LVMH chairman Bernard Arnault debuted on social media platform X on Thursday, posting an open letter in which he jokingly anointed himself head of “the last royal family of France,” rejected speculation of a family rift, and swatted back at recent press criticism and tax policy complaints.
He wrote that he was once called the Terminator but now prefers the ring of “the last royal family” – and noted that the image was more useful for selling Dior products.
He dismissed talk of a family split, warning that anyone betting on family discord to sell newspapers “will have to wait a very long time.”
On charges that he pressures the press, Arnault pointed out that the series of articles in question was published by a newspaper in which, in his private life, his own son-in-law is a shareholder.
Responding to complaints about tax breaks on art purchases, he challenged critics to abolish the mechanism through parliament and said he would continue to use it in the meantime.
Arnault’s account, created only a day before the post, has just a few thousand followers but rapidly gathered millions of views. Elon Musk personally greeted him on X. Communication experts described the debut as the start of a new public and political strategy for the billionaire.
The post coincided with the start of LVMH’s quarterly earnings reporting season, a moment widely seen as an ideal time to shape the narrative.
It’s interesting how he pivoted from the “Terminator” joke to framing his family as France’s “last royal family,” especially with that cheeky note about it helping sell Dior products. The way he dismissed the break-up rumors by warning journalists to “wait a very long time” really highlights just how tight-knit the LVMH inner circle stays. Plus, his response to the tax complaints—challenging critics to actually abolish the mechanism first—shows he’s fully committed to using his platform to defend his business interests.