“We will rebuild,” French President Emmanuel Macron said. “We will rebuild Notre Dame because this is what the French expect, because this is what our history deserves, because it is our destiny.” Not long after a terrible fire devastated Notre Dame, the Cathedral of Paris, several of France’s fashion industry millionaires pledged to rebuild it. But who are these people and why do they have millions of euros to spare? Turns out they are major millionaires and this is what they have promised to do.
Click here for more details: 20 Notre-Dame Images From Before And After The Devastating Fire
François-Henri Pinault
His name might not ring that much of a bell. Would it help if I told you he’s married to Salma-freaking-Hayek, Mexican actor, producer and overall badass?
@salmahayek Yeah, this lucky man also happens to be the CEO and chairman of Kering, the luxury conglomerate that includes Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen, and Balenciaga.
At about 11:00 pm, Paris time, right about when the flames were completely extinguished, Pinault pledged 100 million euros to aid in the rebuilding of the cathedral (via his investment company, Artemis), thus jumpstarting a series of pledges and inaugurating a competition to see which of the fashion moguls loved France the most. Here’s what Pinault said in a statement.
This tragedy is striking all the French people, and beyond that, all those attached to spiritual values. Faced with this tragedy, everyone wishes to give life back to this jewel of our heritage as soon as possible.
The first one to respond? None other than fierce competitor Bernard Arnault.
Click here for more details: Paris’ Historical Notre-Dame Cathedral Is On Fire
Bernard Arnault
Moments after the Kering CEO made his potential donation public, Bernard Arnault, the world’s third-richest man, totally saw Pinault’s 100 million and raised 200 million.
@fashiontomax
Arnault, the chairman and CEO of rival corporation Louis Vuitton Möet Henessy, otherwise known as LVMH, which includes Louis Vuitton, Dior, Fendi, Celine, Loewe and Marc Jacobs. According to Forbes, the Arnault family’s wealth is worth $91.7 billion, not bad for selling clothes. A statement from the LVMH group read:
The Arnault family and the LVMH Group, in solidarity with this national tragedy, are committed to assist with the reconstruction of this extraordinary cathedral, symbol of France, its heritage, and its unity.
The Bettencourt Meyers
Then came the Bettencourt Meyers family, owners of one third of the L’Oréal cosmetics empire. Françoise Bettencourt Meyers is none other than the world’s richest woman, and France’s billoinaire who sits on the L’Oréal board. They pledged €200 million euros as well, 100 million as a donation from the L’Oréal Group and another 100 million euro through a donation via the Bettencourt Schueller Foundation.
Instyle
The Arnault family also pledged 200 million euro, so, all in all, the restoration of Notre-Dame can now boast €680 million in donations from moguls alone, but all of this is expected to encourage a massive and international fundraising campaign for the cathedral. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo tweeted yesterday a proposal for a conference of international donors next week, while other French corporations have already begun to pledge amounts in the 1 million to 10 million euro range. French President Emmanuel Macron is staunch in his vision to rebuild the cathedral, saying at a press conference outside the building last night, “We will rebuild Notre-Dame because that is what the French expect.”
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