What it does: Leads 75 luxury brands including brands in sectors including wine and spirits, fashion, cosmetics, jewelry, watches, and retail.
Best known for: LVMH controls and owns several high-end consumer brands such as Bulgari, Christian Dior, Dom Pérignon, Louis Vuitton, Moët & Chandon, and Tiffany & Co.
Staff stats: 156,000 employees worldwide.
The good bits: LVMH provides a robust compensation structure depending on the location. Employees in the Philippines, for instance, become eligible for paid leave from their first day of work.
The not so good bits: The company may sometimes hire individuals on a temporary or contractual arrangement, so graduates need to be picky with their chosen job type.
LVMH’s reputation as a luxury retailer began in 1593 upon the acquisition of Château d’Yquem by the Sauvage family. The oldest brand paved the way for the family-run business to establish LVMH, following the merger between Moët Hennessy and Louis Vuitton in 1987. LVMH trades its shares on the Euronext Paris Eurolist. As of 2018, the company generated €46.8 billion of sales revenue. LVMH employs 156,000 people with 80 per cent of them outside of France.
The company divides its product line into 75 houses into six sectors: fashion and leather goods, perfumes and cosmetics, selective retailing, watches and jewelry, wines and spirits, and other activities. They claim to be the only group to operate in all five key sectors of the luxury retail market.
Online applications represent the most common method of joining LVMH. The company advises applicants to create a ‘candidate area’ if they wish to apply for more than one vacancy. You can do this after receiving a link from the email confirmation. LVMH also requires a dossier that you can finish in 10 minutes. Formal attire (ie branded clothing) can elicit a good first impression, particularly if you pursue a role with the Louis Vuitton brand.
Employee referrals may hasten the hiring process within just five days. The company operates under a regional operating headquarters office (ROHQ), LVM Holdings Pte Ltd, which oversees the Elite Havens brand in the luxury travel segment. Interview questions include your reason for joining LVMH and relevant work experience.
The process of applying through employee referrals may take longer, usually up to three months. You should expect two rounds of interviews with an HR representative and a senior officer (eg vice president). They might also ask about textbook interview questions such as your weaknesses and strengths.
Aspiring interns need to pass two rounds of interviews over the phone and in person. You can apply for an internship through your college or university. Be prepared to share what you know about LVMH during the interview stages.
Craftsmanship and creation, marketing and communications, operations and retail comprise the four key areas of business at LVMH. Some of the corresponding jobs for each business unit are the following:
Internships at these five business units are only limited to certain countries. LVMH doesn’t seem to accept graduates in the Philippines, but entry-level roles like content administrators don’t require any years of experience. The company will be more inclined to hire individuals with one to two years of exposure in the hospitality, hotel management or tourism sector.
Companies in the Philippines rarely disclose the salaries of open positions. LVMH does the same except for certain roles. The group is willing to pay between Php30,000 and Php80,000 per month for experienced copywriters. General benefits include annual performance appraisals, annual company events, flexible work schedules, health and dental insurance, monthly employee activities and meal subsidies. Employees also become eligible for paid leave from their first day of work, they also have access to remote work arrangements and overseas training assignments.
The monthly average salary for interns ranges from HK$9,000 to HK$13,000. A summer intern earns an average of around HK$8,000 per month.
Interns and marketing trainees earn S$1,000 per month on average. Standard benefits include annual leave, employee discounts, and medical insurance. The company provides transportation for night-shift employees.
Women account for 73 per cent of employees at LVMH, according to the company. The actual number may vary if you work at ROHQ, like in the Philippines, where there are fewer than 100 employees. The regional office promotes a family-like corporate culture, but some employees believe that the company should improve the management’s behaviour and work ethic.
A handful of employees in Hong Kong also recommend to keep up with changing technologies. Some of them still acknowledge the healthy work-life balance at the company despite a hierarchical system. In India, the LVMH name already serves as a reason for employees to be proud of joining the company.
LVMH’s business rivals in the luxury retail sector include Giorgio Armani, L'Oréal and Versace.
The company has partnered with London-based Central Saint Martins to provide scholarships for art and design students. LVMH also launched the WeCareForModels.com website in 2018 to look after the welfare of fashion models. The LVMH Initiatives For the Environment (LIFE) program has sought to improve the company’s environmental footprint since 2012.
The lower ratio of male to female workers at LVMH means that women have a higher chance of joining the company. Graduates should anticipate a heavier workload if they intend to work in LVMH’s retail business. Another thing to consider before applying for a job involves this question: do you have a genuine fondness for luxury goods?