people. Currently, local police at Pingjiang already detained Ling. The 16 Uyghur sellers were properly compensated and sent back to Xinjiang.”

The Uyghur men involved were apparently refunded RMB 160,000 for their damaged cakes — around $25,000. To put that in context, the average annual salary in Xinjiang in 2011 was apparently $703.

That's an expensive cake, and the customer, Ling, had apparently been shocked by the price of the cake, prompting the fight. After hearing of the story, many Weibo users were somewhat surprised at the high price of the cake too. One Weibo celebrity wrote:

“A piece of Xinjiang nut cake about 1.6 square meters in size cost RMB 160,000, which means about RMB 100,000 per square meter. Every 1 square meter of Xinjiang nut cake can buy about 3 square meters of apartment in Beijing.”

By yesterday afternoon a topic related to Xinjiang nut cakes was the second highest trending topics on Weibo, and state newspaper People's Daily picked up the story.

The story reveals much about China's ethnic policies.The Uyghur are the largest minority in Xinjiang, an autonomous province in Northwest China, and are largely Sunni Muslim. The community has been linked to unrest, riots and even terrorism in the country — earlier this year two Uyghur men were beaten to death on board a flight after they apparently tried to hijack the plane (though that version of events have been questioned).

Many of the responses on Weibo focused on the Uyghur street vendors used high prices and vicious tactics to con ethnic Han Chinese customers out of money. One response, translated by Tea Leaf Nation, was typical:

“I’ve seen this happen in Pudong [Shanghai's business district]. A man said he wanted 10 RMB worth of cake, the Xinjiang vendor gave him a big piece, weighed it and said it would be 110 RMB. He couldn’t refuse because other cake vendors also came over to threaten him. He called the police, but the police also told him to pay up. Everyone knows why they dare to do things like this.”

While the Uyghurs are often the subject of sympathy from overseas organizations, many in China feel that they are given preferential treatment by the government. For some the nut cake incident confirmed the worst fears.

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This is the Grill Alert Talking Remote Meat Thermometer from Brookstone.

Why We Love It: Grilling is great, but its even better when you get to enjoy the party before dinner is done, too. The Meat Thermometer lets you select your meat type, choose how you'd like it cooked (rare, medium rare, medium, or well done), and then close the grill and walk away.

The thermometer will let you know when to come back to your meat, and the clip-on pack will literally tell you when your entree is "Almost Ready" and "Ready." It works up to 300 feet away, and can be used for either indoor or outdoor use.

Where To Buy: Available through Brookstone's website.

Cost: $69.99.

Want to nominate a cool product for Stuff We Love? Send an email to Megan Willett at mwillett@businessinsider.com with "Stuff We Love" in the subject line.

SEE ALSO:  Dual-Mount Shot Tender Liquor Dispenser

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Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have come a long way since their tween clothing line for Walmart.

The 26-year-old former TV star twins and current heads of a billion dollar empire, have just unveiled their latest accessories collection co-designed by contemporary artist, Damien Hirst.

The threesome have created a black patent leather Nile crocodile backpack by under the Olsen's The Row label, covered in Hirst's signature prescription pills.

The backpacks are retailing for a whopping $55,000 on the retail site JustOneEye.com as of December 12.

Only 12 backpacks will be made and Hirst will determine how much of the proceeds from sales will be donated to UNICEF.

Other, more subtle designs have small gold or multicolored dots, large gold or multicolored dots, and black and grey pills. 

"Each bag is crafted in Italy and includes features like an internal detachable handle, adjustable canvas straps, internal zip-fastening, slit pockets, small gold-plated brass feet at base, a metal mirror plate and case, and designer-stamped gold-plated brass hardware signed by Hirst," reports TIME.

But this isn't the first time an Olsen-designed bag has been shock-inducing.

In June, PETA slammed the twins for using real animal pelts for a $16,900 fuzzy backpack from their line, The Row and last October, the designers faced criticism for selling $39,000 crocodile backpacks, that ironically flew off shelves.

Hirst famously set an auction record for the most expensive work of art by a living artist in 2007, when his piece Lullaby Spring, a steel cabinet with 6,136 pills, sold for $19.2 million to the Emir of Qatar. 

Check out the current controversial bag below:

Now watch the Hirst/Olsen-designed bags in action:

Related:

• In 10 years we'll all agree that Damien Hirst is a joke >
• Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen have moved on to bigger and better things >
• PETA slams Olsen twins over $16,900 furry backpack >

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In CNBC's latest episode of "Secret Lives Of The Super Rich: Mega Homes," which aired last night, three Chinese buyers fought over one $4 million New York City apartment.

CNBC reporter Robert Frank gave the perfect analogy for what foreign buyers are actually doing with real estate. He said:

The reason it's raining money on Manhattan real estate right now is because of the foreign super rich. They are trying to stuff as much money as possible from overseas here. These aren't apartments they are buying; they are safe deposit boxes with views.

Because of changing laws and economic turbulence overseas, the foreigner buyers see New York City real estate as a solid investment. Glitzy new buildings like the still-under-construction One57 building in Midtown are especially popular with foreigners.

All three of the buyers on CNBC's special were trying to snatch up the apartment for their college-aged students, so that besides a safe deposit box, it would also serve as a "luxury dorm in the sky."

SEE ALSO: Check Out The $15 Billion Hudson Yards Complex That Breaks Ground In NYC Today

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Apparently, money can't buy happiness, and if you are using a credit card, that's not the only thing your money won't be able to buy.

Despite the belief credit cards can take you 'everywhere you want to be' — as the old Visa slogan went — the reality is there some places where your plastic won't be gladly accepted.

Here are ten items for which you might need to pocket the card and pull out the cash or checkbook.

1. Lottery tickets

If you dream of winning millions through your state's lottery program, you'll probably have to have some cash ready when you reach the register.

Most states prohibit the use of the credit cards for lottery purchases.

Even in the handful of states that accept credit cards, your card issuer may put the kibosh on lottery sales.

For example, even though Massachusetts allows credit card sales, American Express won't authorize payments for the state's Season Ticket program.

2. Gaming chips and slot machines

Like lottery tickets, many states and card issuers have made it difficult to use credit cards for casino gaming.

Many casinos are dedicated to responsible gaming practices that work to prevent behaviors that will fuel compulsive gambling.

Therefore, credit cards are off-limits for some forms of gaming while issuers may tack on additional fees for other usages.

For example, Nevada law prohibits the transfer of money directly from a credit card to many games or gaming devices such as slot machines.

Even when credit cards can be used, issuers often treat gaming purchases as a cash-equivalent purchase which can mean interest rates of up to 30 percent on your gambling habit.

3. Cars

If your limit is high enough, your credit card company would probably be thrilled to have you pay for your next vehicle with plastic.

Your dealer may not be quite so enthusiastic.

Since merchants pay a fee — typically between 1.5 and 3 percent of the purchase price — every time they process a transaction, some dealers just say no to credit card purchases.

In addition, private sellers are often not equipped to accept credit cards.

Of course, you could get a cash advance, but then you are the one stuck paying an extra fee of up to 5 percent, and you most likely get hit with an exorbitant interest rate to boot.

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Yesterday's announcement of a Royal pregnancy from Kate Middleton has led to a flurry of speculation about the Royal baby.

Perhaps the most interesting speculation so far has revolved around Middleton being admitted to hospital for deep stomach pains. A report from the Telegraph theorized this could be a sign of twins:

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Imagine spending a night in a luxury hotel, nestled under silky high-thread count linens while looking out your window and enjoying the views as sharks, dolphins and schools of colorful fish swim by.

It's not a Sci-Fi fantasy or a Jules Verne novel. It's a real hotel that you'll be able to visit in just a few short years.

Located 40 feet under the sea in a lagoon off the coast of Fiji, the Poseidon Undersea Resort will be "the world's first seafloor resort," according to the hotel website.

The resort will have 25 suites, a spa, restaurant, bar, gym, dive shop, and even a conference room that doubles as a wedding chapel.

The resort was conceived and developed by L. Bruce Jones, the president of U.S. Submarines, Inc. To build the Poseidon, Jones will employ the same technology used to build tourist submarines, which are "statistically the world's safest form of transportation," according to the website.

Each suite will be a module with plexiglass windows that can be detached for maintenance and safety.

A one-week stay at Poseidon will cost $30,000 per couple. The resort claims that it will take two years to build once they have raised enough funds, according to the Daily Mail.

Poseidon has released a cool preview video showing renderings of the resort. Here's what the Poseidon Undersea Resort will look like.

The Poseidon Undersea Resort will be located in a lagoon off of Katafinga Island, a private island in Fiji.

The resort will be located on the seafloor, 40 feet under water. Guests can access the hotel either by diving or by an elevator on the pier.

The resort will have 25 suites, each with large open windows offering great views of the marine life outside.

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The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show airs tonight at 10 p.m. on CBS.

This year's event, which had a circus theme, was one of the most elaborate ever. We were there when they taped the show last month and have exclusive images 

The show started with a full-on circus, complete with acrobats, a sword-swallower and a man on stilts. Justin Bieber, Rihanna and Bruno Mars performed.

Despite the huge production, the focus was on the 40 gorgeous models who walked the runway.

Adriana Lima sizzled in red, while Alessandra Ambrosio looked amazing just months after giving birth.

Other favorites like Erin Heatherton, Doutzen Kroes and Karlie Kloss also walked.

Victoria's Secret's Fashion Show program for 2012.

At the Armory on Lexington between 26th St. and 24th St. a Nor'easter struck Manhattan earlier on the day of show time. But that didn't stop people from showing up.

Security was tight.

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Each year, the world's newest skyscrapers are pitted against each other for the Emporis Skyscraper Award. Chosen for its aesthetic and functional design by the team of editors from the construction project database, the winner of this year's renowned prize was none other than 8 Spruce Street in New York City.

Also known as New York by Gehry and The Beekman, 8 Spruce Street was designed by Frank Gehry and completed in 2011. It is the first skyscraper by the renowned architect, and won over the Emporis jury with its undulating stainless steel exterior.

"8 Spruce Street stands out even in Manhattan's already remarkable skyline," the Emporis jury said of its choice, culled from 220 skyscrapers completed in 2011. "It is a major new architectural landmark for New York."

It is not the only of Manhattan's famous buildings to win the award — the Hearst Tower won in 2006 as well as the Sofitel New York Hotel back in 2000.

Though it was only completed a year ago, Gehry's building has already become a part of the New York skyline.

It's located on Spruce Street in the Financial District close to the Brooklyn Bridge.

The building stands 870 feet above the streets of Manhattan, higher than many helicopters fly in the city.

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The prestigious Art Basel Miami Beach show starts on Friday, and supercar maker Bugatti will be on the scene with what it calls the "fastest artwork ever."

To take an already beautiful Veyron Grand Sport and give it some credit as a piece of art, Bugatti teamed up with Bernar Venet, a French conceptual artist whose work makes clear his love for math and science.

The result is a nerdy, beautiful Bugatti.

The Veyron Grand Sport Venet's base coat of paint is black.

Venet carefully added orange, creating what Bugatti calls a "painterly exterior."

It's covered in mathematical equations.

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With indoor space at a premium, New Yorkers love spending time outdoors at rooftops and gardens—and the winter is no exception.

The editors at Zagat have rounded up a list of the 8 best rooftops and gardens for winter in New York City.

From quaint covered gardens in the West Village to glass-enclosed rooftops in Midtown, restaurants and bars around the city have converted their outdoor spaces into cozy winter havens.

Center Bar

10 Columbus Circle

So what if it's not technically on a rooftop? This new bar in the Time Warner Center offers great views over the treetops of Central Park, so it feels like you're up high.

Nibble on some Mediterranean-inspired small plates while looking out at the bustling scene below.

Celsius

Bryant Park

This is the second year that Celsius has popped up at Bryant Park during the holiday season. Grab a seat on the second floor bar, order a hot beverage, and watch the ice skaters and shoppers below.

Gaonnuri

1250 Broadway

Located on the top floor of a Herald Square office building, Gaonnuri has great views of the Manhattan skyline. Enjoy those views while dining on high-end Korean fare and a strong martini.

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Johnny Depp is rumored to have bought a lavish 20,000-square-foot mansion in Nashville for $17.5 million, according to The Real Estalker, a celebrity real estate gossip blog.

This tidbit comes from one of The Real Estalker's anonymous sources. There are no property records or contracts to show it's a done deal.

But the house was so wild that we couldn't resist taking a peek inside.

It has four bedrooms, nine bathrooms, and sits on nearly 48 acres of land.

Depp bought another mansion earlier this year in Hollywood for his ex, Vanessa Paradis. That beauty cost him $4.4 million.

Welcome to Franklin, Tenn.

The house was built in 2001.

The current owners are asking $919 per square foot.

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Bob Vila, known for his home improvement television shows, has bought yet another property in New York City, according to The New York Observer.

Vila and his wife reportedly purchased a three-bedroom co-op at 115 East 67th Street for $2.46 million. It was listed for $2.65 million by Brown Harris Stevens.

The couple purchased the home from the estate of the late JPMorgan banker Richard Flender and his wife, Norma.

The Observer speculates that Vila may never even move in. The home improvement guru has a track record of buying homes and flipping them, including a townhouse on the West side and a TriBeCa condo.

SEE ALSO: An Interior Designer Takes Us Inside The Gorgeous Brooklyn Carriage House She Lovingly Overhauled

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This beautiful Italian Renaissance-style mansion on San Francisco's Billionaire's Row is finally, finally in contract, according to Curbed.

The home, which offers incredible views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the entire bay from almost every room, has been on market since 2006. It was first listed for $55 million.

There's no word yet on how much the home sold for or who bought it, but the house was priced chopped four times and was last listed for $34 million, according to Curbed.

It has eight bedrooms and 7.5 bathrooms, as well as a library, music room, winding driveway and clay tennis court.

The house is just down the block from one of Larry Ellison's abodes.

Welcome to 2901 Broadway.

The home was the most expensive property currently for sale in San Francisco, according to Curbed.

Source: Curbed

The house was victim to graffiti last year, but we're sure that it is all cleaned up by now.

Source: Curbed

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Editor's note — Whether they’re looking to sell their mansion-in-the-sky or buy a multimillion dollar mega-home, over and over again, the super rich turn to one woman to get the job done.

She’s been called “The Queen of Real Estate” and even “Jaws,” but the wealthiest people on Earth just call her Dolly. She’s earned their trust and with it she’s moved more than $8 billion in high-end real estate. Here are some of her tips:

1. Focus On the Relationship, Not the Transaction

Brokers are instinctively transactional in their thinking. This stems from the fact that if there is no deal they don’t get paid. Not surprisingly this leads them to focus on how they can bring about a meeting of the minds between buyer and seller. This approach may be good in closing a particular deal, but it is not always conducive to serving your client. I have always strived to achieve long term relationships, where appropriate, with my clients by representing them to a very high standard. I make it my business to represent their interests even if this means advising them to back out of a potential deal if the terms are unfavorable to them.

No one deal is worth losing the confidence and respect of a client. I live that.

2. Don’t Avoid Confrontation. It’s Part of the Job

Dennis Kozlowski, the former CEO of Tyco nicknamed me “Jaws.” When I was asked by Bill Griffeth, the CNBC anchor, whether I liked that name and I responded, “I don’t know if I like it, but sometimes it’s necessary.”

It is amazing to me how many people in all walks of life, but especially in my business, are so uncomfortable with confrontation that they avoid it like the plague. Look, who doesn’t want to be liked? I know I do, but you can’t let that interfere with your responsibility to represent your client to the fullest extent possible. Real estate transactions are confrontational by nature because you generally have a buyer and seller with diametrically opposed interests. Because of that, negotiations sometimes get heated, and you better be prepared to hold your own. Your client is watching and evaluating your performance and couldn’t care less about your comfort zone. Get the job done, no excuses, and you will have a client for life. If you want to make it in the high-end pressure cooker that is New York real estate, that’s what it takes.

3. 'The Customer Is Always Right' Myth

The clients I deal with are extremely intelligent and savvy, and they negotiate mega-deals for a living. Many of them are household names, and they know what they want and how they want it. But one of the main reasons they seek me out is I have something they don’t have, and that’s specific information. And it is my job to listen to their preconceived ideas and give them the good, the bad and the ugly of what they are telling me. I don’t tell them what I think they want to hear, I tell them what they need to hear. Then they make their own decisions and I help them bring it about. Only a fully informed customer is always right, and if I believe a client is making a mistake I will tell him so. It is all part of gaining trust and respect, which are fundamental tenets of a fruitful business relationship.

4. 'The Property Sells Itself' Myth

If the property sells itself, then what do they need to pay you 6 percent of the purchase price for? To open a door? They can get a robot to do that and for a lot less than 6 percent. The homes of the mega-wealthy are unique, one-of-a-kind properties that have unique features that are highly valued. These sellers don’t just want you to sell their property; they want you to achieve the highest possible sales price in the market you’re selling into. They want your guidance as to what that number is, and believe me they will hold you to that number. Achieving that number is the added value that a savvy broker can provide, and that is why they are paying you a commission. Otherwise they can give the listing to cousin Ricky, who got a real estate license last week.

5. The Rich and Powerful Work in Real Time — You Better, Too

Many of the wealthy clients I deal with are no nonsense, "give it to me straight and give it to me now" kind of people. They didn’t get to where they are by having lots of patience, and they expect you to respond to them in real time. That’s how they work, and they expect you to act accordingly. Lucky for me that is exactly how I work and always have. In an active market, I will typically get hundreds of client emails per day, and I will respond to each and every one within a matter of minutes. New clients are initially surprised by such fast responses, but I don’t know any other way of working. I guess it is partly due to the fact that over 50 percent of my clients are based in Asia and it is my way of dealing with the time difference. Yes, I sleep with my BlackBerry. Does this impact my private life? It sure does, but that’s what my clients expect, and that’s one of the reasons they keep coming back and referring their friends.

6. How I Learned to Love Co-Op Boards

I don’t know why co-op boards get such a bad rap by the public. Having been elected as treasurer to my first Park Avenue Co-Op Board when I was 20, and remembering my experiences with great fondness, I admit that I am a bit biased. Still, the general level of vitriol is not commensurate with reality as I see it. Maybe it has to do with the notion that a co-op is a form of housing, and the power that co-op boards have to reject potential buyers is inconsistent with a nation that prides itself on the idea of equal housing for all. But this view highlights a misconception in the public’s mind that views high-end co-ops as just another form of housing. Luxury co-ops are not housing; they are a club. By entering into a contract to purchase a unit in a co-op and filling out what is admittedly an extensive and some would say intrusive application, you are requesting admission to an exclusive club of residents whose board is in fact an admittance committee whose function is to be particularly discerning. By this standard, whether you are financially capable of purchasing the apartment is not the main focus, since most applicants are financially sound. The real question is whether the applicant will “fit in” harmoniously with the rest of the resident club members, an admittedly less objective evaluation.

When viewed from this perspective, co-op boards should hardly be criticized for conducting the thankless duties they were created to perform.

Dolly Lenz is the vice chairman of Prudential Douglas Elliman.

SEE ALSO: Some Real Estate Agents Will Go To Crazy Extremes To Sell A House

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Bugatti makes only a handful of cars every year, so it is especially painful to see a ride like the Veyron Grand Sport destroyed in a crash.

This photo of the Veyron, which likely cost more than $2 million, was taken in a Bugatti dealership in France and posted to WreckedExotics.com last week. The user had no details of how the accident occurred.

Have you spotted a rare or unusual way of getting around in your travels? Did you take a photo? Do you like sharing? Let me know via e-mail:adavies@businessinsider.com or on Twitter: @adavies47.

SEE ALSO: The Newest Bugatti Veyron Is A Gorgeous Piece Of Nerdy, High-Speed Art

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New York City resident Calvin Seibert's geometric sandcastles have exploded onto the internet, thanks to a Reddit post.

Soon after, his pictures began popping up at The Huffington Post, The Daily Mail, and The Smithsonian Magazine online, among many others. Since then, Seibert says he has had over 160,000 page views in the past week alone on his Flickr album.

The sandcastle aficionado is an artist's assistant interested in architecture, who only recently began taking pictures of his Jones Beach creations and posting them online. He says his influences include buildings by Aldo Rossi, Gottfried Bohm, and of course Frank Gehry.

"Seeing them all together has made me want to expand the variety of shapes and styles," Seibert told Business Insider in an email. "The dream of course is to take a whole summer off and spend every day at the beach."

Siebert takes a train and then a bus to Jones Beach, which only leaves him 10 hours to build his sandcastles.

For tools, he keeps it simple with only a small 50-cent plastic putty knife and a 5-gallon bucket for the initial pile.

Sometimes his sandcastles survive and he's able to elaborate on his original design. That was the case with this sandcastle, which Siebert grew into a mini town.

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