The initiatives of LVMH and its Maisons throughout the year bear witness to an unwavering commitment to people, the environment, the arts and culture. From the first LVMH Social and Environmental Responsibility Report and our LIFE 360 environmental roadmap, to the “WE for ME” Manifesto in support of our unique know-how, or to the Morozov Collection exhibition at the Louis Vuitton Foundation, back back to some of the many highlights of 2021.

LVMH’s first social and environmental responsibility report

For the first time, LVMH has published a consolidated report on its social and environmental commitments and initiatives. The report details the many initiatives that embody LVMH’s strong commitment to responsible growth. This consolidated approach gives a clear vision of the Group’s actions and underlines our permanent commitment with all stakeholders.

Our environmental compass

To mark Earth Day 2021, LVMH announced the details of its environmental compass, LIFE 360(LVMH initiatives for the environment). This strategy formulates environmental priorities and objectives to be achieved by 2030, embodying our vision of an alliance between nature and creativity.

Our commitment to protect biodiversity

Partner of the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) program since 2019, LVMH has continued to actively support biodiversity. During the UNESCO “Our planet, our future” forum, LVMH unveiled a project to protect biodiversity in the Amazon. In addition, UNESCO and LVMH jointly organized a pavilion to present their common convictions and their concrete actions in favor of the protection of biodiversity during the IUCN World Conservation Congress.

2021 also saw the creation of Nona Source, the first online resale platform for unsold fabrics and leathers from LVMH Fashion and Leather Goods Houses. Created by LVMH employees via the LVMH intrapreneurial program TO DARE(disrupt, act, risk being an entrepreneur), Nona Source gives young designers access to high quality materials at competitive prices, encouraging creative reuse.

Our commitment to Excellence

In June 2021, all 75 LVMH Maisons signed the Global commitments for Professions of Excellence, formalizing a commitment to protect and promote these professions and their exceptional know-how. The event was immortalized in a photo of the Manifesto signing ceremony at the Louis Vuitton Foundation, where the Chairman and CEO of LVMH, Bernard Arnault, was joined by 40 Maisons, each represented by a duo made up of the CEO and ‘a virtuoso who embodies one of the unique and iconic skills.

The LVMH Professions of Excellence were also celebrated in Paris and Florence during the SHOW ME event, which brought together both Virtuosos and apprentices of the LVMH Institut des Métiers d’Excellence. And in Japan, the LVMH Institut des Métiers d’Excellence welcomed its first class.

Our commitment to the younger generations

Faithful to its commitment to the transmission of unique skills and the promotion of equal opportunities, the LVMH group continues to provide concrete support to young people by giving priority to training, the discovery of professions and access to employment.

In a particularly difficult period for the younger generations, LVMH has stepped up its support by announcing its intention to recruit some 25,000 people under the age of 30 around the world by the end of 2022.

Published each year, the Universum ranking of the most attractive employers confirmed the confidence of French students in business and management schools in LVMH. LVMH ranks n ° 1 for the 16th consecutive year.

Support for young people also expanded during the year with the INSIDE LVMH online platform. Launched on March 15, it offers students and early-career professionals exclusive content on the Group and our Houses, allowing them to explore our ecosystem in depth. This new facet of the INSIDE LVMH program is added to a rich agenda of events and a learning path that allows participants to obtain the Inside LVMH Certificate.

Our entrepreneurial spirit

LVMH stood out during the 2021 hybrid edition of VivaTech, which attracted some 140,000 participants. Around the theme “Where technology meets luxury “, LVMH presented the latest innovations from 15 Maisons, as well as 28 startups finalists of the LVMH Innovation Prizefor their solutions around the challenge “The future of customer experience is hereThe jury awarded the first prize to the startup Bambuser, a specialist in direct shopping. The Group also announced a new strategic partnership with Google cloud designed to accelerate innovation and develop new cloud-based artificial intelligence (AI) solutions.

Our vision of the art of living

Following a breathtaking renovation – as ambitious as it is respectful of the place’s historic past – the Samaritan reborn. Rue de la Monnaie, the Samaritaine Paris Pont-Neuf department store opened to the public on June 23, a new must-see shopping destination in Paris. And overlooking the Seine, the Cheval Blanc Paris, the first urban hotel in the Cheval Blanc collection, opened on September 7. Designed nearly a century ago by Henri Sauvage, the building has retained its soul and has been beautifully showcased to provide guests with an unforgettable experience.

Our support for young creative talents

LVMH has always actively supported the talents of tomorrow. Among the nine finalists of the LVMH Prize competition, the jury selected Nensi Dojaka, a 27-year-old Albanian designer based in London and founder of her eponymous women’s clothing brand. In front of the incredible talent of the finalists, the jury awarded the Karl Lagerfeld Prize to three creators: the American Colm Dillane, 29 years old, founder of the KidSuper label based in Brooklyn (woman and man), Lukhanyo Mdingi, 29 years old, a creator South African based in Cape Town (women’s and men’s clothing), and Rui Zhou, 26, the Shanghai-based Chinese designer behind the Rui brand (genderless fashion).

Our commitment to arts and culture

After the huge success of the exhibition of the collection built by Sergei Shchukin, the Louis Vuitton Foundation presents the second chapter of the series “Icons of Modern Art”, presenting works from the collection of the Morozov brothers. The exhibition is open until February 22.

Under the direction of Chief Curator Anne Baldassari, in partnership with the State Hermitage Museum (Saint Petersburg), the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts (Moscow) and the State Tretyakov Gallery (Moscow), the exhibition traces the stories of two remarkable industrialists and philanthropists, and offers a glimpse into the fascinating “art of collecting” that inspired them to become pioneering patrons of modern art.

Virgil Abloh

“Virgil was not only a brilliant designer, a visionary, he was also a man with a beautiful soul and great wisdom.” Bernard Arnault, Chairman and CEO of LVMH.

Virgil Abloh has been the Men’s Artistic Director of Louis Vuitton since March 2018. In July 2021, LVMH acquired a majority stake in Off-White LLC, owner of the Off-White ™ brand, of which Virgil Abloh was the founder and artistic director since 2013.

His work has been featured at leading design institutions around the world, including the Harvard Graduate School of Design, Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, and Rhode Island School of Design. In 2019, he had a major exhibition of past and current works at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, Illinois.

Virgil Abloh has received numerous awards throughout his exceptional career, including the ‘Urban Luxe’ award at the British Fashion Awards in 2017 and the International Designer of the Year award at the GQ Men of the Year Awards the same year.

In loving memory of Virgil Abloh, Louis Vuitton paid tribute to the life and legacy of a creative genius with a presentation of his Spring / Summer 2022 collection in Miami on November 30.