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TMD 402G The Future of Fashion
Luxury Wars: The LVMH and Gucci Merger Kerry
Morris |
Summary
by Tiffany Webber-Hanchett
The battle for control between luxury goods giant LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton and Gucci is complex and filled with high drama. In her presentation, Kerry Morris explained the history of the French luxury goods conglomerate LVMH and the quest for control by its leader Bernard Arnault. LVMH, which grossed $85 billion in 2000, represents the most refined quality of luxury goods including wine and spirits, fashion and leather goods, cosmetics and perfume, and accessories. Arnault, whose estimated worth is $12.6 billion, began building up the company less than twenty years ago with the takeover of Christian Dior and Givenchy. Arnault has spent $1.5 billion to acquire fifteen other companies including Jil Sander, Prada, Fendi, and Helmut Lang. As Morris pointed out, Arnault plans to stay on top and expand the empire with the acquisition of Italian and American companies.
To
make inroads into the Italian market, Arnault staked a claim in the Gucci
fashion empire, with the hope that the two companies would merge. In 1999, LVMH
claimed 34 percent of Gucci’s stock. This subtle takeover started the battle
for control between Arnault and Gucci’s leader Domenico De Sole. Although De
Sole expressed interest in negotiating with Arnault, he took Arnault to court to
limit LVMH’s activity in Gucci’s stock. Over the next few years, the battle
continued in Dutch, French, and American courts, and, at one point, De Sole
claimed he was never interested in merging with LVMH. Also in 1999,
Pinault-Printemps-Redoute staked a 40 percent claim in Gucci, thus making LVMH
the second largest shareholder in the company behind PPR. Arnault wanted this
move overturned, but LVMH remains in second place.
Is
the battle over? Not quite. Morris speculated about the impact of the possible
LVMH-Gucci merger on the fashion industry. The two-fold purpose of the merger is
to increase LVMH’s size and decrease competition. Morris noted that the merger
also has a nationalistic side to it in that both French and Italian consumers
would be satisfied to buy from the French/Italian conglomerate. Meanwhile,
Arnault has his sights set on Giorgio Armani and Donna Karan. Arnault
established factories in Italy for Donna Karan, and Karan accepted Arnault’s
$243 million cash bid for her company, thus making DKNY a worldwide luxury line.
LVMH, known for combining tradition and innovation, represents fashion business of the future, which involves buyouts and takeovers. Morris referred to these actions as near monopolistic, claiming that the 60 billion-dollar conglomerate with increasing acquisitions has hold of the best designers and raw materials. Furthermore, designers have more chances to succeed merging with an empire such as LVMH rather than flying solo.