I was reading a private forum of luxury shoppers sharing experiences about the current SA approach to customers — no queues, where there used to be long ones all the time, emphasized politeness, and a willingness to offer even the stars from the sky (I don’t approve of an overly servile approach, where the consultant has to look up to the client. Any imbalance, in either direction, rarely results in a long-term loyal relationship).
But what made me smile was someone pointing out the different approaches of Hermès, Louis Vuitton, and Loewe.
And yet, they all belong to LVMH,
— the luxury consumer concluded.
Bernard Arnault probably wouldn’t mind that statement (if you remember one of his rare failures — his attempt to take over Hermès in the 2010s). However, Axel Dumas would likely be quite offended, judging by his interview with the Financial Times, which I referenced in one of the issues of 2Jour Gazette. In it, he expressed disdain for any comparisons with LouisVuitton.
When I wrote some time ago about why brands tend to focus on brand names rather than putting creative directors in the spotlight and mentioned that —
If you were to ask shoppers leaving Dior, Louis Vuitton, or Hermès stores who the current creative director is, you’d likely hear answers like “Mr. Dior, Mr. Vuitton, or Mr. Hermès.”
— it seems the statement was very right x
*2Jour Gazette referencing the interview with Axel Dumas (the first mention of Hermes venture into haute couture was made there) is here.
**The newest edition of 2Jour Gazette is out in a week. Stay tuned.