Yves Saint Laurent

"This is what happened with Yves Saint Laurent. Pinault had been tempted by luxury diversification for a long time, and the Sanofi Beauté file had been presented to him. After studying it in 1998, he decides not to pursue it, deeming the price too high and, most importantly, lacking the right person to turn the business around. After spending a day at sea in Saint-Tropez on a boat rented by Arnault in July, Pinault makes his decision. He calls the boss of LVMH: "I have decided not to pursue it. I don't have the right people, but you do. I wanted to inform you, Bernard, so that you can do what you want." "François, thank you for letting me know," Arnault responds. This is how LVMH was able to conduct its exclusive negotiation with Sanofi, only to break it off at the last moment. The same thing happened with Château Cheval-Blanc. This first-classed growth of Bordeaux is for sale. All the major potential buyers have, of course, been contacted: Arnault, who controls Château-d'Yquem, Pinault, who owns Château-Latour, as well as Albert Frère, the biggest Belgian fortune, Liliane Bettencourt,"

"The sale of Saint Laurent to Gucci will prove to be much more complicated than expected. To finalize the deal, François Pinault will have to separate Saint Laurent (ready-to-wear and accessories), sold to Gucci, from Saint Laurent Couture, which will be bought by his personal holding company, Artémis. The prestigious haute couture house will remain under the control of Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé. After paying them 78 million euros to acquire all the rights to the brand, he guarantees them millions of euros in royalties on Saint Laurent perfume sales until... 2016! In addition, François Pinault commits to financing the deficits of the couture house until 2006, which amounts to 36.6 million euros in six payments, until 2006. This is how Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé will have sold their name for the second time: already, in 1993, when Saint Laurent was bought by Sanofi, they had received 300 million francs as compensation for renouncing their status as a limited partnership company. Finally, Pinault will close the door on the famous but expensive fashion house."

"The signature forcefully enters into the Agordo factory. And this is just the first step. In the following years, Luxottica strings together a series of agreements to expand its portfolio: Valentino, Yves Saint Laurent, and then Emporio Armani as well."

"The glasses of Kennedy and Tom Cruise Leonardo will end up buying them all, at the end of a decade in which everything he touches turns into gold. The company expands its portfolio of licenses with luxury brands, designer glasses become the main part of the business in the sector. In rapid succession, agreements were signed for Yves Saint Laurent in 1991, then Brooks Brothers, Sergio Tacchini, Emporio Armani, Bulgari, and Ferragamo in 1998, Chanel in 1999, Prada and Versace in 2003, after the divorce from Armani. But Leonardo is not satisfied with just licenses. If he sees an opportunity, he opens the door and buys."