Debut copies of a new magazine called La Vie De Luxe arrived tucked into 150,000 select subscriber copies of The Globe and Mail yesterday. That the oversized glossy looks and feels exactly like FQ (fashion for women) and Sir (fashion for men) is no coincidence: the Kontent Group publishes all three books. “We’re talking to the same audience, but the conversation is different,” says Kontent’s CEO and group creative director, Michael King.

La Vie De Luxe will only appear once in 2008, but frequency may increase next year, Michael King says.

Vie’s conversation—led by the same editorial team that does FQ and Sir—focuses on luxury lifestyle. While plenty of pricey fashion items are on display— 16-year-old model Vera Wang sports a $730 Vera Wang top on the cover, while the accessories section features a $1,520 Louis Vuitton monogram bag and a $4,125 Hermés suitcase—the main feature moves far away from the runways. It offers suggestions on “The 50 Best Places in the World to Stay,” aimed at those who can (or wish they could) afford trips to exotic locations such as Bora Bora, Bahamas and Mozambique.

The 100-page magazine is packed with full-page ads ($17,000 a pop) from big-money companies such as Chanel, Lexus, Prada, Smirroff, Gucci and Infiniti. Kontent’s magazines appeal to these marketers, King says, because of its controlled-environment. “We’ve been very disciplined about making sure that the company our advertisers keep is of the highest standard,” he says. “To put a Winner’s ad, for example, would be offensive to some advertisers, because they undercut the market they’re trying to serve. It’s a delicate dance.”

This May, Kontent will launch Luxeudo.com, a website carrying content from all three magazines, as well as original material. For now, the page has photos of designers, who each offer a personal take on what “luxury” means. Designer and Beatle baby Stella McCartney’s definition: “Sleep!”

• Luxeudo.com
• Kontent Group