On June 14, we were invited to meet François-Henri Pinault, Chairman and CEO of Kering, one of the world’s largest luxury groups, at the company headquarters in the 17th century Laennec Hospital building in rue de Sevres. FHP, as he is called, told us about his view of the future of luxury (he’s aiming at Gen Z, while holding onto older clients who appreciate luxury’s history), and he emphasized Kering’s focus on “sustainable luxury,” including recycling materials and banning the use of furs in Kering’s fashion brands (Saint Laurent, Gucci, Bottega Veneta, Brioni Pomellato to name a few). The meeting was moderated by AAPA President Shellie Karabell in the Laennec’s chapel, which also houses several important pieces of contemporary art from the Pinault Collection (an on-site guide provided mini tours of the collected works). Our meeting was followed by a scrumptious cocktail in the chapel’s garden.
