Bernard Arnault invests in Polène

Bernard Arnault proves once again today that he is far from being done expanding his empire, however vast it may be, with his latest investment: a minority stake in the French leather goods brand Polène. Created in 2016 by a trio of siblings with a minimalist yet chic DNA, characteristic of French fashion, Polène has quickly conquered an ever-growing audience and achieved astounding results, even going so far as to double its sales last year. These results have not gone unnoticed by the wolf in cachemire who seems to be getting closer every day to a luxury monopoly in France and beyond. And while this success, these impressive figures, and this recent acquisition are largely attributable to the bags’ aesthetic and their unbeatable quality, they are probably also linked to the marketing the brand has enjoyed almost unintentionally.

Indeed, if Polène is everywhere, it is not entirely thanks to its advertising campaigns, but rather due to the famous Netflix effect. Bags from various collections of the brand have been repeatedly spotted in the hands of Lily Collins, aka Emily Cooper, as well as other protagonists of the Netflix series Emily in Paris, in which the characters' outfits, though not universally praised, are a focal point. These appearances have proven beneficial, as they have almost immediately caused the sell-out of certain models on the brand's official website and have also led to long queues outside its stores. And Emily Cooper is not the only celebrity to appreciate Polène's designs: the Parisian bags are also one of Kate Middleton and her sister-in-law Meghan Markle's favorite, representing royal elegance par excellence and also influencing a large community of fashionistas seeking chic yet practical looks.

The brand is thus saying a partial goodbye to Otium Capital (the investment company to which it belongs) and hello LVMH, or more precisely, hello L Catterton, an investment fund born in 2016 thanks to a collaboration between Catterton and the luxury giant, which today manages $35 billion in equity. This is a strategic choice for the brand, which is now achieving record revenues, doubling its turnover (142.7 million euros in 2023, more than double the previous year) and most notably building a reputation well beyond the French border. By partnering with LVMH, Polène demonstrates its desire to establish itself definitively in the Parisian luxury landscape, thus consolidating its position in the French fashion market and beyond, competing with the great houses established for decades. As for Bernard Arnault, this investment shows that the LVMH group is far from finished expanding and that other growing French brands may well be the next horses he bets on. In any case, this investment marks a turning point for the brand, putting it in a position that will undoubtedly benefit it in many ways.