Raging against the luxury machine in France amid protests
French riots targeted luxury boutiques, with looters hitting Celine, Hermes, Louis Vuitton and Saint Laurent. Experts say brands' visibility fuels resentment, while LVMH ensures safety.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Vanessa Friedman
- Luxury shops in France were attacked during protests, with looting at Celine, Hermes, Louis Vuitton and Saint Laurent drawing global attention.
- Experts said luxury brands helped create their own backlash by making goods widely visible but too costly for most people, which fuels envy and anger.
- LVMH said it had taken “the appropriate measures” for safety and continuity, while France plans tighter security as more protests are expected.
PARIS – Amid all of the images and videos that emerged of the riots that took place in France on Oct 17 and 18, the most shocking are those of the clock tower collapsing in Limoges after its 19th-century town hall was set alight.
Close behind, however, are the shots of looters storming the gates of luxury brands like Celine, Hermes, Louis Vuitton and Saint Laurent, breaking through the plate-glass windows that act as a scrim between the outside world and the hushed interiors that cater to the ultrarich, smashing their sparkling vitrines and looting their goods.
Source: The Straits Times https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/raging-against-the-luxury-machine-amid-protests-in-france?ref=latest
