From his childhood in the Nord region of France to his presence in Donald Trump's second inauguration, Bernard Arnaud, head of the world's leading luxury group, LVMH is the subject of biography released a few days ago.
In the book "Bernard Arnault, son univers impitoyable", published by La Tribu, fashion expert Audrey Mile explores his childhood in an affluent family from Rube.
The book records his course and how he became one of the richest businessmen in the world, head of family property estimated by Bloomberg at $162 billion in June 2026.
‘On the second Donald Trump's inauguration ceremony, Bernard Arno was the only European businessman present and, in the absence of Emmanuel Macron, held the position of head of state. They are among these oligarchs, the new rulers of a world where billionaires are more powerful than the states themselves. How did the son of a construction businessman from Rube ascend to such a level of power? Unprecedented research reveals what no book has yet revealed: the internal functions of the rise, the rules of the game - outrageous for some, exciting for others - the most impressive French success story" refers to the summary of the book based on sources and unpublished testimonies from the working neighborhoods of northern France to the highest levels of government.
The author refers to the period Arno passed to the renowned Polytechnique School in Paris, where he excelled in calculating probability, but less in general knowledge, according to his grades.
The book states that during his military training in 1970, he was declared by the French army "unsuited to be assigned a position of responsibility". "Now, fifty years later, he leads more than 200,000 employees and runs 75 of the world's most recognized luxury brands. The man who "sponsored little in teamwork" now presides over a group with a turnover exceeding EUR 80 billion is highlighted in the summary of biography.
In the book there are hints about the support the businessman received from the French state, at the beginning of his course.
Arnaud, according to Forbes, started investing $15 million from the family business to buy Christian Dior in 1984. Arno's five children all work at LVMH.