LVMH's Berluti to Design Olympics Opening Ceremony Uniforms for French Teams

FILE PHOTO: The new logo of Paris 2024 Olympics is seen on a pin during a ceremony in Paris, France, October 21, 2019. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The new logo of Paris 2024 Olympics is seen on a pin during a ceremony in Paris, France, October 21, 2019. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol/File Photo
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LVMH's Berluti to Design Olympics Opening Ceremony Uniforms for French Teams

FILE PHOTO: The new logo of Paris 2024 Olympics is seen on a pin during a ceremony in Paris, France, October 21, 2019. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The new logo of Paris 2024 Olympics is seen on a pin during a ceremony in Paris, France, October 21, 2019. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol/File Photo

Luxury giant LVMH's Berluti brand will design the summer Olympics and Paralympics opening ceremony uniforms for the French teams, boosting the profile of the upscale menswear label known for buffed leather shoes and tailored suits.

"We aim to marry elegance and performance," said Berluti chief executive Antoine Arnault, one of the five children and heirs of LVMH Chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault.

Antoine is credited with negotiating LVMH's 150 million euros ($166 million) worth Olympics sponsorship deal initially announced in July, Reuters reported.

The Olympic games kick off on July 26, followed by the Paralympics on August 28 -- high profile ceremonies that are watched by millions of people across the world.

Paris, which has hosted two previous Olympics, will stage the summer Games after 100 years. The event is expected to draw huge spectator, TV and streaming audiences after the 2020 Games in Tokyo were marred by the pandemic.



Kering Posts 11% Drop in Q2 Sales, Sees Weak Second Half

The logo of luxury brand Gucci is seen in Tokyo on June 22, 2021. (AFP)
The logo of luxury brand Gucci is seen in Tokyo on June 22, 2021. (AFP)
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Kering Posts 11% Drop in Q2 Sales, Sees Weak Second Half

The logo of luxury brand Gucci is seen in Tokyo on June 22, 2021. (AFP)
The logo of luxury brand Gucci is seen in Tokyo on June 22, 2021. (AFP)

Kering reported a bigger-than-expected drop in second-quarter sales and forecast a weak second half, as the French luxury group struggles to revive its key label Gucci and worries grow about a prolonged downturn in high-end spending.

Sales at the French luxury group which owns labels Gucci, Boucheron and Balenciaga, fell to 4.5 billion euros ($4.9 billion), an 11% drop on an organic basis, which strips out currency effects and acquisitions.

The figure was below analyst expectations for a 9% drop, according to a Visible Alpha consensus.

It also said second-half operating income could fall by around 30%, following a 42% drop in the first half.

Sales at Gucci fell 19%, showing no improvement from the first quarter, and below analyst expectations for a 16% decline, according to a Visible Alpha consensus.

Kering has been revamping Gucci, the century-old Italian fashion house which accounts for half of group sales and two-thirds of profit.

Minimalist designs from new creative director Sabato de Sarno, which began trickling into stores earlier this year, are key to the design reset and push upmarket, in a bid to cater to wealthier clients who are more immune to economic headwinds.

Kering chief financial officer Armelle Poulou told reporters that the designs had been well received and the rollout was on track.

But the efforts have been complicated by a downturn in the global luxury market, while China's rebound - traditionally Gucci's most coveted market - was clouded by a property crisis and high youth unemployment as Western markets came down from a post-pandemic splurge.

Earnings from sector bellwether LVMH on Tuesday missed expectations as sales rose 1%, offering few signs that a pickup is around the corner, sending shares in luxury goods companies down on Wednesday. Kering traded at its lowest level since 2017.