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LVMH 2021 . F a s h i o n & L e a t h e r G o o d s
HIGHLIGHTS 2021
The strong growth achieved by the Fashion & Leather Goods business group reflected the solid progress made by this unique collection of Maisons and the exceptional performance of Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Fendi, Celine and Loewe. Our Maisons were backed by their highly engaged and agile staff, with several key assets creativity coupled with an unrelenting focus on excellence, and digital tools to stay connected with their customers playing a major role throughout the global public health crisis. For Louis Vuitton, the end of the year was saddened by the loss of Virgil Abloh, who had served as Creative Director of Menswear since March 2018. Using his vision and his unique talent to challenge established practice in fashion, he was among those who most brilliantly expressed the creative freedom and timeless modernity of Louis Vuitton. The Maison paid a deeply emotional tribute to him at the runway show in Miami Virgil Was Here , on November 30. Illustrating its creative energy and its pursuit of excellence in craftsmanship, the Maison continued its dialogue with the world of art, reinvented its iconic models and unveiled a number of initiatives in connection with the bicentenary of its founder s birth. The LV Pont 9 handbag collection welcomed a soft, rounded new version, while the Petite Malle, a symbol of the Maison s rich heritage, took the spotlight in an array of new formats. By reinterpreting the Maison s signatures, the new Bravery high jewelry collection also paid tribute to its founder. A collaboration with Fornasetti gave rise to a multifaceted collection of ready-to-wear and
accessories, illustrating the encounter between the Italian art and design studio s boundless creativity and Nicolas Ghesquière s contemporary vision. The second half of the year saw the return of in-person fashion shows held with an audience in inspiring locations: the Louvre in Paris, followed by Shanghai for the Women s Spring/Summer 2022 collection and Seoul for the Fall/Winter 2021 Men s collection. Louis Vuitton strengthened its ties with the world s most prestigious sporting events: the trophy cases for the 2023 Rugby World Cup to be held in France, the Monaco Grand Prix Formula 1 race and the Davis Cup tennis tournament were custom-made by the Maison s craftspeople at its Asnières workshop, while its partnership with the NBA continued. Its range of fragrances was expanded with the Extraits collection, composed of five scents whose bottle was designed by Frank Gehry, and the Spell On You fragrance showcased in a video starring Léa Seydoux. At its stores and through its original, high-quality digital initiatives, the Maison continued to offer its customers a unique experience. The store network was expanded with the inauguration of an emblematic store in Tokyo and the opening at La Samaritaine Pont-Neuf in Paris. Committed to making its products ever more sustainable, particularly by focusing on repairability from the very beginning of the design process, the Maison also stepped up its efforts to reduce their environmental impact throughout their entire life cycle. The LV Pillow leather goods collection and the sustainable Felt Line in Menswear were two illustrations of this approach in 2021. The Vendôme