• Jennifer Lawrence Threatens to Leave Instagram Over Negative Comments

  Jennifer Lawrence has barely joined Instagram and is already threatening to leave the platform if fans start posting toxic or negative comments...

• 86-Year-Old Ralph Lauren Alarms Fans With Frail Appearance at New York Fashion Week

  The legendary designer unveiled his new collection in Manhattan, with numerous stars in attendance, including Viola Davis, Elizabeth Debicki and Cynthia Erivo...

• “Colonel Vodka” and His Wife Instead of a Deputy Secretary: Discontent With Pete Hegseth Is Growing at the Pentagon

  In his HOWL newsletter, Wolff writes that the steady stream of leaks from the Pentagon is linked to Hegseth’s growing unpopularity both within the Defense Department and the White House...

• Melania Trump Defends Husband’s Aide Amid Rumors of Her “Special Relationship” With the President

  U.S. First Lady Melania Trump’s team has come to the defense of Natalie Harp amid heightened attention surrounding the White House aide’s close relationship with President Donald Trump...

• Princess Diana’s Legendary “Revenge Dress” to Go Under the Hammer: Iconic Gown Expected to Fetch Up to $300,000

  Princess Diana’s famous black dress, which went down in history as the “revenge dress,” is set to go under the hammer once again — and this time, the iconic gown could fetch a six-figure sum...

• Brooks Nader Went Topless in Front of Her Father on a Family Vacation: “He Didn’t Even Notice”

  Brooks Nader has no regrets about deciding to go topless in front of her father while swimming and is unfazed by those who criticized her for it...

• Kendall Jenner Expands Her Business Empire: Model Takes Stake in $200 Million Calming Drinks Brand

  Kendall Jenner has expanded her business empire by acquiring a stake in Trip, a calming drinks brand valued at $200 million...

• Bruce Willis’ Wife Opens Up About His Dementia Battle: “We Live in a Constant State of Grief”

  Bruce Willis’ family continues to learn how to live with his devastating diagnosis. The actor’s wife, Emma Heming Willis, has revealed that they are living in a “constant state of grief” as they care for the 71-year-old star, who has frontotemporal dementia (FTD)...

For the past twelve years, Bernard Arnault—mastermind and head of the LVMH conglomerate (owner of Dior, Louis Vuitton, and Tiffany), architect of the modern luxury industry, and Europe’s wealthiest man—has been trying to soften his public image. Or at least round it out to counter the narrative portraying him as a rapacious capitalist wringing family-run heritage brands and their creative leaders dry, The New York Times reports.

He spent hundreds of millions of dollars on the Fondation Louis Vuitton museum in the Bois de Boulogne, which will ultimately be his gift to Paris, and served as a major sponsor for the 2024 Olympic Games. He began emphasizing the vast amounts of taxes he pays and the hundreds of thousands of jobs he creates. He even granted the occasional rare interview. Yet none of it seemed to work.

Whenever his name was mentioned in the press, it was still accompanied by descriptors like "cold," "ruthless," and "inscrutable," not to mention nicknames like "the wolf in cashmere," "the Terminator," and "the Machiavelli of finance."

As it turned out, all he really needed was an account on X.

Self-Deprecation as the Ultimate Weapon

More specifically, what he needed was a somewhat self-deprecating three-page open letter titled "Thank You," which the LVMH press office posted on X. The letter was his response to a high-profile, six-part investigative series by Le Monde focused on the Arnault family, his five children, succession plans, political connections, and business strategy.

Rather than accusing the journalists of inaccuracies, Arnault simply poked fun at details presented as "gotcha" revelations (such as rumors that he forces visitors wearing Hermès ties to change clothes, comments about his employees' trim figures, or family lunches). The move transformed scandal into satire and showcased a quality no one had ever associated with Arnault before: a sense of humor.

Almost overnight, Arnault went from an empire-minded corporate automaton to a relatable human being.

To date, the post has garnered nearly 8 million views. Praise flooded in from across the spectrum: billionaire investor Bill Ackman urged his followers to read it, British politician Nadhim Zahawi called it a "tour de force," and cultural critic Louis Pisano dubbed it "sassy." Arnault momentarily became a hero to both the corporate elite and fashion’s social media chattering class—two worlds that rarely intersect.

A Debut at Age 77

The reaction was so overwhelmingly positive that Arnault took an even more uncharacteristic step: on July 27, at age 77, he created his own personal account on X and addressed everyone who supported his letter:

"I was deeply touched by the many messages you sent me following my open letter to Le Monde. I wanted to thank each and every one of you, directly and personally, here on X."

That post has already surpassed 11.5 million views.

According to Antoine Arnault, Bernard’s eldest son and LVMH’s head of image (a position created in 2018 specifically to address public perception), the idea for both the letter and joining X came entirely from his father.

It marks a major pivot for an executive who historically almost never responded to press criticism unless it came from a rival in the heat of a takeover battle.

A Lesson for the Luxury World

In this strategic pivot lies a vital lesson for the luxury sector, long accustomed to building its aura on mystique, rigid control, and a total reluctance to pull back the velvet curtain. By proving he could laugh at himself in a snarky, internet-savvy fashion, Arnault let his guard down and allowed himself to appear human.

Perfection and sterility are qualities the fashion world traditionally strove for, but there is a fine line between magic and manipulation—and luxury consumers are growing tired of the latter. Amid slowing sales and mounting pushback, the industry is clearly due for an image rehab, and it might want to take notes from Bernard Arnault.

Follow NEWS.am STYLE on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram