Luxury in Mexico City, the New York of the South

It was my second trip to Mexico City, that impressive megalopolis whose population is nearly two-thirds the size of Canada’s. It is a city imbued with history where entire neighbourhoods are preserved and you can follow in the footsteps of Frida Kahlo.

It has a wealth of museums and a daily choice of cultural events. It exudes incredible charm and an energy similar to that of New York: it never seems to sleep. It was impossible to see it all in a week, especially as I was on a business trip with two colleagues and an agenda filled with meetings, but enough time to realize that Mexico City has a thriving luxury industry.

Lovers of luxury will find all the great fashion houses there: Emilio Pucci, Tiffany, Cartier, Fendi, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Salvatore Ferragamo, Prada, Ermenegildo, Bvlgari, Bottega Veneta and Hermes, to name just a few. And a several days before we arrived, a brand new Palacio de Hiero (Iron Palace), one of a chain of upscale stores, had just opened its doors. El Palacio de Hierro is part of Grupo Bal, a Mexican conglomerate with diversified interests in insurance, mining and retail.

Just as in New York, we saw wealthy customers flocking to the stores and buying exquisite items without batting an eye. So there are several Mexico Cities, just as there are several New Yorks, and I am sure that – like Marie-Joëlle Parent, who recently published a guidebook on 300 reasons to love New York City – you could find hundreds of reasons to love Mexico City.

Will we go back? We will, and soon, because the city and its inhabitants enchanted us.