How LVMH Became A $500 Billion Luxury Powerhouse

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Published 2023-05-15
The luxury conglomerate LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton controls 75 Maisons, or brands, including Tiffany & Co., Sephora, Dior, Givenchy and TAG Heuer. At the helm of the luxury empire is the richest person in the world, Bernard Arnault, whose five children all hold senior executive roles within the company. With a keen eye for luxury, ruthless negotiation skills and an effective business acumen, Arnault has acquired some of the biggest names in the world. Most recently, in 2021, the company bought Tiffany & Co. for $15.8 billion after a bitter dispute about price due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and to salvage the luxury sector's biggest-ever deal. Though most companies struggled during the pandemic, LVMH’s stock steadily rose while it continued to report record revenue year after year as wealthy consumers participated in what McKinsey & Co. called "revenge spending." For the first quarter of 2023, LVMH reported a 17% increase in revenue from the same period a year earlier. The Asia market, which had seen the most significant drop due to Covid-19 closures, had a 14% rise in revenue after an 8% decrease in the fourth quarter of 2022. In April 2023, LVMH became the first European company to surpass $500 billion in market value.

Corrections:
04:43 - Misidentified Frédéric Arnault's photo for Jean Arnault.
17:08 - Cheval Blanc Maisons and Bulgari Hotels were existing brands in the LVMH portfolio at the time of the 2019 Belmond acquisition.

Produced Shot and Edited by: Jade Tungul, Natalie Rice
Animation: Christina Locopo, Alexander Wood
Senior Managing Producer: Tala Hadavi
Additional Camera by: Shawn Baldwin
Additional Footage: Getty Images, LVMH, Reuters
Additional Sources: LVMH, Richmont, Kering, IBISWorld, McKinsey & Company

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How LVMH Became A $500 Billion Luxury Powerhouse

All Comments (21)
  • Luxury isn’t about quality it’s about exclusivity. People are paying more so that they can have a product that less people can afford which makes them feel special
  • @bardoomguy
    It's an interesting business model. Selling things for significantly more than their actual value, just because you've managed to convince the customer that the social validation of having that logo on your product makes it worth paying that insane premium. It's the perfect business model. Convince these suckers to pay 10x more than they should and they won't even dislike you for it, they'll admire you.
  • @nk9996
    LVMH has a best marketing strategy, their target is not on rich people instead they focus on people who wants to showcase they are rich that's were they hit the ball out of the park!!
  • @HeyItsAvi90
    Easy: Target middle to low income families trying to reach a level of vanity. A lot of my filipino aunties keep buying and asking for LV from their kids even tho their entire family net worth is less than 50k.
  • @ambition112
    4:54: 💼 LVMH's success is attributed to its focus on storytelling, broad array of price points, and aggressive acquisitions. 9:25: 💰 LVMH's high-end luxury goods have remained in demand due to the wealth of its consumer base and the company's focus on maintaining its artisanal savoir faire. 13:39: 👑 LVMH's success is attributed to its ability to tap into youth culture, while maintaining its heritage and investing in experiences 17:59: 💼 LVMH's strategic priorities are expanding stores and digital presence while combating the counterfeit market. Recap by Tamm
  • @senzen2692
    The story of how Arnault pushed out Louis Vuitton's previous CEO is not a pretty one nor are his underhanded shenanigans in trying to acquire Hermès.
  • I get that they look at this from a business model, but when you absorb all of these individual brands with "heritage" it loses its authenticity. Exclusivity and quality are the true mark of luxury, when they get mainstreamed this way and appear on the corner of ever major city like a Starbucks... those with real wealth will find other brands that retain the true meaning of luxury, while the general public will spend their whole paycheck on some generic bag or sweater with a brand logo just for other people to see what they are wearing.
  • @lichi1244eva
    I temped at LV corporate office on 5th Avenue back in 2011-12 for a few months. It was interesting in that they eat sleep breathe luxury there, everyone was fancy. Ngl I felt out of place at times but they were a nice team and it was an overall good experience.
  • @MathGPT
    A luxury brand going out to buy one of the greatest Champagnes of the world was such a genius move
  • During a bear market, the headlines will focus on negative news, whether it's declining economic growth, geopolitical upheaval, cultural and legal turmoil, or some combination of all three. I listened to a podcast of someone that grew his reserve from $120k to almost $460k during this Red season, can you share tips on how to make such aggressive proceeds in short periods?.
  • @estebancq
    Capitalizing on the new wave of trying to look “aesthetic” “old money” Great success👍
  • @damncidd
    As long as clothing remains a status symbol as it has for thousands of years now, this fashion house juggernaut isn’t going anywhere.
  • @ianjohnson1249
    Us average people who wear H&M should just appreciate that the $20 card wallet from a brand on Amazon are manufactured well enough to last 10 years. My wallet is currently 4 years old and it's still holding up pretty well. Same for my $35 backpack that is now 5 years old. Yes they do not look as unique nor expensive like these brands that some of our friends can afford, but my cheap bag works does everything I need and is still looking pretty nice after 5 years, that's $7 per year. Comparison is the thief of joy. A part of me is sad that I can't remember the last time someone bought me a $20 dinner while my friend's doctor boyfriend just gifted him a $1800 RIMOWA shoulder bag, but I truly have everything I need in life and moreover I have my family & my health. Life is all about perspective, and for what I already do have I could not wish for more. Perhaps just getting my licenses quickly so I can work my dream job soon. Live within your means, and look up at the sky and say thank you for everything I do have and practice gratitude.
  • I am perfectly happy with my $20 wallet which I have had for over 10 years. You keep you LV and I keep my money.
  • @hendrx
    Their target audience is people dying for validation, they can't fail
  • Investing is considered a bedrock in making generational wealth. Most people don't know when, where or what to invest in. Fortunately, great investors of the past and present can provide us with guidance and ideas. Meaningful contributions are always welcomed.
  • @unicornlens
    LV was classy 20 years ago and the quality of the merch was high and timeless. Nowadays its seasonal, unoriginal and the price increases are too much to bear. You’re lucky to own and enjoy an actual trunk or hardside suitcase.
  • You work for 40yrs to have $1M in your retirement, meanwhile some people are putting just $10K in a meme coin from just few months ago and now they are multimillionaires..,..,,.
  • Omg. I thought LV, DIOR and Tiffany have different CEOs. But rather they're already a family business 😂😅 if i where to choose between lv and dior i would choose Dior, there bags still are a work of art. With all those billions of money 💰 they received, HOPEFULLY THEY ALSO INCREASE THE SALARY OF THEIR WORKERS.