Delphine Arnault
Chairman and chief executive of Christian Dior Couture
Delphine Arnault is the chairman and chief executive of Christian Dior Couture, a role she has held since February 2023. A long-serving LVMH executive, she previously spent a decade as executive vice president of Louis Vuitton and created the LVMH Prize for emerging designers.
| Role | Chairman and chief executive, Christian Dior Couture |
|---|---|
| Since | February 2023 |
| Previous role | Executive vice president, Louis Vuitton (2013 to 2023) |
| Group | LVMH board member since 2003, executive committee since 2019 |
| Born | 1975 |
| Known for | LVMH Prize for young designers |
Who is Delphine Arnault?
Delphine Arnault is a French luxury executive and, since February 2023, chairman and chief executive of Christian Dior Couture, one of the most important fashion houses in the LVMH group. Born in 1975, she has worked within the group for more than two decades and sits on the board of LVMH, which she joined in 2003, as well as on its executive committee.
Career
Arnault studied at EDHEC Business School and the London School of Economics and began her career at the consultancy McKinsey & Company in Paris. She then moved into luxury, working on the business of the John Galliano label before joining Christian Dior in 2001. In 2008 she was appointed deputy managing director of Dior, a period in which the house strengthened its leather goods and accessories business.
In 2013 she became executive vice president of Louis Vuitton, with responsibility for product across the house's categories, a role she held for around ten years. She was appointed to LVMH's executive committee in 2019. In January 2023 LVMH announced that she would succeed Pietro Beccari at the head of Christian Dior Couture, and she took up the role the following month.
Influence on the fashion business
At Dior, Arnault oversees a house that spans women's and men's ready-to-wear, haute couture, leather goods, jewellery and home, sold through a global network of directly operated boutiques. Her tenure has included major changes in creative leadership, notably the appointment of Jonathan Anderson in 2025 to lead the house's collections after the departures of Maria Grazia Chiuri and Kim Jones.
- Long experience in product and merchandising at Dior and Louis Vuitton
- Close involvement in creative director appointments
- Board level role in the LVMH group
- Champion of young design talent
She is also closely associated with the LVMH Prize, the international competition for young fashion designers that the group launched in 2013 and that has become one of the most visible talent programmes in the industry. Alumni of the prize have gone on to lead their own labels and to take creative roles at established houses.
Why it matters
Dior is one of the largest and most visible brands in the luxury sector, and decisions taken under Delphine Arnault's leadership influence creative direction, pricing and retail strategy far beyond the house itself. As one of several family members in senior roles at LVMH, she is also regularly discussed in the context of the group's long-term leadership, which makes her a key figure to follow for anyone tracking the luxury market.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Delphine Arnault?
Delphine Arnault is a French luxury executive who has been chairman and chief executive of Christian Dior Couture since February 2023. She previously spent about ten years as executive vice president of Louis Vuitton and sits on the board of LVMH.
What is Delphine Arnault known for?
She is known for her long career in product and management at Dior and Louis Vuitton and for her role in the LVMH Prize, the group's competition for emerging fashion designers. Since 2023 she has led Christian Dior Couture.