On Tuesday, the French entrepreneur was spotted at a high-end shopping mall in Beijing, as reported in photos circulating on Chinese social media platforms. Joining him on this trip is Louis Vuitton’s Chief Executive Officer, Pietro Beccari, and Delphine Arnault, who heads Christian Dior Couture. Although the sources providing this information have chosen to remain anonymous, they have confirmed the details of the trip, which includes meetings with local teams in several Chinese cities.
This visit marks Arnault’s first trip to China since the pandemic began. LVMH and Dior have declined to comment on the matter, while a representative for Louis Vuitton has not responded to requests for comment.
China has been actively welcoming global business leaders in recent times, including JPMorgan Chase & Co. Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon and Tesla Inc. founder Elon Musk. This effort is part of Beijing’s strategy to allay concerns about China becoming less hospitable to foreign capital and to counter the political agendas of Western nations advocating for reduced reliance on China.
In response to inquiries about its plans for Pharrell Williams, the newly appointed menswear designer, Pietro Beccari emphasized the importance of Chinese customers for Louis Vuitton and expressed the brand’s intention to address their needs in the near future.