Alexandre Arnault

SUMMARY

The son of LVMH chairman Bernard Arnault , Alexandre Arnault is one of fashion’s youngest chief executives. At just 25 years old he led luxury luggage brand Rimowa. The brand was influential in propelling LVMH’s digital strategy forward through its collaborations with Supreme, Off-White’s Virgil Abloh and Fendi, and it was later acquired by LVMH. In 2021, Arnault joined LVMH acquisition Tiffany & Co. as executive vice president of product and communications.

BIOGRAPHY

Alexandre Arnault was born on 9th October 1992, in Paris, France into one of the wealthiest and most influential families in the luxury goods industry as his father, Bernard Arnault, led LVMH, the world’s largest luxury conglomerate. Alexandre demonstrated an early interest in business and his academic path reflected this passion. He studied at the École Polytechnique, a leading French engineering school, before moving to the United States to earn a Master of Science in Management from Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Alexandre’s career began outside of his father’s direct business circle. After completing his studies, he joined the luxury luggage brand, Rimowa, in 2014 and became a key figure in Rimowa’s digital transformation, pushing the brand to focus on modern design and e-commerce. Alexandre’s sharp business acumen helped Rimowa reposition itself as a digitally savvy luxury brand, which contributed to its acquisition by LVMH in October 2016.

In October 2016 LVMH announced that it would acquire an 80 percent stake in suitcase maker Rimowa for an estimated €673.6 million, confirming that Arnault would be appointed co-chief executive upon completion of the transaction, helming the German luxury brand alongside Dieter Morszeck. Upon his official appointment in January 2017, Arnault confirmed plans to open seven stores in addition to the Parisian flagship over the course of the year.

Following LVMH’s acquisition of Tiffany & Co. in 2019, Arnault joined the American luxury jewellery giant. At Tiffany, Alexandre was tasked with overseeing its transformation and digitalization efforts, focusing on e-commerce and social media to reach a broader audience. Per Forbes: “Under Arnault’s leadership, Tiffany & Co.’s revenues rose, reportedly making it the biggest contributor to LVMH’s growth, and the brand revamped its flagship store located on Fifth Avenue in New York.”

Alexander Arnault is also in the news for his celebrity friendships. At Tiffany, he collaborated with Beyoncé, with whom he launched the Tiffany “About Love” campaign in 2021. Beyoncé wore the brand’s iconic 128-carat yellow diamond, making her the first Black woman to wear it. She also wore custom Tiffany & Co. designs on her Renaissance World Tourand attended Arnault’s wedding in 2021. Other celebrities Arnault has tapped for Tiffany & Co. collaborations include Kendrick Lamar, who wore a diamond crown of thorns on the cover for his 2022 album, ‘Mr Morale & The Big Steppers’.

His body of work at both Rimowa and Tiffany demonstrates his ability to bring traditional luxury brands into the 21st century. And his leadership is seen as integral to the future of LVMH’s digital presence and global market expansion. Alexandre Arnault has a significant presence on social media platforms. His ability to combine traditional luxury with modern digital strategies has made him a key figure in shaping the future of global luxury consumption. His impact on the luxury sector, particularly in driving the digitalisation of high-end brands, positions him as one of the leading young figures in the luxury industry.

WILL HE BE THE LVMH HIER?

There has been increasing speculation regarding who will succeed Bernard Arnault, 75, in leading his conglomerate, as he has yet to reveal any clear succession plans. Arnault has not confirmed whether one of his children will take over, telling the New York Times, “It’s not an obligation, nor inevitable, that a kid is my successor,” adding that the “best person, whether inside or outside the family, should eventually become my successor.” To prevent potential conflicts among his heirs, Arnault reportedly set up a new holding company last year, with control divided equally among his five children.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Despite his relatively young age, Alexandre Arnault has received accolades for his business acumen. His innovative approach at Rimowa and Tiffany has made him one of the most influential figures in the luxury sector. Alexandre was named one of the “30 under 30” by Forbes in 2019, recognising his leadership in the luxury goods sector. Within LVMH, Alexandre’s leadership in the acquisition and transformation of Tiffany & Co. is seen as one of the most successful deals in LVMH’s history.

REFERENCES

1. “The Arnault clan or the factory of heirs [archive]” Le Monde
2. “AT 24 YEARS OLD, ALEXANDRE ARNAULT BECOMES THE BOSS OF THE LAST LVMH NUGGET [archive]“, BFM Business, 
3. “Alexandre Arnault, dans les traces de papa [archive]” surlecho.be
4. “Alexandre Arnault | L’héritier entre dans le vif du sujet [archive]” L’Ech
5. “Repertory of Engineers and Scientists | IESF Directory [archive]” repertoire.iesf.fr
6. “Louis Vuitton boss Bernard Arnault is only the 3rd person to be worth $200 billion – and his 5 kids are all Nepo babies [archive]“, on Insider
7. “With Rimowa, LVMH offers the German luggage Rolls” lesechos.fr (
8. “At 24, Alexandre Arnault becomes the boss of the last LVMH nugget [archive]” BFM Business 
9. “The fabulous Christmas donation of Bernard Arnault to his children [archive]” capital.fr
10. “The three lessons to be learned from the acquisition of Rimowa by LVMH challenges
11. “Arnault Jr gets a grip on German baggage maker [archive]“, financial times
12. “LVMH shake-up marks generational shift in power [archive]”  financial times
13. “La mise au net: A 24 years old, Alexandre Arnault becomes the boss of the last acquisition of LVMH – 05/10 [archive]” BFM
14. “LVMH Big Guns Come Out for Alexandre Arnault’s WWD 
15. “Rimowa Fetes First Store in Milan [archive] WWD