You might expect the headquarters of lvmh on the Avenue Montaigne in Paris to show off its full range of brands, from Sephora (cosmetics) to Moeet & Chandon (champagne). They do get some play in a small museum housed in the lobby. But up on the ninth floor, where Mr Arnault presides over his luxury empire, there is tribute to just one, Louis Vuitton. Two paintings of the lv monogram by Takashi Murakami hang opposite the reception desk, and a little pyramid of handbags sits nearby. The decor tells you something about Mr Arnault's group. Louis Vuitton is the company's biggest brand by far, accounting for about a third of its sales and nearly half its profit. A Louis Vuitton shop window is the first close encounter with luxury for many people, and the brand often pioneers new markets. Its first shop in China opened in 1992. It is "the number one brand in the world and will stay so", Mr Arnault declares.
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