Louis Vuitton's CEO Chooses to Fly Incognito Giving Up the Corporate Jet

Louis Vuitton’s CEO Chooses to Fly Incognito Giving Up the Corporate Jet

Has the second richest man in the world adopted a stealth luxury mantra? Recently, Bernard Arnault, CEO of LVMH, the parent of Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior, admitted that the company had given up its private plane, in light of public attempts to track its flights on social media. Such tracking data often is used to expose the environmental costs of the celebrity and business elite.

But don’t think Arnault has given up flying private. Rather, he now leases private planes when necessary, providing a cloak of privacy. No one can see where (and when) he’s going, he says.

For someone whose business is selling luxury goods, it’s somewhat surprising to see him hiding affluence and opulence. Just look at the in-your-face branding and logos Louis Vuitton relies on to generate its record-inducing sales. The LV monogram is the hallmark, whether shrunken to mini proportions, blown up to oversize, or multi-colored and perforated.

Surely, Arnault is not suggesting we all go undercover with our designer purchases. Yet, with concerns about being a target as criminals large and small recognize the value in our handbags far beyond the contents of our wallets, perhaps it’s time to reconsider. Paraphrasing Benjamin Franklin, plain purses travel safer.

Thoughts?