Gallery: America’s Obscene Wealth, in Pictures

  • Girl Culture
    Lauren Greenfield/INSTITUTE
    01

    AliAnnieHannahBerit-pg79.jpg

    All, Annie, Hannah and Berit are 13 years old. They are popular at their school in Edina and told the photographer that wearing clothing from Gap, Abercrombie & Fitch, or J. Crew is crucial.
  • Limo Bob
    Lauren Greenfield/VII 2008
    02

    160-l-Cult-of-Celebrity-2.jpg

    “Limo Bob” builds, sells, and rents out limos in Chicago. His fleet includes a 100-foot-long limo and one made from a Boeing 727. He wears 33 pounds of gold jewelry on his hands and neck.
  • Disney Princesses
    Lauren Greenfield/INSTITUTE
    03

    100-1-Princess-Brand-2.jpg

    Christina and her parents ride Cinderella’s glass coach to her wedding ceremony at Walt Disney World.
  • Image may contain Human Person Car Transportation Vehicle Automobile Convertible Sunglasses and Accessories
    Lauren Greenfield/INSTITUTE
    04

    Mijanou-ph18.jpg

    Mijanou, 18, was voted Best Physique at Beverly Hills High School in 1993. She’s pictured skipping class to visit the beach with friends in Santa Monica, California.
  • Marquee Night Club and Tao Night Club Las Vegas Nevada
    Lauren Greenfield/INSTITUTE
    05

    457-u-Make-It-Rain-2.jpg

    A VIP guest makes it rain at the Marquee Las Vegas, where some people drop $50,000 in a night.
  • Models backstage at Prada039s spring show Milan 2009.
    Lauren Greenfield/INSTITUTE
    06

    models-pg85.jpg

    Models wait backstage at Prada's spring 2009 show in Milan.
  • China Rich 2005
    Lauren Greenfield/INSTITUTE
    07

    416-7-Bling-Dynasty-2.jpg

    Xvonne Xue, 44, is board chairman general manager of Shanghai Si Tong Cable Industry and vice board chairman of Shanghai Huiyang Industry Company. She practices her golf swing in her Shanghai bedroom decorated with a Versace bedroom set.
  • Image may contain Human Person Money Dollar and Brett Ratner
    Lauren Greenfield/INSTITUTE
    08

    BrettRatner-RussellSimmons-pg225.jpg

    Film director and producer Brett Ratner and Def Jam cofounder Russel Simmons (left) dine at L’Iguane restaurant on St. Barts. Because few restaurants accept credit cards, visitors bring lots of cash.
  • Image may contain Furniture David A. Siegel Human Person Throne Jackie Siegel Clothing and Apparel
    Lauren Greenfield/INSTITUTE
    09

    Jackie-and-David-pg295.jpg

    David Siegel, 74, and his wife Jackie, 43, pose in the master bedroom of Seagull Island, their 26,000-square-foot home on a peninsula in Winderemere, Florida. When the photographer met them, they were in the process of building a 75,000-square-foot home.
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