Sales boom at luxury shoes and suitmaker Berluti
Star appeal: Actress Zendaya in a monochrome gray Berluti suit
What make of shoes does Bernard Arnault wear?
It shouldn't surprise you to learn that Arnault, boss of the £300 billion luxury goods giant LVMH and the world's richest man, prefers the footwear created by one of his houses, Berluti.
Berluti has been owned by LVMH since 1993. Sales at its UK arm rose 15 per cent to £12.4 million in 2023 while profits increased 36 per cent to £763,000.
The company said it 'continues showing great strength and achieved an increase in its turnover' despite a year of 'continued economic and political volatility with ongoing Russia-Ukraine war'.
The brand's sneakers cost about £1,300. A pair of elegant loafers – which are more Arnault's style – retail at about £2,000.
It takes 50 hours to craft these shoes, carrying on a tradition that began in 1895 when Italian cabinet-maker Alessandro Berluti rocked up in Paris with the ambition to diversify into footwear.
Non-billionaires wear Berluti too. As well as shoes, the business also specialises in ready-to-wear and bespoke suiting for men but also for women, including actress Zendaya, star of Dune.
The 1,500 French Olympic and Paralympic athletes will be dressed by Berluti for the Opening Ceremonies of the Games in Paris, with jackets inspired by the classic tuxedo.
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Should they succeed in winning medals, they will also be wearing another product from LVMH, one of the main sponsors to the Games.
The medals for all the events have been fashioned by jeweller Chaumet, another historic LVMH house. Each contains a piece of the Eiffel Tower, retained from a repair to the monument.
Berluti is led by Jean-Marc Mansvelt who took over at the start of this year from Antoine Arnault, Bernard's oldest son. Antoine is credited with the ascent of Berluti from shoemaker into global menswear brand. He is now head of communications and image at LVMH and chairman of the Loro Piana cashmere brand.
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