lvmh

The Latest Must-Have Luxury Item from LVMH: An $11 Million Yacht

Last summer my colleague Noah Joseph reported that LVMH planned to bring its recently-acquired Princess Yachts brand to the U.S. Now the luxury goods conglomerate, owner of blue-chip brands ranging from Louis Vuitton to Dom Pérignon, has unveiled its new M Class range of super-stylish superyachts that places Princess on a firm footing with the rest of the LVMH stable. First into production is the 105-ft. 32M (above), with a base price of about $11 million. LVMH brought in some of its other brands including Fendi, De Beers and Moet to help celebrate its debut at the London International Boat Show.

The UK-built 32M, a long range cruising yacht boasting a huge saloon among other amenities, is available with a choice of four or five cabins including a master suite with a split level bathroom, two or three double bedrooms and a twin room. Several lavish interior design schemes from the likes of fashion houses Fendi and Armani Casa are available. The finishing touches like carrara marble baths are worthy of any luxury hotel. Next up the company plans to launch a 132-ft. version in 2012 with luxe options like a matching set of Louis Vuitton luggage.

[via JamesList]

Gallery: Princess Yachts 32M from LVMH

Tags: Armani, Armani yacht, Fendi, Fendi yacht, London, Louis Vuitton, luxury goods, luxury yacht, luxury+item, luxuryitem, LVMH, LVMH yacht, Moet, Princess Yachts, Princess Yachts 32M, superyacht, superyachts, UK

The Classicist: Thomas Pink Celebrates Englishmen in New York

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events, Books, Men's Style, The Classicist

The Classicist: Thomas Pink Celebrates Englishmen in New York

LVMH-owned London shirtmaker and haberdasher Thomas Pink is celebrating a stylish forthcoming book called An Englishman In New York with an event and exhibit at its Madison Avenue flagship in New York on March 24. The volume of photographs by Jason Bell includes notables and notable dandies like Vogue's Hamish Bowles (above), Barneys' Simon Doonan and Sting, British to the core but also quintessential New Yorkers. Bell's photographs are currently on exhibit at at London's National Portrait Gallery, where the book has already been released; it's scheduled for publication here on April 1.

As an Englishman living in New York himself, Bell was inspired by the fact that there are 120,000 British men and women living in New York City – about the same amount as the entire population of Stamford, Connecticut. In addition to the above Bell photographed a diverse cross-section of British born figures, including taxi drivers, cops, construction workers, divers, helicopter pilots, chefs, burlesque dancers, drug dealers, UN ambassadors and dog walkers, all of whom tell stories about how they came to settle in New York.

"I went for a walk in Central Park with Sting, and for a cup of tea on Kate Winslet's roof terrace, sat on Zoë Heller's stoop and watched Stephen Daldry bicycle down 8th Avenue," Bell relates. "I was given a private tour of both the Metropolitan Museum and the Barneys' shop windows. I started with a blank canvas and was amazed by the number of Englishmen and women who have made such a large impact on the cultural life of the city. And amidst all the questions about why people had come here and what they had left behind, I learnt a little bit more about what it means to be English, what it means to be a New Yorker, and where the two intersect."

"We are extremely excited to be hosting an event to honour Jason and his brilliant work," says Jonathan Heilbron, President and CEO of Thomas Pink. "Thomas Pink itself is 'An Englishman in New York.' We opened our Madison Avenue Flagship store over 13 years ago and New York has come to be a second home and major market for our brand. Thomas Pink is English at heart but we are truly a New Yorker too." [cont'd]

Gallery: An Englishman in New York by Jason Bell

Tags: an+englishman+in+new+york+jason+bell, anenglishmaninnewyorkjasonbell, Barneys, Hamish Bowles, Kate Winslet, London, LVMH, mens style, New York, shirts, Simon Doonan, Sting, Thomas Pink, thomas+pink+2011, thomaspink2011, UK

Continue reading “The Classicist: Thomas Pink Celebrates Englishmen in New York”

LVMH To Buy Up Bulgari

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

Recently we've been so busy watching the drama as luxury mega-conglomerate LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton makes moves on French luxury brand Hermes that we didn't even see them sneaking up on Bulgari. The NY Times reports that LVMH is set to announce on Monday that it is taking control of the luxurious Italian jeweler. According to the NY Times DealBook, Bulgari's founding family is exchange its 51 percent stake in the jeweler to LVMH for stock in LVMH and it will also have seats on LVMH's board. With those shares in place, it's said that LVMH is planning to make offers to acquire the rest of the shares.

LVMH is proving to be an unstoppable luxury juggernaut with over 60 of the world's most prestigious brands in tow including the ones in its name as well as Christian Dior, Fendi and Céline. Other luxury mega-groups include PPR and Richemont. The 127-year-old Bulgari brand is one of the most prestigious names in the jewelry and watches arena and is particularly popular in European and Asian markets. The brand also has several luxury hotels.

Tags: bulgari, bvlgari, lvmh, LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, LvmhMoetHennessyLouisVuitton

The Classicist: Inside a Hundred Legendary Louis Vuitton Trunks

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Books, The Classicist

Since 1854, when Monsieur Louis Vuitton opened his first store in Paris, his name has been synonymous with the ultimate in luxurious luggage. His incredible trunks with their now iconic canvas coverings, introduced that same year, combined pragmatism and elegance and were "perfectly adapted to the current means of transport and changes in the lives of his clients." That's the basis of the best luxury book of the year, Louis Vuitton: 100 Legendary Trunks, just published by Abrams, Illustrated with 600 images taken from the Louis Vuitton archives in France and new, specially-commissioned photographs. From trains and ocean liners to the earliest automobiles and even hot air balloons, on journeys to all corners of the globe, the Vuitton trunk has crossed time and borders and remains an icon of the golden age of travel, epitomizing the glamour and elegant decadence of an era when journeying to a foreign land involved adventure, romance and style.

The trunks featured in the incredible book are "extraordinary in every way, for a hundred reasons," writes Patrick-Louis Vuitton, the fifth-generation descendant of Monsieur Vuitton who is now in charge of bespoke orders for the firm, "as much for what they carried as for the work, the care, the inventiveness and the ingenuity required to make them." The 100 featured trunks are divided into five sections according to the people who owned them: Explorers & Adventurers, Crowned Heads & Aristocrats, Dandies & Fashionable Ladies, Artists & Scholars, and Hedonists & Eccentrics. Many a Maharaja, actors from Douglas Fairbanks to Sharon Stone, couturiers from Jeanne Lanvin to Karl Lagerfeld, as well as the likes of Ernest Hemingway, Leopold Stokowski, and Damien Hirst have all traveled with Louis Vuitton trunks, often customized in various ways.

Gallery: Louis Vuitton: 100 Legendary Trunks

The Complete Wardrobe made for Sacha Guitry, 1913

The volume of a Louis Vuitton trunk can be defined by the nature of its contents, the means of transport, its handling, etc.

The Mail Trunk made for Paul Poiret 1911

Tags: Abrams, Aristocrats, bespoke, books, coffee table books, exotic leather, France, Louis Vuitton, luggage, luxury goods, luxury travel, LVMH, Maharaja, Paris, travel, trunks

Continue reading “The Classicist: Inside a Hundred Legendary Louis Vuitton Trunks”

Louis Vuitton to Open its First Travel Retail Store at South Korea's Incheon International Airport

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Shopping

Louis Vuitton has received a number of inquiries encouraging them to open a travel retail outlet, but the French luxury brand has rejected each and every one of them. Until now, that is, as incoming reports state that the iconic marque will open its first airport location at Korea's Incheon International Airport in the second half of 2011.

The decision to green-light the landmark location was reportedly made after LVMH chairman Bernard Arnault personally visiting Incheon to see its signature Airstar Avenue duty-free mall. The South Korean market remains a vital one for Louis Vuitton, which continues to out-sell rivals such as Gucci and Coach in the northeast Asian country. The store at Incheon is expected to attract travelers with an appetite for luxury from Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong and mainland China as well.

Source

Tags: airstar avenue, duty free, incheon, incheon airport, incheon international airport, koea, korea, louis vuitton, lvmh, seoul, south korea, travel retail

LVMH Poised To Take Over Hermes?

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Wealth, Luxury Shopping

"If you are friendly, you will withdraw Mr. Arnault" - a statement recently made by Hermes Group board to LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault. Recently LVMH acquired a full 17 percent of Hermes stock, signaling a possible move to take over the popular family-owned luxury brand. Hermes is one of the last remaining family-owned major luxury brands, most are part of larger groups such as LVMH and the Richemont Group. LVMH is said to be the largest luxury group in the world.

After acquiring the large stake in Hermes, LVMH announced that it did not have current intentions to take over Hermes. Hermes has made it very clear that they do not wish to be part of a large luxury group - a move that would fundamentally change how the brand is run and operated. Hermes seems to be dedicated to remaining independent, which is understandable given the massive changes that occur when large groups take over such brands.

The good name of Hermes would benefit LVMH that already has names such as Louis Vuitton - arguably a direct competitor of Hermes. With Hermes under its belt, LVHM would have more ammo to fight the Richemont Group - which is arguably its largest competitor. At issue are a range of products such as leather goods, lifestyle products, clothing, watches, jewelry, and more.

While LVMH seems clear in their dis-intent to take over Hermes completely at this time, the act of buying 17 percent of the stock is not without meaning. LVMH likely wants to prevent other groups from taking the brand over, and may also be planning out ways of engaging in a future friendly or hostile take over. Hermes family members are said to retain about 73 percent of all Hermes shares. So LVMH would have to negotiate the family members directly in order to pursue such a takeover - who have special rights associated with Hermes bylaws in order to prevent hostile takeover attempts. Stay tuned in the next year or so to see what becomes of this potential take over attempt.

Via Reuters.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: Hermes, LVMH, shares, stock, take over, takeover

LVMH Picks Up A Share Of Hermes

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Shopping

Luxury conglomerate LVMH has gobbled up a piece of the desirable luxury brand Hermes. The Financial Times reported that LVMH announced that they purchased 15,016,000 shares of Hermès International, a 14.2 percent of the share capital of the company. Through various other actions the company plans to increase its share to 17.1 percent. In the announcement LVMH was very careful to state that its goal is not to take over control of the company or even sit on the Board. The announcement states that the objective of LVMH is to be a "long-term shareholder" and to"contribute to the preservation of the family and French attributes which are at the heart of the global success of this iconic brand."

Still, there is reason to be concerned, often when a company takes a piece of another company it's often a prelude to takeover. And while the share is relatively modest at this point, footholds have a tendency of growing with time. Even in this uncertain luxury climate Hermes has continued to thrive making it a hot commodity. LVMH got to be LVMH by absorbing a variety of previously family-owned businesses, there's no guarantee that Hermes might not someday be one of them.

Tags: hermes, Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy, lvmh

Luxe Goods Giant LVMH Seeing Better Times

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Shopping

LVMH, the world's leading luxury retailer and marketer of such as brands as Dom Perignon and Dior, said its sales so far this year have risen sharply, driven largely by Asia and by demand for champagne.

The strong performance from LVMH, and its top-branded products under the Louis Vuitton name, is in line with other luxury marketers since the beginning of the year, indicating that spending in the luxury sectors has returned in earnest.

LVMH said its sales rose 23.6 percent in the third quarter and were up 19 percent at 14.2 billion euros (19.9 billion dollars) for the nine months to September compared with the same period in 2009.

The Fashion and Leather goods division was the biggest earner, with nine-month sales of 5.46 billion euros up 20 percent, following by Selective Retailing with sales of 3.71 billion euros, up 17 percent.

Wines and Spirits jumped 22 percent to 2.15 billion euros.
LVMH said the "excellent performance" in the nine months confirmed its confidence for full-year 2010.

LVMH counts among its brands, Givenchy and Guerlain perfumes, as well as Moet and Chandon, Glenmorangie and Ardbeg Scotch whiskies.

LVMH's shares are up 41% so far this year.

Tags: ardbeg, givenchy, glenmorangie, guerlain, LVMH, moet and chandon

Louis Vuitton Closes Paris Stories Early To Save Bags For Christmas

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Handbags

Louis Vuitton is taking some unusual steps to preserve its stocks for the coming holiday shopping. Reuters reports that the luxury brand will be closing its Parisian stores an hour early from now through December 1 to slow down the depletion of its luxury handbags and other leather goods before the pre-Christmas rush. The Parisian stores are a magnet for Japanese, Chinese and Russian buyers interested in picking up the latest styles. The bags are often cheaper in Paris than they would be in their home country's stores. The article says that Vuitton boutiques within department stores Bon Marche, Printemps Haussmann and Galeries Lafayette will not be affected.

Tags: louis vuitton, lvmh, paris boutiques, vuitton, vuitton handbags

New Tailored Clothing from Thomas Pink for Fall

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Men's Style

LVMH-owned London shirtmakers and haberdashers Thomas Pink are expanding their tailoring offerings this fall with a natty new collection of wool and tweed jackets, coats and accessories. The collection takes inspiration from great British sporting events where the country's rich heritage remains in full force. Vintage motoring, bicycling and horse racing all contribute influences to a collection full of color, detail and verve. The move is fitting as the firm's name comes from an 18th century London tailor known for making sought-after foxhunting jackets. They're offering classic covert cloth wool coats with velvet collars in navy and brown windowpane; Harris tweed jackets in salt and pepper and a green and pink windowpane; a corduroy sportcoat with contrast stitching (above); a green tweed shawl collar sweater; and tweed driving caps to match. Of course there's also a wide variety of Pink's signature shirts, silk ties and pocket squares in a variety of styles and fabrics.

Gallery: Thomas Pink Autumn / Winter 2010

Tags: foxhunting, horse racing, London, LVMH, mens style, shirts, sporting, Thomas Pink, ties, tweed

The Classicist: Hennessy and Berluti Create the Ultimate Cognac Experience

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Shoes, Men's Style, The Classicist

Famed French cognac maker Hennessy, the world's oldest cognac house, has unveiled a $23,000 limited edition XO Mathusalem bottling in a bespoke leather trunk by famed shoemaker Berluti. The two luxe brands, both part of the LVMH luxury goods empire, teamed up to create the ultimate cognac experience; only 150 pieces will be made most of which will be sold in Asia and Russia. The XO Mathusalem comes in a six liter (1.6 gallon) hand-blown crystal decanter, originally designed for Hennessy by the Marquis de Geoffre in 1947 for Hennessy; each bottle has its edition number engraved upon it. Designed by Olga Berluti (the fourth generation of the Berluti family) every Hennessy Mathusalem by Berluti chest is signed by her. She based her design for the chest on a 400-year-old salt box she had inherited from her parents – a Venetian tradition whereby such boxes are presented to newlyweds who toss the salt over their shoulders for luck.

Etched with engravings and ancient maps, as a symbol of the treasured cognac contained within, the handmade chest features a crocodile-motif clasp and is designed to store a collection of watches or other precious objects and be handed down as an heirloom. "We wanted to create something that will remain beyond the sharing of the cognac," Hennessy chairman and CEO Bernard Peillon said at the chest's recent unveiling in China. "The chest and cognac become something very personal. Once you finish the bottle, you can keep the memory of it. Olga wanted to create something special that tells the story of her growing up in Venice and her family building gondolas. You can say it's a work of art. We like the poetry of it and the romanticism in Berluti's personal story." Each chest takes 70 hours to build and inside each one is a catenella, a wooden element found in Venetian gondolas upon which is carved the gondolier's initials and the boatyard's hallmark. A certificate of ownership accompanies each trunk as well.

Gallery: Hennessy Mathusalem by Berluti

Tags: Berluti, bespoke, brandy, cognac, crystal, decanter, france, Hennessy, leather, LVMH, trunk, Venice

Continue reading “The Classicist: Hennessy and Berluti Create the Ultimate Cognac Experience”

LVMH Chief Bernard Arnault Is France's Richest Man

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wealth

Bernard Arnault, the founder, chairman, and CEO of LVMH, the luxury goods conglomerate which includes Louis Vuitton, Dior, Fendi, Dom Pérignon, Hublot and more, has been named France's richest man in a new ranking by business magazine Challenges, following a 55% increase in his net worth.

Arnault's fortune is estimated at $28.6 billion, exclusive of personal property holdings including works of art, cars, boats and planes. Arnault bested last year's winner, Auchan supermarket owner Gérard Mulliez, for the top spot, while Liliane Bettencourt, the L'Oreal heiress and one of the world's richest women, came in third and enjoyed a 40% rise in net worth in the past year to $18 billion.

Tags: Bernard Arnault, billionaire, Dior, Dom Pérignon, France, Hublot, Louis Vuitton, LVMH

Louis Vuitton Takes London With Massive New Flagship

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Events

In a bold recession-defying move, Louis Vuitton just opened a massive new flagship store in London, it most luxurious yet rivaling its famed Paris property on the Champs Elysées. Designed by New York-based architect Peter Marino, who also worked on the Paris store, its most eye-catching feature is a two-story wall of trunks from various decades showcasing the Vuitton tradition of working in leather, alongside a glass and LED staircase. The 15,000-sq.-ft. store is designed to reflect the 21st century mood of London and bring together innovation, heritage and fashion - "all values that are important to Louis Vuitton," Yves Carcelle, Vuitton's chairman and CEO, told the London Telegraph.

Marino conceived the store as the home of a world-class Vuitton collector and connoisseur. The ground floor is devoted to Vuitton accessories and features original artworks from artists like Richard Prince and Takashi Murakami who have collaborated with the famed French luxury goods house in the past. The first floor is devoted to womenswear and shoes, and also houses a library of coffee table books. The store's second floor is a private client suite accessible only by invitation, for celebrities and VIPs, while menswear is located on the lower ground floor. Celebs attending the star-studded opening of the new store included Gwyneth Paltrow, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Macpherson, Gemma Arterton and Thandie Newton.

Gallery: Louis Vuitton's New London Flagship

Tags: architecture, boutiqe, coffee table books, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kirsten Dunst, London, Louis Vuitton, luggage, luxury goods, LVMH, Peter Marino, Richard Prince, store, Takashi Murakami, trunk

Krug Champagne Recovers Unique Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

All Rolls-Royces are special, to paraphrase George Orwell, but some are more special than others. Take this 1979 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II, for example. In 1984, Krug Champagne acquired the vehicle and had it retrofitted to the form you see here: an extended-roof panel van/shooting brake, with two seats up front and two refrigerators in the back.

Decked out in white and burgundy with Krug's crest and more chrome than a Google developers' conference, the winery – now part of the Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy group – sold the vehicle a number of years ago, but has since relocated it and acquired it anew. The unique, one-of-a-kind Rolls will be displayed at the House of Krug in Reims, Champagne-Ardenne, France.

Gallery: 1979 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II Krug Champagne panel van

Tags: 1979 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II, 1979 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II Krug Champagne panel van, champagne, house of krug, krug, krug champagne, Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy, Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy, lvmh, rolls royce, rolls-royce, silver shadow

LVMH to Open New Luxury Hotels

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

cheval blanc hotel
Luxury Goods conglomerate LVMH, owner of Louis Vuitton, plans to open a series of new luxury hotels starting in Oman and Egypt. The hotels will incorporate LVMH brands such as Vuitton and Dior boutiques and Givenchy spas. The company has created LVMH Hotel Management to "oversee the group's activities in the luxury hotel sector" and "maximize the value of its brands". The two new hotels, named Cheval Blanc after one of LVMH's famed Bordeaux vineyards, are slated to open in 2012. The move follows the successful 2006 opening of the LVMH-backed Cheval Blanc hotel in Courchevel, France (above). The Maison Cheval Blanc in Oman is sited on the 11 square- kilometer island of Al Sodah and will include 32 private villas. The development in Egypt is on the private island of Amoun in Aswan and will include about 40 suites overlooking the Nile. LVMH notes that "other projects are currently under study in exceptional destinations". The company won't own the real estate or finance construction, but will instead run the resorts under management contract.

Source

Tags: Cheval Blanc, Courchevel, Dior, Egypt, Givenchy, hotel, Louis Vuitton, LVMH, Nile, Oman

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