Bernard Arnault has a bad habit. Back in my Louis Vuitton days early 2000’s, I remember those legendary Saturdays when he would show up unannounced at the Champs-Elysées flagship.
Doors barely open. Staff still adjusting ties. And bam—Monsieur Arnault was already there, checking the windows, testing the seats, eyeing every detail, observing clients…
As managers, we were stressed out of our minds. We thought the criticism was unfair. But in fact—it was remarkably effective. Because being on the ground, every week, in Paris or Singapore, is how he feels the business. Not through dashboards—but by observing the staff, listening to sellers, smelling the boutique air and counting how many clients walk in.
He’s not the world’s richest man by accident. Today, when “quiet luxury” dominates the fashion narrative—understated elegance, heritage codes, absolute quality—this hands-on leadership makes even more sense.
You don’t spot a shift toward the comfort from a boardroom. You sense it on the floor. It’s also what makes the LVMH empire so unique: 75+ maisons, over 6,000 boutiques… and still a CEO who spends Saturdays walking the aisles. And now? The LVMH AGM has just voted to push his retirement age… to 85.
Let’s be honest: he won’t follow his group as an honorary chairman sipping tea at the Plaza Athénée. Because no one checks the stitching of a Dior bag better than Bernard Arnault himself. The real question is: Will his five children all now working in the Group have the same “bad” habits? The same culture?
The same obsession for detail at 9:45 AM on a Saturday morning? We’ll find out. But meanwhile, Monsieur Arnault… Keep your bad habits. They built an empire.
