Notre Dame Reopening Spectacle Caps a Stellar Year for Luxury House LVMH

Notre Dame Reopening Spectacle Caps a Stellar Year for Luxury House LVMH
CEO of LVMH Bernard Arnault (L), Antoine Arnault, CEO of Berluti, center right, and members of the Arnault family talk in Notre Dame Cathedral before France's iconic cathedral is formally reopening its doors for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark in 2019, in Paris, on Dec.7, 2024. Ludovic Marin/Pool via AP
The Associated Press
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PARIS—The reopening of Notre Dame was a solemn celebration of cultural and spiritual renewal. Yet for some, the historic cathedral’s revival also felt like a meticulously choreographed branding event by LVMH and other luxury conglomerates.

Bernard Arnault, the lowkey billionaire behind luxury powerhouse LVMH and a key Notre Dame donor who regularly tops the list of the world’s richest men, was at the center of the celebration. He was surrounded by his family, the French president, the archbishop and clergy, and the unmistakable symbols of his luxury empire’s influence, including its brands Louis Vuitton and Dior.