Saving Luxury from the Flames

Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 16. Photographer: Christophe Morin/Bloomberg

The fire was so aggressive that the news portrayed it as being devastating. My mind neglected to accept, as with any other loss, the concept of ‘ashes to ashes’. It is Spring time and the Sakura trees keep reminding me to think of the Japanese concept of ‘Hanami’; the custom of enjoying the transient beauty of flowers and how this translates to life itself and its ephemerality. Nothing is forever, and yet, losing the Notre Dame cathedral to a fire was a loss with overwhelming grief. However, we woke up today to the good news: the main structure of the Notre-Dame cathedral had been "saved". As the day progressed, I stumbled upon more news that made me even more excited, this time on Bloomberg and titled: “Luxury Titans Lead $678 Million Effort to Restore Notre Dame.”

The Pinault family and head of the Kering SA. conglomerate which owns Gucci announced that they would donate 100 million euros from their investment company. Their archrival, the Arnault family followed with a vow of 200 million euros from their LVMH fashion conglomerate. But that’s not all, Loreal’s Bettencourt Meyer’s family stood up with 100 million euros and their charitable foundation dropping another 100 million.

The French businessman François-Henri Pinault and his wife, the actress Salma Hayek, in Los Angeles last year.CreditChris Delmas/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

“The Notre-Dame tragedy strikes all French people, as well as all those with spiritual values,” said François-Henri Pinault, chairman of Artémis, the family holding company that controls Kering.

“Faced with this tragedy, everyone wishes to bring this jewel of our heritage back to life as soon as possible,” he added. “Today, my father and I have committed to donate €100 million from the Artémis fund to take part in the effort needed to fully rebuild Notre-Dame de Paris.”

Bernard Arnault, the chief executive of the French luxury group LVMH, richest man in France and his wife, Hélène Mercier, in Paris in March.CreditFrancois Mori/Associated Press

“The LVMH Group puts at the disposal of the state and the relevant authorities all of its teams — including creative, architectural and financial specialists — to help with the long work of reconstruction and fund-raising, which is already in progress,” they said.

I had to share the news on my facebook page ‘Barefoot Luxe’ where I got lots of likes except for a comment which rejected the donation with a ‘And the poor? Oh yeah, the poor can wait.’ comment.

And I know… poverty is also a global problem. But let’s look at the cards first before we make a claim full of resentment to donations that surpass the 100 million euros.

Let’s take a look at their businesses and the foundations they’re built on. Luxury is based on a set of principles that make their exclusivity stand out from others. And although there are variables to this brand DNA, there are characteristics that are immutable to the original significance of luxury and allow brand growth in time, the essence that embraces profound human principles that drive the pursuit of unique achievement rather than the desire of mere consumption and make the brands valuable and non-substitutable.

Heritage

Brands work as storytelling organisms, the more the history, the mores stories and in consequence a broader ability to make a mark. Heritage is about the intangible attributes that associate the brand to its past creating a relevant thread with the present and planning for the future, maintaining the relevance,

consistency and permanence across generations. This is what allows the brand to evolve and continue expressing its DNA strands and remain timeless remaining authentic to its origins and maintaining credibility to the brand’s perceived value, which might result in increased brand loyalty. It is also here where the knowledge of the craftsman is passed on; it is where history and purpose congregate. It is a brand’s success to be able to successfully articulate the past and present in a seamless and noteworthy way. It is thanks to history that people associate brands with people, times and places acquiring a significance that transcends the marketplace.

Craftsmanship

The birth of the masterpiece: a dream, a recipe that combines conviction, expertise and ambition that gives life to the inanimate. Depicting trades like carpentry or artistic endeavours, it is defined by the Cambridge English Dictionary as showing skill in a particular craft or quality of design and work displayed in something made by hand (artistry) (Oxford English Dictionary 2015).

Craftsmanship describes how luxury pursuits excellence. It is the philosophy behind the making, know-how or expertise, a legacy preserved by inheritance where knowledge is habitually passed on from one generation to another. Years of required apprenticeship are expressed through passion, wisdom and aptitude. It is the personification of refinement and boundless pursuit of perfection through constant practice. In craftsmanship quality and purpose of the object produced or service offered are valued over efficiency, productivity and compliance.

Specialization

Jerome John, better known as musician Jerry García said, “You do not merely want to be considered just the best of the best. You want to be considered the only ones who do what you do.” The origin of the word comes from 17th century French deriving from the word spécialiser meaning special. Specialization is all about becoming a master and in business, being a master at your trade or area of expertise, it is a pursuit of excellence. It is related to depth rather than dispersal, an understanding of the skills behind the business’ proposal. In a Darwinian world, specialization is a natural stratagem for winning where you have to play to your strengths and most authentic qualities. We think of an expert or specialist as someone who is superior to others in a specific field, having invested a vast amount of time in acquiring that specific knowledge, cultivating their talents and is considered someone that pursuits a purpose.

Rarity

The basic market rule of supply and demand pins the correlation between scarcity and value. Rarity in consequence safeguards the desirability and exceptionality of the brand. An item that remains infrequent is ungraspable and awakens a sense of awe and inspiration. There’s a psychological need for distinctiveness through rarity.

Symbolically, Paris has been the capital of luxury through centuries. This makes the Notre Dame Cathedral an icon in its heritage, craftsmanship, specialization and rarity. The cathedral represents everything luxury stands for. It’s no wonder that these business magnates feel connected to the cause. Their ‘raison d'etre' revolves around the same principles this gothic architectonic icon represents. How can your heart not break when the wooden framed structure, nicknamed la forêt or the forest, an eight-centuries old relic is being blown away by flames? This if you are an objets d'art lover.

The loss of cultural, historical and natural heritage will always be a loss, no matter what and where it is. Natural disasters, like earthquakes and floods or health and poverty are just as painful for humanity. Luckily there are people and businesses whose values are aligned with these causes too and jump in whenever help is needed. The donation for the restoration of the Notre Dame Capelle is just a fraction of what millionaires donate a year through their foundations. For example, Bill Gates has donated $28 billion which has endowed and supported a broad range of social, health, and education developments including the establishment of the Gates Cambridge Scholarships at Cambridge University. Also, Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos donated $2 billion to good causes only in 2018.

The money was used to fund non-profit schools and homeless charities. These are just two examples of causes close to other millionaires' heart.

The almost 400 million euros donated by four french families is just a fraction of what they donate per year to other causes through their foundations. Why do we expect the rich to save the poor? Humanitarian problems are not a money problem, it's a cultural problem, there's a glitch in our system. No matter how much money we pour into these causes, nothing will change if humanity doesn't make a cultural shift, as a whole and where we all contribute to a better world.

My point: generosity is always worthy of admiration. Ashes will be ashes and we will never be able to bring back what was lost. However, the fact that these entrepreneurs stand in rebuilding this iconic superstructure gives me so much inspiration. All for the love of art, preservation of heritage, craftsmanship, specialization and rarity. All for the love... of luxury!