Bernard Arnault is no ordinary businessman.
He’s obsessed.
Every Saturday, he visits LVMH stores to ensure everything is perfect.
Not to shop, but to inspect. Chairs, lighting, the shoes worn by salespeople—no detail escapes his attention.
His son, Alexandre Arnault, recalls an incident at a Tiffany store in Dubai.
An employee was wearing Nike sneakers—not the exclusive Air Force 1s from the Tiffany and Nike collaboration, but a regular pair. Wrong move. “Our salespeople must wear LVMH clothing,” his father said.
Over forty years, Arnault built the world’s largest luxury empire.
LVMH sells handbags, jewelry, champagne, and spirits in the most prestigious shopping streets worldwide.
This has earned him a fortune of almost $200 billion, placing him in constant competition with Musk and Bezos for the title of the world’s richest person.
The Wolf in Cashmere
Arnault hasn’t always been admired.
He attempted hostile takeovers of Gucci and Hermès and laid off thousands of employees after acquisitions.
A member of the Hermès family once called him “the wolf in cashmere.” The name stuck.
Yet, in interviews, Arnault portrays himself as a warm family man.
All five of his children work at LVMH, and the battle over his succession is a public spectacle. “Let’s see who has what it takes,” he jokes.
Anyone who knows Arnault understands that he never speaks without purpose.
Arnault still has a very long term perspective.
His goal is to maximize the value creation for LVMH shareholders.
And that’s exactly what he has done in the past:
I am a huge fan of Bernard Arnauld and LVMH.
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Everything In Life Compounds
Pieter (Compounding Quality)