New Book Takes a Critical Look at LVMH Patriarch Bernard Arnault
Bernard Arnault, the architect of the LVMH Group and one of the defining figures of the luxury industry, is the subject of a critical examination in a biography published on Wednesday.
The book, titled “Bernard Arnault, son univers impitoyable” (“Bernard Arnault, His Ruthless World”), was written by Audrey Millet, who holds a Ph.D. in economic and social history. The author specializes in the history of fashion and the fashion industry and has already written numerous works on this subject.
Millet traces Bernard Arnault’s career—from his childhood in Roubaix, where his parents ran a construction company, to his rise to become one of the richest people in the world. In June 2026, Bloomberg estimated the Arnault family’s net worth at 162 billion U.S. dollars.
The book was published by La Tribu. In its promotional text, the publisher describes the story as one of the “most spectacular French success stories” and promises “a thousand sources, revealing insights, and unprecedented testimonies—from the working-class neighborhoods of the north to the highest echelons of government”—to shed light on the “ruthless world of Bernard Arnault.”
Arnault’s extraordinary career is highlighted in particular. The publisher notes that during his military training in 1970, the future entrepreneur—then a recent graduate of the École Polytechnique—was deemed by the French Army to be “unsuitable for a position of responsibility” and “lacking in assertiveness.” Five decades later, he heads a conglomerate with more than 200,000 employees and 75 luxury brands.
Arnault’s apparently good relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump is also discussed. The publisher writes: “At Donald Trump’s second inauguration, Bernard Arnault was the only European business leader present and, in the absence of Emmanuel Macron, held the status of a head of state.” Arnault is said to be one of those oligarchs, “the new rulers of a world in which billionaires are more powerful than nations themselves.”
The online platform Fashion Network also reports on alleged pressure from Arnault’s inner circle on the publishing house La Tribu, which is part of the Les Nouveaux Éditeurs publishing group. François-Henri Pinault, chairman of the luxury conglomerate Kering, also holds a stake in this group through the Artémis holding company.
“I can tell you that the pressure was intense,” publisher Julia Pavlowitch is quoted as saying. At the same time, she emphasizes: “This book is a free publication by an independent publisher, in no way influenced by its shareholders. It is a classic publication, the kind that is becoming increasingly rare.”
So far, LVMH has not issued an official statement regarding the 400-page book. The retail price is 22.90 euros.
