2014 WAS A PROLIFIC YEAR FOR LVMH. IN AN EVER MORE RAPIDLY
CHANGING ENVIRONMENT, OUR GROUP DEMONSTRATED THE STRENGTH
OF ITS GROWTH MODEL AND, THANKS TO THE GREAT DEDICATION
OF ITS TEAMS, PROVED THAT IT COULD COMBINE RESPONSIVENESS
AND LONG-TERM VISION. AT THE INTERSECTION BETWEEN ICONIC
BRANDS AND NEW GENERATIONS, IT IS LAYING THE GROUNDWORK
FOR THE SUCCESSES OF TOMORROW.
2014 was an eventful year for LVMH, mostly in positive ways. I will mention, of course,
the opening of the Fondation Louis Vuitton, an enduring monument to our patronage
of the arts. The magnifi cent building that houses it, due to the genius of Frank
Gehry, is the perfect refl ection of our values of excellence and innovation. I also see
it as a symbol of our élan and our confi dence in the future. Furthermore, I would like
to recall two major initiatives that particularly illustrate the pillars underpinning
our Group’s strength: expert craftsmanship, showcased by the foundation of the
Institut des Métiers d’Excellence, and creativity, recognized with the LVMH Prize
for Young Designers.
2014 will also be remembered, unfortunately, for the precipitous passing of Yves
Carcelle, one of our Group’s principal managers, and for the deep sadness we
felt. Yves served as the head of Louis Vuitton for more than twenty years, and was
at the heart of its success. A driven leader