The master sales secrets of luxury king Bernard Arnault that make the world spend

DNHN - Billionaire Bernard Arnault, Chairman of LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton), controls more than 70 of the world’s most prestigious luxury brands, from Louis Vuitton and Dior to Moët & Chandon and Bulgari.

LVMH spans fashion, watches, jewelry, and wine, blending artisanal heritage with modern creativity and sustainable growth. Arnault, dubbed the “king of luxury,” has at times surpassed Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos to become the world’s richest person. Behind the glitter and staggering numbers is a career repeatedly tested by crisis points. Arnault has faced moments when he risked losing everything. The way he overcame those crucibles has become a classic lesson in global business. His fortune is estimated at $148.7 billion by Forbes (around $155 billion by Bloomberg), placing him among the world’s top ten richest. 

Management strategy: Conducting an empire like a symphony orchestra

Arnault’s journey began with a gamble. In 1984, he acquired Boussac, a struggling French textile group. Its real value lies not in decaying factories but in the forgotten gem Dior. While many called the deal reckless, Arnault saw “a diamond in the ashes.” Dior became the cornerstone on which he built LVMH, transforming it into the world’s greatest luxury empire.

In the 1990s, LVMH itself descended into chaos. Power struggles between Louis Vuitton and Moët Hennessy nearly tore the group apart. The luxury market slumped, sales at many houses collapsed, and Arnault faced immense pressure to protect the group and retain creative talent. He didn’t retreat; instead, he restructured, cutting weak brands, consolidating resources into heritage houses with potential, and empowering creative directors. When John Galliano electrified Dior with theatrical collections and Marc Jacobs revived Louis Vuitton, it was not just a fashion triumph, but proof of Arnault’s crisis doctrine: rebirth through creativity and talent.

Arnault’s hallmark has been running LVMH like a symphony. Where others seek uniformity, he lets Dior soar with haute couture, Louis Vuitton embody the art of travel, Fendi channel Italian audacity, and Moët & Chandon keep the romance of champagne. Each house is a distinct instrument with its own voice, but together they form a flawless symphony of luxury. This rarely discussed “orchestra strategy” has given LVMH both diversity and resilience.

Equally striking is Arnault’s refusal to devalue luxury in hard times. While others cut costs and discount, he does the opposite: doubling down on creativity, art, and above all, the customer experience. For him, true luxury must never compromise its value. Scarcity and craftsmanship are what drive global consumers to pay premium prices. By “raising the bar rather than shrinking back,” LVMH not only weathered crises but emerged stronger, securing its place at the pinnacle of luxury.

Sales strategy: The art of making customers walk willingly into the luxury world

Arnault doesn’t sell products; he sells desire. At LVMH, every item is more than fashion, fragrance, or wine; it’s an experience infused with emotion, heritage, artistry, and prestige. Instead of marketing features, he makes customers feel part of an elite world: every Louis Vuitton bag tells a story of travel, every Moët & Chandon champagne toasts a milestone, every TAG Heuer watch declares identity.

This is the pinnacle of salesmanship: not lowering value to attract, but elevating value so customers seek it out.

Through turmoil, Arnault has held to one principle: “true luxury must never go on sale.” Where others retreat, he invests boldly in design, creativity, and experience. He understands that scarcity, refinement, and exclusivity fuel desire so that customers not only want to own but also take pride in paying for it.

Lessons for Vietnamese businesses: Behavioral psychology in elite sales

Many Vietnamese firms under pressure default to discounts, cost-cutting, and mass-market competition. Arnault shows that value lies not in price tags but in perception. Instead of eroding value, invest in product quality, customer experience, and brand identity. Let customers feel they are buying more than a product, an inspiring story, an emotional journey, a powerful belief.

In today’s hyper-competitive market, anyone can sell cheaply. But only those who deeply understand customer psychology and can breathe soul into products will sell “expensive” and still delight buyers. This is sustainable business art, not just surviving crises but thriving beyond them.

A little-known secret of Arnault’s approach is his use of behavioral psychology to transform luxury sales into the art of managing desire. He doesn’t merely “sell products”; he creates emotional journeys that make customers feel as though they are entering another world. Scarcity is maintained by limiting availability, making every purchase feel like a personal triumph. Dior and Louis Vuitton are presented as heritage stories, elevating them to a symbolic status beyond their functional value.

Most importantly, Arnault builds rituals around shopping itself, from elegant boutiques to personalized service, turning each transaction into a ceremony of self-worth.

For Vietnamese entrepreneurs, the lesson is clear: in the global marketplace, success is not just about making good products. It is about psychological strategy. Whoever masters the art of sparking desire and invests relentlessly in superior customer experience will lead the market.

Dr. Nguyễn Thúy Lan

Vietnamese version: Bí quyết bán hàng đỉnh cao của ông vua hàng hiệu Bernard Arnault khiến cả thế giới chi tiền