So you want to mix it with society’s upper crust? Here are some ways to talk the talk, walk the walk and look the VIP part, which should have you mingling in exclusive circles in no time. By Time Out Staff

Credit where it’s due

Sexy credit cards have become a bit of a status symbol. While it might be tough to acquire the notoriously exclusive by-invitation-only AmEx Centurion (the “black card”), you can apply for the AmEx Platinum card (www.playeveryday.com.hk) or an equivalent, if you make at least $350,000 per year. Not enough cash? You could get your friends and family to transfer money into your account till your balance totals the minimum required amount to get the your bank’s shiniest card, and return the money once you have the card. But then, that might be fraudulent, and thus, something we wouldn’t recommend. But once you get it, by whatever means, you can drop the glimmering card wherever you go, including at all the preferential shopping and dining partners you’ll be offered. No one need know that you live beyond your means.

You gotta roll with it

Hong Kong may not be Monte Carlo, but Carreras are commonplace and Mercs are ten a penny. And yet, nothing spells status symbol like a fancy car. But while it costs $450,000 to buy even the cheapest pre-owned Ferrari, there are more affordable ways to get into the most expensive new models – like a test drive. Try taking an Italian stallion for a spin (Italian Motors, Unit C, G/F, 2 Yuen Shun Circuit, Sha Tin; 2365 0269; www.dealer.ferrari.com/italianmotors), or if Ferraris aren’t your thing, check out the latest Lamborghini instead (Kingsway Cars, 181 Gloucester Rd, Wan Chai, 2900 6666; www.lamborghini-hongkong.com). Heck, test them both and you’ll have everyone thinking you own not one but two sports cars. While those sleek vehicles are undoubtedly sexy, few wheels signify old school luxury like a Rolls-Royce. The Peninsula Hotel (Salisbury Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2920 2888; www.peninsula.com) offers them up for hire at $1,500 per hour with a driver, meaning you can enjoy the Rolls’ class for longer than a fleeting test drive.

Dress like a millionaire

Without looking the part, you’ve got no chance of fooling the VIP crowd. So suit up. The three-piece, slim-cut suit from Tom Ford is currently in vogue with the rich and famous (starting at $29,000 from Tom Ford, Shop 2049, IFC Mall, 2234 7802). Alternatively, follow the custom route and take your desired style to the renowned Sam’s Tailor (G/F, Burlington Arcade, 94 Nathan Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui; 2367 9423; www.samstailor.biz), where Manu and Roshan, who have dressed everybody from Daniel Wu to Kevin Spacey, will construct a similar suit at a much reduced price of around $6,000. They will do the same for an Elie Saab or Valentino dress for around $5,000, depending on the complexity and fabric.

For the real – if slightly outdated – deal, head to Joyce Warehouse (21/F, Horizon Plaza, 2 Lee Wing St, Ap Lei Chau, 2814 8313) after August 1, where Dries Van Noten, Hugo Boss and Etro’s autumn/winter 2009 items are waiting to be snapped up at 60 per cent off.

Ladies will need a bag to accompany the look. Head to Milan Station (citywide; www.milanstation.com.hk) if you’re in search of an Hermès Birkin or similar. Although you’d have to fish out every single cent to purchase the full price item, you can buy a previously loved version and get 90 per cent of your money back when you return it to them in impeccable condition. Alternatively, rent a Chanel for $513 a week at iconlady.com.

Jump the Private Club queue

Private members’ clubs give off a prestigious and exclusive vibe, which explains why anyone who is anyone regularly ambles off to a club. And even if you are one of those lucky sods with friends who can nominate you, there is still the waiting list to consider. But there are several companies that specialise in selling or renting club memberships. Name any club (yes, even the illustrious Hong Kong Golf Club, where a corporate membership apparently goes for around $9.5 million) and they claim they can get you in, bypassing the nomination process and the waiting list. Check out Honorpro (www.honorpro.cn), Mformembership (www.mformembership.com) and Noblesse Membership Service (www.noblesse.com.hk), to see what they can do for you.

Then there is good old reciprocity. Most clubs have ties with other clubs around the world, helping you jump waiting lists. Being a member of London’s Oxford and Cambridge Club, will get you into Hong Kong’s American Club (www.americanclubhk.com; 2842 7400), for instance. This can also be a significantly cheaper way to gain access to certain clubs.

Get sporty

Can’t afford to rent or buy a membership? Put your athletic side to work – it could be your ticket into some of the most sought after members-only sports clubs. As the Kowloon Cricket Club’s website (www.kcc.org.hk) states, “applications for ordinary membership have been frozen for the past three years and no one has been taken off the long waiting list.” It sounds like there’s no way in, unless you classify under the Sporting Subscribership scheme. Prove that you’re good enough to play sport for them, and you’ll be through the door, paying just a quarter of the normal entrance fee. The Hong Kong Football Club (www.hkfc.com.hk) also offers various memberships for those willing and able to play for one of their teams, with no entrance fee and a much-reduced monthly rate of $500.

Party like a VIP

Mixing it with the social elite is an age-old sign of being in the upper crust. And if you’re not already on the inside, you need to find a way into those partying inner circles. As managing director of Entertaining Asia, Nick Willsher has seen every door trick in the book. “Many try to announce a common name at the queue in the hope that the name is on the guest list,” he says. “Some try to say that they are the owner or a shareholder of the place. But those people are easy to bust – I just need to give the owners a call and the bluffer will be caught out.”

How about putting on an attitude? “That is all too common. If you are really important, you would have called weeks or even months in advance to ensure a hassle-free entry.”

But one seasoned blagger, who has been getting into the trendiest parties uninvited for more than a decade, suggests taking a robust approach. “Many parties, especially product launches and the like, don’t check guest lists,” says the party man, who obviously wished to remain anonymous. His advice? “Stride up, drop your business card in the bowl, and ask a question that puts the door person on the back foot, such as ‘What time does the show end? I need to be somewhere else in an hour’.”

Location, location, location

The Peak and Repulse Bay have always been synonymous with luxury and are considered havens for the rich. Living in these districts can certainly boost your status, and it doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. An 815 sq ft apartment at Monte Villa, 121 Repulse Bay Road, could be yours for $30,000 per month, an absolute pittance for the area. Close by on 82 Repulse Bay Road, The Beachside has 900 sq ft apartments for $32,000 a month.

To live loftily on The Peak among the truly elite, $48,000 a month will get you a 1,200 sq ft apartment at Villa Verde. Those rates may still seem mind-boggling to many, but compare them to the whopping $500,000 a month rent that you might find yourself paying for a 6,080 sq ft house on The Peak’s Gough Hill Road, and you may find reason to feel smug after all. Your address could become your most important accessory. More information on the apartments can be found at residential.savillsproperty.com.

Gain some art smarts

Want to join the cultured elite? Fine art can cost millions of dollars, but for those who cannot afford originals, here are two ways to obtain classy yet affordable art. If you’re hosting an event, why not rent it instead? Art-lease (art-lease.com) and arthēkē (artheke.com) both offer paintings for lease, or you can contact local galleries and auction houses. According to a consultant at Osage Gallery (osagegallery.com), all you need to do is convince galleries that their art will be seen by a desirable audience. If you don’t want to rent, check out prints and photography as cheaper alternatives to paintings. Fabrik Gallery (fabrik-gallery.com) offers chic prints ranging from $10,000 to $500,000 by Damien Hirst and graffiti artist Banksy for those who want art on the cutting edge. Most important, though, is getting to know the VIPs at gallery openings, exhibitions and auctions. Check out our Arts section for upcoming opportunities to rub shoulders with the in-crowd.

Targeted networking

Looking for new ways to build your VIP contacts? Perhaps you should consider joining some of the remarkably prestigious national clubs in Hong Kong. For only $300 a year, you could get better acquainted with the city’s most well-to-do Scots (www.standrewshk.org). “Many of the more senior and influential Scots in Hong Kong are members of the Society.” says Neil Orvay, Chieftain of St Andrew’s Society of Hong Kong, which holds regular events ideal for networking.

Alternatively, you could confess your love for everything Irish and join the St Patrick’s Society for life for $500 (www.stpatrickshk.com). If you’re a decent, god-fearing man, ask nicely and you could even become a Freemason (www.zetlandhall.com).

Pose for high society

Society pages are where the rich and famous publicly flaunt their extravagance. And if you want to get with them, you’ve got to get in those pages. But how? Hong Kong Tatler is stocked in most five-star hotels and claims a 40,000 circulation among the rich and famous.
“There is not one person we look for at events,” says Terry Tsui, one of Tatler’s photographers. “We take pictures of everyone. Although not every picture is printed, we keep the stock photos for future reference.” According to Tsui, Tatler selectively prints celebrities or people who often frequent the society events. People who dress flamboyantly will be considered, too. “We have limited space in the magazine so we avoid printing the same faces over and over again.” So, gatecrash often and dress flamboyantly, and once you’re in, choose your posing partner wisely – that should get you seen by the social royalty.

Own a horse

There are few things that shout elitism like owning your own four-hoofed mare. That’s probably because to be a fully fledged racehorse owner in Hong Kong, not only do you need to be a Racing or Full Member of the super-exclusive Hong Kong Jockey Club, but you also need money to burn to invest in a horse. But there is another way to get into the horse circles. For a mere $100,000 entrance fee and $1,000 a month, you can become a member of the Jockey Club’s The Racing Club, an organisation whose members share ownership of three racehorses. You’ll gain an insider’s perspective of the sport, from the buying process to nominating a name, and from visiting the horses in their stables to watching the horse in action from a designated luxury area. But best of all for those looking to push their status, you can mention that you own a horse – and even if your portion equates to a hair off its mane, you’re not entirely lying. The Racing Club, 2966 7738; racingclub.hkjc.com.