On the Verge of Bank- Ruptcy, Has Roared Back to Become One of the Most Highly Valued Companies on the Planet
APPLAUDING ALBER UMA THURMAN AND GIAMBATTISTA VALLI WERE AMONG FERRAGAMO THOSE SALUTING ALBER ELBAZ AT BARNEYS NEW YORK ON HIS EXPANDS 10TH ANNIVERSARY AT LANVIN. ON FIFTH. PAGE 9 PAGE 12 LUXURY 101 Arnault Preaches A Long-Term View By MILES SOCHA PARIS — Fifty years from now, will people still be using WWD iPhones? Who knows, but luxury titan Bernard Arnault is certain they’ll still be sipping Dom Perignon. Addressing back-to-back shareholders’ meetings FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 2012 Q WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY Q $3.00 for LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior SA, Arnault lobbed that analogy as he discussed the importance of taking a long-term perspective in business — and innovating constantly — especially amidst foggy economic circumstances. “It is we who create the future of our business,” Arnault said in an upbeat, at times professorial ad- dress that held an audience numbering more than 1,000 rapt in a vast hall at the Carrousel du Louvre here. “It’s not what we will do today, but what we will do in 10 to 15 years.” Arnault trumpeted that 2011 was another “vintage” year for LVMH, with profits from continuing opera- tions advancing 22 percent to 5.26 billion euros, or $7.1 billion, outpacing the growth in sales, up 16 percent to 23.66 billion euros, or $32.94 billion, as reported. LVMH’s chairman and chief executive officer said he expects the good times to continue rolling, noting that business in the first quarter was better than the fourth quarter of 2011, when sales advanced 20.4 per- cent to 7.35 billion euros, or $9.92 billion.
[Show full text]