For the man who has everything except that perfect alligator skin jacket, he need only visit Hermes’ newly opened boutique on Madison Avenue in New York, where the snappy garment sells for 158,000 dollars.

Despite the economic crisis, 2009 ended better than it began for the French luxury goods sector, thanks largely to China’s growing taste for high-end products, encouraging thoughts of a better 2010.

Following the trend set by other global luxury brands, Hermes and LVMH announced fourth quarter sales growth on Thursday and Friday, suggesting the worst of the crisis could be over for the sector.

After announcing that annual profits fell 13 percent to 1.7 billion euros (2.3 billion dollars), LVMH chief executive Bernard Arnault said he was pleased with “record” sales figures for December, which he said would “grow in January”.

A survey just released in China has lifted the lid on the nation’s obsession with luxury brands and identified just where consumers are spending their money.

The 2009 21st Century Deluxe Report (www.21deluxereport.com — in Chinese only) says that China’s love affair with luxury shows no signs of abating.

According to one Professor Lu Xiao (Fudan University), who was in charge of the survey, decisions on spending made in China are now “knowledged-based.”

Inside Lux TV launched today as the world’s first high definition TV and video portal aimed toward the luxury market.

The HD video gallery is composeed of six major themes that include fashion, gadgets and travel.

The luxury living channel has a sizeable selection of lifestyle films produced by brands that include Lamborghini, Dom Perignon and the world’s most expensive house, The Updown Court Manor.

New survey results show 66% of Luxury Interactive conference attendees have an e-commerce website in place. Which is 33% percent higher than the industry average according to Forrester Research.

The survey mainly explored how luxury brands plan to take their integrated on- and offline marketing strategies several steps further.

LuxuryMart09, an annual luxury business-to-business event will be held in Shanghai next Thursday (January 15th) and is set to welcome over 50 of the world’s top luxury brands including Bentley, Princess Yachts, Cartier, Bank of China and Relais & Chateaux.

The premier event for luxury brands targeting China’s fast-growing affluent sector, is now in its third year and is the leading annual platform for brands to exchange ideas and collaborate on marketing products and services for high-end Chinese consumers.

China is the world’s fastest-growing market for luxury brands, expected to rank second only to Japan by 2015.