A newspaper investigation into LVMH's hiring practices has reignited debate on an area of discrimination where Australian law has a significant gap
Bernard Arnault, chair and chief executive of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, has pushed back against a newspaper investigation into appearance-based discrimination at his Paris headquarters. The reporting claimed his offices only employ staff who are young, slim and well-dressed.
The accusations came from Le Monde, which published a six-part series on the Arnault family. Reporters Raphaelle Bacque and Vanessa Schneider described the LVMH head office as a place where overweight or sloppily dressed employees were simply absent.
Arnault dismissed the allegations in a three-page response on LVMH’s X account. He wrote: “I offer my apologies to readers for this failure of bodily diversity. I shall raise the matter with the company canteen on Monday.”
LVMH is France’s largest company by market capitalisation. Its brands include Louis Vuitton, Moët Hennessy, Christian Dior, Tiffany and Bulgari.
Luxury sector dress codes and the line HR must hold
The Le Monde series also made separate allegations about workplace dress standards. Reporters claimed visitors to Arnault’s office who wore Hermès ties would be discreetly handed a replacement before reaching the elevator. Hermès is a rival luxury brand Arnault once attempted to acquire in a four-year corporate battle.
Arnault rejected this account. “We let them keep them. We simply offer a second one, more discreet, for the elevator. A question of manners.”
Australian employers are permitted to set dress codes, provided they apply equally and do not indirectly discriminate on a protected ground. Inconsistent enforcement of appearance standards is one of the fastest paths to a discrimination claim for any organisation.
Arnault also accused Le Monde of bias. He claimed the paper treated the Wertheimer family, owners of Chanel, more favourably, despite the Arnaults cooperating more extensively with the journalists.
“I suspect you, very clearly, of having punished transparency,” he wrote. “Let that serve as a lesson for your next subjects.”
The billionaire is currently contesting a €23 million (approximately $37.4 million) tax bill. Bloomberg estimates his net worth at approximately US$158 billion.
Arnault said he would not be cancelling his Le Monde subscription. “Rest assured, I shall keep doing the Monde crossword. That, at least, is excellent.”
A prompt for HR leaders on appearance-based discrimination
The LVMH dispute is a timely prompt for HR leaders to audit their own hiring frameworks. Appearance-based discrimination can occur without a formal policy through assumptions embedded in screening or shortlisting.
For employers wanting to sharpen their inclusion approach, diversity and inclusion best practices remain as relevant as ever.
A bill in development in Western Australia could extend physical attribute protections to that state. If passed, it would bring appearance-based discrimination more firmly within the scope of Australian employment law.
