Branded residences are on the rise, and represent gilded sanctuaries for the famous and good. We lift the lid on five of the world’s best-known residences – and the stars who live there.
Branded residences have become synonymous with ultra-luxury turn-key living. For those that can afford it, they represent a sure bet in refinement, quality, exclusivity and discreet confinement – not to mention they’re reassuringly expensive.
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There’ll be little wonder, then, why they become the preferred option for the world’s most recognised celebrities.
The branded residences sector: big names, on the rise
The branded residence sector has grown exponentially over the last decade, with Knight Frank forecasting more than 600 branded schemes worldwide by 2030. As the line between hospitality, lifestyle, and real estate continues to blur, expect even more high-wattage names to trade traditional estates for full-service homes in architect-designed towers.
And while discretion remains paramount, one thing is clear: for the modern celebrity, branded residences are no longer a trend – they are the new default. We’ve taken a spotlight to this burgeoning ultra-luxe market, and picked six of the names who’ve best become associated with the pinnacle in turn-key living…
Neymar Jr: Bugatti Residences by Binghatti
Dubai’s crowning jewel in branded luxury…
- Brand: Bugatti
- Opened: 2027 (expected)
- Location: 41 Central Park West, NYC, New York, U.S.
- Residences: 42 storey – 171 ‘Riviera Mansions’ and 11 Sky Mansion Penthouses
- Design: Binghatti Developers
Long before Bugatti Residences became the apex of branded living in Dubai, Neymar Jr. helped catapult the project into the global spotlight by purchasing one of its headline-grabbing Sky Mansion penthouses.
Set in the heart of Business Bay, the Binghatti-developed tower fuses hypercar design cues with hyper-luxury amenities – including private car lifts, indoor beach areas, and panoramic views of the Dubai skyline. Neymar’s acquisition – rumoured to be worth over AED 200m (USD $54.6m) – underscored a shift in celebrity real estate in the region. Now they’re considered more than investment-grade assets to experiential, lifestyle-driven homes with the cachet of a global brand.
The Bugatti-branded tower has since attracted other high-profile names, including Andrea Bocelli and Aymeric Laporte, further anchoring its position in Dubai’s constellation of ultra-prime residences, which include the Dorchester Collection, Armani, and the new Trump Tower.
Sir David & Victoria Beckham: One Thousand Museum, Miami, FL
Posh & Becks’ star player…
- Brand: Zaha Hadid
- Opened: 2019
- Location: 1,000 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, Florida, U.S.
- Residences: 62 floors – 84 residences, consisting of a two-story duplex penthouse, 4 townhouses, 10 full-floor residences, and 70 half-floor units.
- Design: Zaha Hadid Architects & Interior Design
Few names encapsulate the crossover between sport, style, design and culture quite like the Beckham name does. The former England and Manchester United footballing icon, and his former Spice Girl and fashion designer wife, Victoria, have invested in several high-end properties across the U.S., but his residence at One Thousand Museum in downtown Miami stands out among most.
In what can be considered another powerhouse crossover, the architectural icon was designed by the late Dame Zaha Hadid. The “Scorpion Tower,” as it’s also known, fuses parametric design with futuristic amenities including a private helipad, aquatic center, and museum-level finishes.
The Beckhams paid around $24m for a full-floor residence in the building, back in 2018 after Sir David launched MLS team, Miami CF.
Hallmarks of Hadid’s signature style can be found throughout, with each ultra-luxe condo boasting a custom Italian kitchen, replete with quartz countertops, Gaggenau appliances and SubZero fridges; bespoke interior decorations, doors and walk-in closets in each of its five bedrooms; and a spacious private terrace of their own.
Rhianna: The Century, Los Angeles, CA
All things refined, under one umbrealla…
- Brand: Related Companies
- Opened: 2010
- Location: 1 West Century Drive, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
- Residences: 42 storeys, 140 units including top-floor duplex penthouse
- Design: Robert A.M. Stern Architects, HKS Architects
While she may be better known for chart-topping hits and her Fenty empire, Rihanna’s real estate choices reflect a deep understanding of value, discretion, and luxury. She famously owned a unit in The Century, a towering development in Century City designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects – although if reports are to be believed, the superstar pop artist never moved into it!
The ‘Umbrella’ singer bought the 9,290 sq-ft 40th-floor residence in March 2023 for $21m, and relisted it for $24m a little over a year later in 2024. Her suite had four bedrooms, including a primary suite with a seating area and marble bathroom, and four expansive terraces totaling 1,900 sq ft of outdoor space, according to the listing James Harris and David Parnes of Carolwood Estates.
Apartments in the 42-story skyscraper have breathtaking views of the Los Angeles city skyline and Pacific Ocean, and are fitted with super-luxe amenities through spaces that include a great room with towering ceilings, a library with a fireplace, a lavish screening room, a chef’s kitchen and a family room.
The building is effectively a vertical gated community with Four Seasons-style services, including 24-hour doorman, concierge, in-residence dining, and a full wellness spa. Past and present residents include Candy Spelling and the late Matthew Perry.
Naomi Campbell: Bvlgari Hotel & Residences, London, UK
Knightsbridge prestige…
- Brand: Bvlgari
- Opened: 2012
- Location: 171 Knightsbridge, London SW7 1DW
- Residences: 10 storeys – 85 residences
- Design: Sir Robert McAlpine
Naomi Campbell has long been associated with the Bvlgari lifestyle, and her residence at the Bvlgari Hotel & Residences typifies her flair for refined luxury. Although details are scant on her apartment, her comings and goings from the Knightsbridge hotel – just moments from other London icons such as Harrods and Hyde Park – has become a premier destination for the global ultra-rich wanting to stay in five-star luxury on a semi-permanent basis.
Nestled in one of London’s most prestigious postcodes, the development, which opened in 2012, blends elite hotel services with ultra-private residences crafted by designer Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel. Sales of residences attached to the hotel were reported to have cost somewhere near £35m back at the turn of the 2010s, with those that seldom come onto the market still fetching a considerable premium
Residents benefit from use of the hotel’s private cinema, spa, and concierge – all while enjoying the privacy and autonomy of a private home. For fashion royalty like Campbell, this seamless blend of glamour and functionality, and a reflection of her long-time loyalty to the Roman fashion house – she has also been spotted at Bvlgari residences in Milan, New York and Dubai.
Coco Chanel: The Ritz Paris, France
One long night in Paris…
- Brand: Ritz-Carlton
- Opened: 1898
- Location: 15 Place Vendôme, 1st arrondissement, Paris, France
- Residences (hotel only): 142 rooms, split evenly between 71 standard rooms and 71 suites, including 15 prestige suites named after iconic figures like Coco Chanel and Charlie Chaplin
- Design: Jules Hardouin-Mansart (1705), Charles Mewès (1897-98), Bernard Gaucherel (1980-87)
Long before branded residences became a commodity buzzword in real estate, Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel made the concept aspirational. She lived at The Ritz Paris for over 34 years in a private suite overlooking Place Vendôme. Her residence – now part of the modern Ritz Residences Paris – was more than a pied-à-terre; it was a permanent sanctuary embedded in the soul of the city.
The Ritz now offers select private homes with access to the hotel’s legendary services, through its Ritz-Carlton brand, with residence prices varying on a continent-to-content basis. For example, in The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Boston, South Station Tower, apartments range from a $2m starting price, all the way to $14m.
Today, Coco Chanel’s former Parisian home has been turned into a $32,000-a-night suite of the eponymous name, continuing Chanel’s iconic association with branded luxury before the concept really existed.
Madonna: 41 Central Park West, NYC, NY
A Manhattan masterpiece…
- Brand: None
- Opened: 1911
- Location: 41 Central Park West, NYC, New York, U.S.
- Residences: 76 apartments
- Design: Henry W. Wilkinson
Though Madonna is famously private about her real estate, her long-standing residence in Harperly Hall, at 41 Central Park West conjures the air of five-star hotel luxury in one of Manhattan’s most desirable districts.
The building’s luxury presentation and hotel-style services share many of the features associated with branded residences – private entrances, white-glove concierge, and full-floor privacy – and have in fact served as inspiration for several of the city’s best-known turn-key residences.
While not technically branded, the property’s amenities mirror the hospitality-standard lifestyle model increasingly expected by high-net-worth individuals who divide their time between cities and continents.
