No one personified the excesses of mid-2000s New York City quite like Michael Shvo. The slick-haired Israeli émigré burst onto the real estate scene in 1998, an audacious 20-something who quickly climbed the ranks of Manhattan’s biggest sales firms before starting his own, self-titled new development marketing company. Famous for his bad-boy antics, celebrity-studded parties and inspired collaborations with the likes of Philippe Starck, Giorgio Armani and Jade Jagger, Shvo became synonymous with the over-the-top condo amenities — and prices — of the era.
Much like the New York City condo market, Shvo’s rise has been followed by an equally spectacular fall. Read the full story from July 2009 issue here.