# Robb Report 50th Anniversary Issue > Luxury legends that reshaped the world: 74 objects, people, and experiences from 1970s-1990s. - Title: Robb Report 50th Anniversary Issue · Robb Report | Shortify - Summary: Luxury legends that reshaped the world: 74 objects, people, and experiences from 1970s-1990s. 50 years of luxury innovation: from Concorde to the Rolex… - Keywords: robb report, concorde, ferrari testarossa, giorgio armani, patek philippe, studio 54, boutique hotel, jean-michel basquiat, motorola dynatrac 8000x, restoration hardware, alessi, hermes birkin bag - Source: Robb Report — https://robbreport.com/lifestyle/news/legends-of-luxury-1238737974 - Author: Annie Kim - Published: 2026-10-09T14:00:00+00:00 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: robb report, concorde, ferrari testarossa, giorgio armani, patek philippe, studio 54, boutique hotel, jean-michel basquiat, motorola dynatrac 8000x, restoration hardware, alessi, hermes birkin bag ## Concorde In 1976, Concorde became the first supersonic airliner to enter passenger service flying twice the speed of sound. > In 1976, Concorde became the first supersonic airliner to enter passenger service, flying twice the speed of sound and making the future visible in the process. ## Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow Rolls-Royce introduced the Silver Shadow in 1965, breaking six decades of tradition with a shorter wheelbase and more cabin space. > After World War II, the craft of coachbuilding was largely pushed aside as growing demand forced automakers to adopt more efficient measures. ## Giorgio Armani’s Unstructured Suit Giorgio Armani’s unstructured suits stripped away men’s tailoring conventions, becoming a global phenomenon by 1980. > By stripping out shoulder pads and lining, Giorgio Armani quietly dismantled a century of men’s tailoring convention. ## Judgement of Paris In 1976, California wines beat French benchmarks at a blind tasting, putting Napa Valley on the global map. > On May 24, 1976, British wine merchant Steven Spurrier assembled leading California wines, almost all from Napa, and French benchmark bottles from Bordeaux and Burgundy for a blind tasting at the InterContinental Paris. ## Patek Philippe Nautilus 3700/1A Patek Philippe’s Nautilus watch, launched in the 1980s, became the most influential luxury sports watch ever made. > The Patek Philippe Nautilus is arguably the most influential luxury sports watch ever made. ## Studio 54 Studio 54 opened in 1977 as New York’s most exclusive nightclub, controlled by a brutal door policy. > There was a time when Studio 54’s Steve Rubell feared for his life. ## The Boutique Hotel Boutique hotels like Morgans in New York redefined luxury hospitality with compact rooms and social hubs. > Until then, luxury had been largely measured in square footage; the more expensive the room, the larger it was expected to be. ## Jean-Michel Basquiat’s Breakout Year Jean-Michel Basquiat became a global art sensation in 1982, exhibiting at Documenta and meeting Andy Warhol. > In 1: Jean-Michel Basquiat went global. That spring, Swiss gallerist Bruno Bischofberger became his worldwide dealer. ## Motorola DynaTAC 8000X Motorola’s DynaTAC 8000X, launched in 1984, was the first commercial handheld cell phone costing $3,995. > It’s hard to imagine a world in which the cell phone isn’t, well, everywhere. ## Restoration Hardware Restoration Hardware began in 1979 as a small home renovation business, now expanding into luxury travel and hospitality. > Everyone knows small acorns grow into mighty oaks, but we’re not sure even Stephen Gordon could have envisaged where the company he started would end up. ## Alessi Launches the Tea & Piazza Alessi created the Tea & Piazza, a sterling-silver tea service that transformed the company into luxury goods. > Eleven star architects, Michael Graves, Aldo Rossi, Robert Venturi, Hans Hollein and Richard Meier among them, each created a sterling-silver tea and coffee service in an edition of 99. ## Ferrari Testarossa The Ferrari Testarossa debuted in 1984 as a symbol of 1980s luxury and speed, reaching 180 mph. > A star vehicle for detectives Sonny Crockett and Ricardo Tubbs on Miami Vice, the Ferrari Testarossa became as much a symbol of the 1980s as the show itself. ## Hermès Birkin Bag Hermès created the Birkin bag after a 1984 flight encounter with Jane Birkin, becoming a status symbol. > On a 1984 flight from Paris to London, actress and singer Jane Birkin found herself seated beside Jean-Louis Dumas, executive chairmanof Hermès. ## Ralph Lauren’s Rhinelander Mansion Ralph Lauren transformed a Gilded Age mansion into a luxury retail space blending British and Italian elegance. > The Rhinelander mansion started as one socialite’s attempt to re-create a Loire Valley château in Manhattan but was eventually co-opted by a man who reinvented the American Dream. ## Cigarette Top Gun Cigarette Racing Team launched the Top Gun yacht in 1986, becoming a symbol of 1980s luxury and speed. > American builder Cigarette Racing Team was founded by powerboat mogul Don Aronow in 1969 and grew to prominence in the Miami Vice era. ## Riedel Introduces Vinum Riedel launched Vinum in 1986, the world’s first varietal-specific crystal wine glasses. > That changed in 1986 when Austrian glassmaking powerhouse Riedel introduced Vinum, the world’s first varietal-specific, machine-made crystal wine glasses. ## NetJets NetJets pioneered fractional aircraft ownership in 1986, changing private flying into a service. > When Executive Aviation pioneered fractional aircraft ownership in 1986, it changed the fundamentals of flying private. ## Marco Pierre White at Harveys Marco Pierre White opened Harveys in London in 1987, becoming the youngest chef to earn three Michelin stars. > The concept of the celebrity chef existed before 24-year-old Marco Pierre White opened Harveys in London in 1987. ## Adrian Zecha Creates Aman Adrian Zecha created Amanpuri in Phuket, Thailand, becoming the epitome of ultra-private luxury resorts. > Former journalist Adrian Zecha, born to a wealthy Indonesian family, set out to build a vacation home in Phuket, Thailand. ## Kostabi World Mark Kostabi opened Kostabi World in the 1980s, using outsourcing to create art that challenged the industry. > Midway through the designer decade, Mark Kostabi opened a Manhattan studio that openly relied on assistants and creative staff to conceive and execute his works. ## Key takeaway 50 years of luxury innovation: from Concorde to the Rolex Daytona, defining moments that changed how we live.