School of Arnault Knocks

Bernard Arnault Frederic Arnault, Delphine Arnault, Antoine Arnault and Alexandre Arnault
Like any family, especially a blended one, there is tension between siblings, and disagreements, but what they share is deference and admiration for their father. Photo: Chesnot/Getty Images
Lauren Sherman
March 17, 2025

Last week in Paris, I was interviewed for two separate documentaries about the luxury industry in France. Of course, most questions were about Bernard Arnault, who is the primary reason there are (at least) two documentaries being made about the luxury industry in France. Arnault schemed to acquire control of LVMH in 1988, when he was just 39. Even then, reporters referred to LVMH, already the largest luxury conglomerate in the world, as an “empire.” Since then, Arnault has grown LVMH’s portfolio to some 75 companies, worth €330 billion (on a bad day), making him among the five wealthiest people in the world.