Important Advice for Creatives from the Richest Person in the World
The 4 qualities that give you an edge
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In April 2016 a slender, dignified, impeccably dressed Frenchman took the stage at the Oxford Union Society to be interviewed by an articulate young woman in front of a live audience.
What the Frenchman said in that interview holds great wisdom and advice for creatives, or anyone striving to sell a product or create a successful business.
Who is this mystery Frenchman?
His name is Bernard Arnault, Chairman and CEO of the world’s largest and most successful luxury goods conglomerate, LVMH, which controls brands such as Louis Vuitton, Fendi, TAG Heuer, Bulgari, and Marc Jacobs. Arnault successfully grew LVMH’s portfolio of prestigious brands over the years, including the 13.1 billion dollar purchase of Christian Dior in 2017.
Arnault periodically trades places with Elon Musk and others for the title of the richest person on Earth, but wealth isn’t the point of this essay. Actionable wisdom is the point, and to that end, Arnault has much to teach us.
I never heard of Bernard Arnault until I read an online article in the Wall Street Journal titled, “Louis Vuitton’s Formula for World Domination.”
The article includes a brief video clip of Arnault’s 2016 Oxford Union Society interview. In that video clip, the interviewer asks Arnault to define luxury.
Arnault’s brilliant answer forced me to scour YouTube to find and watch the entire Oxford Union Society interview. If you’re interested, you can watch it below.
After watching the interview, I wrote down some notes and major takeaways that can inspire creatives, businesspersons, or marketers and provide an edge in their work.
The power of a name
What is luxury?
Most people will say the answer is expensive goods and products. When the question was put to…
