After LVMH Group, also Valentino will start turning off the lights in its stores

UPDATE 07/10/22: After LVMH, Valentino shops will also go dark, at least after working hours. The luxury brand has pledged to turn off the lights in its boutiques, a network of 95 shops worldwide, after 10pm, both to renew the company's sustainable commitment and to address the cost of energy consumption. In addition to inaugurating a section of its website dedicated solely to the brand's sustainable efforts, under the name "Creating Shared Value," in fact, the brand revealed that 80 percent of all energy consumed in its facilities in Italy (and thus stores, factories and offices) comes from renewable sources. Valentino said it expects to save up to 800 kWh of energy, equivalent to the energy used by 13,000 light bulbs. 

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In response to the looming energy crisis in Europe, the LVMH Group yesterday announced its Energy Reduction Plan, which plans to reduce electricity consumption by 10 percent in all of the group's stores and offices. Louis Vuitton, Dior, Celine, Givenchy and Kenzo boutiques, to name a few, as well as Sephora stores, will turn off all lights between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., while lights will be turned off at 9 p.m. in administrative offices. The group will also lower the heat by one degree in the winter and limit the use of air conditioning next summer. «Although our group uses very little energy, we are aware of the visibility and impact our decisions can have in leading the way for others. This energy efficiency plan represents an unprecedented effort that we hope will have a positive impact across the sector and beyond,» said Antoine Arnault. «We are acting today in a very concrete way to respond to the unprecedented energy crisis we are facing.»

The announcement of the energy-saving plan follows French President Emmanuel Macron's Sept. 5 call to reduce energy consumption in France by 10 percent, and spoke of the need for "energy sobriety." In addition to reducing electricity consumption, which will begin in France before expanding to the rest of the world, LVMH will also launch an awareness campaign for employees to encourage turning off unnecessary lights and screens and using other electronic devices. Individual brands in the group may set additional targets, such as Moët Hennessy, which aims to reduce consumption by 15 percent globally by 2023. As WWD explains, the company currently consumes enough megawatts in France to supply the city of Dijon with electricity for a year, which it gets from sustainable sources. Globally, renewable energy accounts for 39 percent, and the Life 360 sustainability plan promoted by Antoine Arnault aims to achieve 100 percent renewable or low-carbon energy by 2026. «This energy efficiency plan is in line with our long-standing vision: protecting the environment is not just an obligation, but an imperative. We do not have the luxury of waiting,» Arnault added.