Antoine Arnault is officially a knight. In recognition of his 24-year career, the LVMH communications, image and environment director was awarded the Légion d’Honneur as part of a special promotion related to the Olympic Games published on Thursday morning in the Journal Officiel of the French Republic. (There are two annual promotions: 1 January and 14 July but on the occasion of important commemorations or events, special promotions may be published).
The Légion d’Honneur is France’s highest distinction, rewarding those whose activities “benefit the general interests of the nation”. Bernard Arnault’s eldest son has held luxury roles that have offered him wide command of the industry, from communication and branding to growing a luxury house (Berluti) and overseeing the conglomerate’s central operations.
Antoine Arnault was CEO of Berluti, LVMH’s only standalone menswear label, between 2012 and late 2023 (he remains chairman of Berluti), and he has also been chairman of Loro Piana since LVMH acquired it in 2013. Alongside this role, he sits on the board of directors of LVMH. He has also served as chief executive of the family holding company Christian Dior SE since December 2022.
He was director of communications of Louis Vuitton between 2007 and 2011, where he notably launched the “core values” campaigns starring the likes of Sean Connery, Angelina Jolie, Mikhail Gorbachev and Keith Richards (the “core values” campaign still continues and reunited Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in 2024).
Since 2018, Arnault has been overseeing all of the group’s communications and environmental issues since 2018. One of his most significant accomplishments in the role thus far was striking the deal with the Paris Olympics committee for LVMH to be one of the main sponsors. LVMH’s large-scale sponsorship of the Paris Olympics “had a great impact”, Bernard Arnault noted at the group’s annual earnings conference on Tuesday. The LVMH chief praised the team and his son Antoine, who “enabled us to showcase our brands quite amazingly”. (It was maximum exposure for LVMH and its two largest fashion houses: Celine Dion performed Édith Piaf’s ‘Hymne à l’Amour’ at the opening ceremony in a white silk Dior gown; Lady Gaga also performed in Dior, and a scene featured the making of the medals trunk in the Louis Vuitton ateliers as well as its journey from the Pont Neuf to the Trocadéro.)
Antoine also led the family’s acquisition of football team Paris FC announced in November, marking the first time the family threw his hat in the ring of the popular sport. LVMH also stressed in its latest annual earnings release that the group is “two years ahead of [its environmental programme’s] schedule” and is likely to announce new plans soon.
His sister, Delphine Arnault, who is chairman and CEO of Dior, was also made a knight of the Légion d’Honneur as part of the promotion of 1 January 2025.
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