Century Properties Group Inc

Walking into a marketing event for the new Milano Residences in Manila, it’s easy to wonder whether they’re selling perfume, fashion or real estate. Gorgeous women in black cocktail dresses greet you on a red carpet and lead you to a room decked out in sleek black drapery. Waiters ply you with plates of gourmet hors d’oeuvres. As you leave everyone is handed a small plate designed by Versace.

Jose “Joey” E.B. Antonio has been building and selling houses and condominiums for 26 years. But now—as he puts up thousands of units around Manila—he’s betting that Filipinos are ready for the sort of high-rise luxury homes found in Singapore and Hong Kong. And to close the deal on what can be a $3 million purchase, his Century Properties Group deploys a combination of glamour, glitz and brand names never before seen in the Philippines nor even in much of Southeast Asia. He lined up Versace Home to design the interior of the 53-story Milano Residences, the first time Versace had done a project like this in Asia. He added another bit of Milan to Manila when he hired fashion house MissoniHome to design the amenities at his 52-story Acqua Livingstone.