French luxury.
Bernard Arnault's visit to China this summer attracted large crowds eager to take selfies with him and ask him to bless their children; at home however, his presence has caused considerable debate and debate has ensued around his business dealings.
Some criticize his use of family-owned companies, while others question his immense wealth and others still resent that he has brought them into public view.
Hermes
Hermes stands apart from many multinational companies by preserving its guildlike spirit, which allows it to respond swiftly to consumer trends. Hermes' flagship stores are located in travel destinations while its craftspeople are trained for specific projects (for instance, Hermes can easily produce handbags large enough to carry a saddle).
Family ownership ensures its longevity, yet what distinguishes this modern luxury brand is its nondepartmentalized organizational structure; there are separate ateliers dedicated to women's ready-to-wear, perfume, shoes and jewelry and silk production; each studio employs artisans trained through apprenticeship programs.
Hermes recently unveiled its Petit H program to encourage luxury recycling. By taking unused materials from manufacturing processes and turning them into handmade objects, Hermes hopes to demonstrate its philosophy of leaving no waste behind. Furthermore, an e-commerce website was launched so customers could order custom-made products directly.
Chanel
Chanel sells fashion-related goods such as haute couture clothing, accessories, fragrances and makeup in addition to haute couture fashion. Their designs have long been recognized as symbols of sophistication and style; its logo has become iconic worldwide. Marketing strategies employed by this global company include using celebrities and luxurious decorations as promotional tools to market its products effectively.
Gabrielle Chanel established her iconic fashion house, Chanel No. 5, in the 1920s. Her revolutionary designs signalled the death of restrictive corset silhouette and led women toward more flattering and functional dresses. Furthermore, Chanel created several perfumes under its brand.
Under Karl Lagerfeld's direction, Chanel continued Coco's legacy and established a successful business model featuring various distribution channels - boutiques, retail partnerships, e-commerce platform etc - used to deliver an optimal shopping experience to its customers. Chanel uses efficient logistics systems that ship and receive products quickly as well as environmental friendly packaging and sourcing methods.
Lanvin
Lanvin Fashion House was established by milliner Jeanne Lanvin in 1889. Though on the brink of collapse since 2010, due to numerous designer departures and falling sales figures, Fosun International came through and saved them last year from going bankrupt.
Lanvin became well-known during the 1920s for their bold use of color and innovative decorative techniques without compromising cutting work or construction quality. Their signature hue, Lanvin blue, was drawn from Fra Angelico's 15th-century Italian frescoes.
Today, the house continues its legacy with an extensive offering of women's ready-to-wear and accessories such as bags, shoes and perfume. Additionally, menswear as well as childrenswear and furniture is also produced under this label based in Paris; most clothes produced are also produced within Europe. Alber Elbaz was widely credited with reinvigorating this label after taking charge in 2003.
Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton is an iconic luxury fashion house known for its innovative designs and impeccable craftsmanship. Building upon the legacy of its founder, it continues to explore new modes of travel and pursue excellence through Artistic Director Nicolas Ghesquiere and Grammy-winning musician and fashion designer Pharrell Williams (Artistic Director for Menswear since 2023).
Once in Paris in 1854, Vuitton apprenticed at Monsieur Marechal's atelier and quickly become an expert trunk maker. His innovative flat-top trunks could be easily stacked for travel compared to their round counterparts and became instant successes; later he introduced the iconic LV monogram canvas which remains today as an icon of its heritage. When Marc Jacobs stepped down as creative director in 2013, Ghesquiere from Balenciaga was hired as creative director bringing with him modern sensibility that led to numerous collaborations such as those with artists like Takashi Murakami among many others.
