What is Bernard Arnault’s net worth? Who’s who in the Arnault family?
Introduction
Bernard Arnault, dubbed the “Pope of Fashion,” is a French businessman who oversees the LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy) empire of 75 fashion and cosmetics brands, including Tag Heuer, Dior, Sephora, Tiffany & Co, and Louis Vuitton.
Biography
He was born on March 5, 1949, in Roubaix, France, as Bernard Jean Étienne Arnault.
He graduated from the École Polytechnique in Paris.
His father made a small fortune in construction.
In 1979, Bernard succeeded his father as president of the company.
In 1984, Arnault bought (with the help of Antoine Bernheim) the Boussac Saint-Frères empire, a famous (but bankrupt) French conglomerate. Boussac hand under its umbrella The House of Dior.
After he bought Boussac, Arnault laid off 9,000 workers in about two years.
July 07, 1989 – @Getty
In 1987, Arnault joined forces with Louis Vuitton’s president to form LVMH.
In early 1989, he was unanimously elected chairman of LVMH.
In 1993, LVMH acquired Kenzo and Berluti.
In 2011, he announced the acquisition of 50.4% of the Italian jeweler Bulgari.
Rihanna, Delphine Arnault, and Bernard Arnault attend the Louis Vuitton Menswear Spring/Summer 2019 show – @Getty
In 2014, he built the Fondation Louis Vuitton.
In 2021, LVMH acquired Tiffany & Co for $15.8 billion.
In 2023, he donated $16 million to the Louvre Museum in Paris to acquire an 18th-century painting by Jean Siméon Chardin.
“We are delighted to support its acquisition by the Louvre,” said Jean-Paul Claverie, an advisor to Arnault.
Wife
In 1973, he married his first wife, Anne Dewavrin. They divorced in 1990.
Bernard Arnault and his wife Anne Dewavrin at the Christian Lacroix show, Haute-Couture, Spring-Summer 1994 Collection in Paris – @Getty
Bernard and Anne have two children:
- Delphine – she was appointed the CEO of Christian Dior in January 2023;
- Antoine Arnault – he is the head of communication and image at LVMH.
Second Marriage
In 1991, Bernard Arnault married Canadian concert pianist Hélène Mercier.
Hélène Mercier, Bernard Arnault, and Charlize Theron at the Dior fashion show in Shanghai, China, May 15, 2010 – @Getty
The two first met in October 1990 at a friend’s home.
They have three sons:
- Jean – he is the director of marketing at Louis Vuitton;
- Frédéric – he is the CEO of LVMH Watches;
- Alexandre – he is the EVP of product and communications at Tiffany & Co.
Bernard Arnault – Net Worth
So, how much is Bernard Arnault worth?
Hélène Mercier and Bernard Arnault attend as Tiffany & Co. Celebrates the reopening of NYC Flagship store – 2023 – @Getty
Arnault earned most of his wealth from owning a 48.6% stake in LVMH. The company has a market cap of $389.09 billion.
Some of the brands owned by LVMH include — Givenchy, Louis Vuitton, Fenty Beauty by Rihanna, Dior, Dom Pérignon, Tiffany & Co., Cheval Blanc, Moët & Chandon, Belvedere, and Sephora.
In 2021, Arnault sold a 5.7% stake in the French supermarket chain Carrefour.
In 2023, LVMH generated a record of €86.2 billion in revenue with a net profit of €15 billion.
In 2024, LVMH has invested in 5 AI startups.
In the summer of 2024, Arnault forced his board to extend the retirement age for its chairman and CEO from 75 to 80.
“Every morning I have fun when I arrive,” Arnault told Bloomberg.
Therefore, Bernard Arnault has an estimated net worth of $230 billion.
“I always liked being number one,” he said in 2019.
Real estate
Bernard Arnault and his wife Helene, pose with their children Frederic Arnault, Delphine Arnault, Antoine Arnault and Alexandre Arnault – June 21, 2021 in Paris – @Getty
Arnault owns a historic mansion in Paris, which is worth about $200 million.
In 2022, he bought Casa degli Atellani — Leonardo Da Vinci’s vineyard in Milan.
In 2023, LVMH acquired a property in East Hampton for $22 million.
He also owns a mansion in Beverly Hills, California, which is valued at $84 million. The Beverly Hills mansion was custom-designed by Marmol Radziner.
Airplane
Bernard Arnault on board his private jet between Beijing and Shanghai – @Getty
In 2022, Arnault sold his Bombardier 7500 (worth $73 million) to stop people from tracking it on X. According to Bloomberg, the CEO of LVMH said he now rents planes whenever he flies private.
“No one can see where I go because I rent planes when I use private planes,” he said.
Yacht
Arnault, the owner of the Symphony yacht — a stunning 333-foot luxury yacht that was built at the renowned Royal Van Lent Shipyard.
The yacht was the first Feadship to cross the 100-metre threshold. It ranks in the top 50 of the biggest yachts in the world.
The superyacht had a cost of $150 million. Katia Damborsky wrote about the yacht on Instagram.
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I am Bulgarea Candin Stefan, and I founded FamousPeopleToday.com in 2018. I’m using my bachelor’s degree in economics and 9 years of experience in blogging to guide millions of people through the incredibly complex world of celebrity net worths.