Hosted by Antoine Arnault, LVMH's director of image and environment, the sprawling launch party saw guests lining up for personalized Louis Vuitton luggage tags, sampling Hennessy cognac, and tasting a Cova panettone "as big as a footstool." Inspired by the 2024 Paris Olympic Games — of which LVMH was a major sponsor — Arnault had the 2026 class of LVMH Virtuosos follow flag-bearers through the crowded soiree, with guests parting and applauding as the 69 artisans passed clutching a jewelry box containing a special pin designed by Maison Fred. **A CHALLENGING MOMENT FOR LUXURY** The event comes at a challenging time for the luxury sector. LVMH shares are down more than 40 percent so far this year, causing the group to lose its crown as France's most valuable company to L'Oréal.
At a prelaunch dinner in Paris, Arnault acknowledged the difficult backdrop. "A great deal has changed since the first edition. The group has grown enormously, and at times that growth was so rapid that we had to ask ourselves whether we were losing sight of our core values," he said. He revealed that LVMH had initially planned to hold the event next year rather than in 2026. "To be honest, we had not planned to hold the event this year. We intended to stage it next year. It is extremely time-consuming, requires a great deal of energy, and is also very costly," he said. "But our artisans let us know, through the heads of the workshops, industrial directors and sometimes even CEOs, that they felt it was important to hold these special days as soon as possible." **"IN THE AGE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE"**
Arnault framed the event's return as a deliberate counterpoint to the rise of AI. LVMH has narrowed its list of participating houses and does not expect to beat the attendance record of 200,000 visitors from the previous edition. Instead, it wanted to emphasize the human dimension of its business. "In the age of artificial intelligence, we felt there was no better time to come back down to earth and meet the men and women who present their know-how — people who do not need a screen to demonstrate what they do, but can explain directly to visitors, adults and children alike, how much pride they take in their work," Arnault said. **INSIDE THE ATELIERS: CELINE AND LOUIS VUITTON**
At Celine, which opened its ready-to-wear workshop to the public for the first time, Alla, a prototype machinist specializing in flou, was making a model of a whorled rose detail on a dress. Part of the Virtuoso class of 2023, she recently visited the Ruinart Champagne cellars in Reims with fellow honorees. "It broadens your horizons," she said. "Our job is demanding, but when you see high-end hospitality, it goes above and beyond even what we do, because there is so much attention to detail." Alla has worked under three successive creative directors at Celine and is now one of 50 people making runway prototypes and custom VIP orders for Michael Rider and his design team. The workshop sits under a vast glass skylight at the heart of the historic Hôtel Colbert de Torcy, the 17th-century mansion where Celine established its headquarters in 2014.
At the nearby Louis Vuitton leather goods prototype workshop on Rue du Louvre, careers similarly run in decades. Yannick, the workshop manager, has 20 years of experience at LVMH, working in leather goods workshops in France and Italy. He oversees a team of 34 patternmaker-prototypists tasked with bringing designers' ideas to life. "Our advantage is being so close to our creative teams," he said, noting that Vuitton's headquarters are just down the road. Adèle, who joined the team 12 years ago, was keen to explain her little-known profession to the public. "It's a job that requires creativity, sensitivity and technical skills. Creating templates is like drafting patterns for a garment," she said. "Leather working is not something you can learn in two years. To become a good leather worker, you need at least five years, if not 10." **A GLOBAL FOOTPRINT**
The event spans 13 countries and 71 locations, with 45 Maisons opening their doors. Participating sites include the historic Atelier d'Asnières, Casa Loewe in Madrid, Loro Piana's site in Ghemme, the Bvlgari boutique on Via dei Condotti in Rome, and Louis Vuitton's shoe manufacture in Fiesso d'Artico. In China, four venues are participating: two in Shanghai and one each in Hong Kong and Ningxia. Shanghai hosted the global kickoff, marking the first time the event has opened with a multi-brand group exhibition in China. **THE VIRTUOSOS: A GROWING COMMUNITY** The LVMH Virtuosos form a community of ambassadors for their respective maisons, participating in specialized development masterclasses and mentoring. The 2026 class counts 69 artisans honored this year. Several were on hand to greet visitors at the open-day events.
At Hakuba, the two-Michelin-starred restaurant at the Cheval Blanc hotel, visitors were offered a series of three 15-minute workshops around tea, futomaki and mochi. Sacha Vadier, assistant executive pastry chef at Cheval Blanc and an LVMH Virtuoso, said he loves sharing his universe and getting a peek at other forms of skilled craftsmanship. "What is so amazing about the Journées Particulières is that visitors can move from one place to another, discovering crafts that are part of France's heritage and are practiced by people who are among the very best in their field," he said. "It's extraordinary to give people the opportunity to experience something truly remarkable, even if only for a short time." **THE TAKEAWAY**
In an era of accelerating AI adoption, LVMH's decision to revive Les Journées Particulières — and to frame it explicitly as a human counterpoint to the screen — is a strategic statement. The luxury group is betting that the scarcity and authenticity of human craft will remain a core competitive advantage. The artisans who have spent decades perfecting their trades are not replaceable by algorithms. And by opening its doors, LVMH is not just showcasing its heritage; it is reinforcing the value proposition that underpins its entire portfolio: that things made by human hands, over years of dedicated practice, carry a worth that cannot be commoditized.
