Bernard Arnault Biography

Reviewed by the editorial team · Updated 10 Nov 2026 · Last verified 4 Nov 2026 · 1 min read

Quick answer

Bernard Arnault was born in Roubaix in 1949, trained as an engineer at the École Polytechnique and built LVMH from the purchase of Dior in 1984 1 2.

Full nameBernard Jean Étienne Arnault

Born5 Mar 1949, Roubaix, France

Age77

NationalityFrance

EducationÉcole Polytechnique

Known forLVMH, Louis Vuitton, Dior

SpouseHélène Mercier

ResidenceParis, France

Bernard Arnault's early life

Arnault was born on 5 March 1949 in Roubaix, northern France, where his father ran a construction company 2.

Illustrative mid-century northern French brick street and small construction site

Education

He graduated from the École Polytechnique in 1971 and joined the family firm, Ferret-Savinel 1 2.

Buying Dior

In 1984 he used $15 million from the family business to buy Boussac, a bankrupt textile group that owned Christian Dior 1.

Illustrative French textile atelier with fine fabrics, tailoring tools and weaving machinery

Taking LVMH

By 1989 he had become the largest shareholder and chairman of LVMH, which he expanded into the world's largest luxury group through deals such as Sephora, Bulgari and Tiffany 1 2.

Illustrative luxury retail display with fine jewelry, leather goods and fragrances

Frequently asked questions

At the École Polytechnique.

He bought the bankrupt Boussac group, owner of Dior, in 1984 and took control of LVMH by 1989.

Sources✓ Verified 4 Nov 2026

1 Forbes, Bernard Arnault & family profile (real-time net worth), 4 Nov 2026 2 Wikipedia, Bernard Arnault, accessed 4 Nov 2026 Report a correction