You know that big building under construction on the Champs Élysée in Paris, now accessorized to resemble a Louis Vuitton trunk? The one reportedly destined to be a mega-location for LVMH, including a hotel, and to subsume LVMH’s existing largest Louis Vuitton store already on the avenue.
Image courtesy: wwd.com
Well, on Saturday February 24, 2024, according to wwd.com, it was the site of a protest by activists (presumably from the group Attac, whose logo was present) who mounted a “Tax the Rich” sign over the front of the building. The effort was part of Attac’s “super-profit, ultra-riches, méga-injustice” campaign seeking enforcement of taxes on the über-wealthy to cover climate and social emergencies.
Interestingly, before this event, a green environmentalist group had challenged LVMH’s trunk and logo decor; that it amounted to advertisement above size limits and “encouragement of overconsumption.” The Paris council rejected this argument; the building belongs to the brand and it is simply brand signage.
This building was originally built as the Elysée Paris Hotel for the 1900 Paris Exposition and was the site of WWI spy Mata Hari’s arrest.
It’s not the first time a LVMH building has been the target of activists. Last year, activists took over LVMH’s headquarters to protest French President Emmanuel Macron’s proposal to increase retirement age for pensions from 62 to 64.
Months before that, LVMH’s mega shopping center La Samaritaine was forced to close during the Christmas shopping period due to union workers seeking better pay.
Read:
Protestors Storm LVMH Paris Headquarters
One of Paris’ Largest Luxury Stores Forced to Close Due to Protests Just Days Before Christmas
- Maura Carlin posted 2 months ago
- last edited 2 months ago
