Place du Louvre, Pont Neuf, sculpture by Kusama … How LVMH is “privatizing” Parisian public spaces

The problem with LVMH is that it tends to act like a feudal lord in Paris. Between the Bois de Boulogne, the Jardin d’Acclimatation, the Champs Élysées, and the Samaritaine…we end up thinking we’re above the rules. Enough of what he calls the “privatization of Parisian public space” by French billionaire Bernard Arnault’s group. The latest episode, which was annoying even right: Pharrell Williams’ parade in Pont Neuf for Louis Vuitton, the group’s brand, the third point of tension in less than a month to the question.

Pont Neuf is closed to traffic

Many stars were invited on Tuesday evening to the famous Paris Bridge, the oldest in Paris, which crosses the Seine River to the west of the Île de la Cité. Rihanna, Kim Kardashian and Zendaya, or singer Beyoncé and her husband, rapper Jay-Z, were among the 1,750 guests of Louis Vuitton’s new artistic director. For them and them only, the Police Command has cut off traffic on the bridge from Monday evening to Wednesday morning, as well as on the tangential sidewalks on Tuesday evening.

Yesterday LVMH privatized the New Bridge for a fashion show, blacking out the entire area. Operation from time to time! David Belliard, environmentalist and mobility assistant to the mayor of Paris, protested in a tweet the day after, in a tweet the day after, public space, which is so common, too precious to be monopolized by a few multinational corporations and a happy few . “The guests were amazed. and the Fully populated ears The spokesperson for the Changer Paris group, which is mainly made up of the Republic’s national team, also tweeted.

Interview by 20 minutesdevelops a mobility assistant: “The logic we advocated is that free public space. When we make an area for fans, those are areas that are more accessible. The second thing – and I don’t have a problem with fashion that I’ve worked with [Pierre] Bank [fondateur avec Yves Saint Laurent de la maison de couture du même nom] – Are we at an event that does not correspond to what we want to do, and is for a happy few group, and with 1,700 people commuting back and forth with the United States. I suppose to disagree with Emmanuel Gregoire. »

“It is an occupation of the public domain subject to a fee,” answers the Cabinet of First Deputy (PS) Emmanuel Grégoire, stressing the “extraordinary” aspect of the event. We have requested all necessary licenses in the least possible time. Fashion Week is an important moment in terms of impact, it is sympathetic images of Paris and a reward for the city,” LVMH told us.

Advertising statue in the center of Paris

A month before that, the statue was a disgrace. A statue of artist Yayoi Kusama, dubbed the “polka dot queen,” was erected in front of the two Samaritans, which presented a woman dressed in clothes from the artist’s new collection for Louis Vuitton, while holding the brand’s signature bag, marked “LV.” . Hence, an artist’s statue, but clearly a tribute to Louis Vuitton, and that without paying any advertising fees.

“Stop LVMH monopolizing public space to promote its products. Using art for illegal advertising is disrespectful to the artist and Parisians. Miscellaneous.” tweet Then Emile Meunier on May 26th. At the same time, Les Ecologistes a wish to paris council Asking the city “to put an end to violating local advertising regulations and to demand that LVMH pay compensation.”

Branding complied and the logo, which was not declared in the filing submitted to the city for permission, was removed. “We did the patch with a lot of interactivity,” LVMH Group explains 20 minutesConsidering that he “invested a lot of money to renovate the Samaritan neighborhood” and “was allowed to revive the place, money not taken from the taxpayers.”

But for the eco group, the position is still not enough, because the bag, even without the logo, is a “product position” According to Emile Meunier. “We will seek new legal advice to find out if there is a ticket even without a logo. And if the legal services consider that there is no violation, we will go to court to remove this bag, ”the elected official comments. However, the group reneged on its wish after obtaining the city council’s commitment to establish a working group to better regulate these practices.

A fancy restaurant on the Place du Louvre?

petition It was launched on June 12th By the communist group of the Paris Council for “opposition to Bernard Arnault’s privatization of the Louvre” is still active on its part. In question, a A letter articlean investigative media outlet, which claims that the head of the Louvre would have considered a small commission with the billionaire to create a gourmet restaurant there.

“The development of this court will be for the benefit of the luxury clientele, not all Parisians,” laments the petition, which has already collected more than 40,000 signatures. The text asks to “keep this space in the public domain and [de] Its development for the benefit of all “and its adaptation” to climate change through massive re-vegetation”. amphitheater “Major promotion of lucrative interests, marked by the narrow ambition of creating yet another fine dining restaurant.”

But on the part of LVMH, we “officially” deny this information. “We don’t have any restaurant projects,” the group said. 20 minutes. The same denial on the part of the Louvre, In the person of his chief of staff : “It seems to me important to tell you that no project for the establishment of a fine dining restaurant has ever been considered, and no communication has been made in this regard.”

Restaurant or not, the LVMH boss already owns more than 350,000 square meters in the capital – the equivalent of 70 football fields, According to an investigation conducted by Politis newspaper. It has 170 stores, many media outlets, such as Radio Classique, Le Parisien and Les Échos, and many political connections, which Anne Beraben, architect and LR consultant in the 5th arrondissement, summarizes in her own way in the magazine: “We sell pieces from Paris.” »

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