APPLE, LUXURY BRANDS: MUTUAL ATTRACTION

According to The Wall Street Journal, Ian Rogers’ move from Apple to LVMH is completely within reason.

“Why do Apple and the luxury-goods industry covet each other’s leaders so much?” Christina Passariello writes. “They have a lot in common, starting with their customers. The same person who buys a Louis Vuitton bag or a Dior suit is very likely to own an iPhone. Luxury CEOs such as LVMH’s Bernard Arnault often cite Apple as the brand they admire the most. The luxury-goods industry would like to think it shares Apple’s characteristics, such as a cult following and iconic design.”

In March of last year, as the brightest bulbs in Cupertino were working on the Apple Watch, Esquire noted, “LVMH claims that Apple is actively trying to lure employees away from its Hublot label against its wishes.” And now, to borrow the WSJ headline, we’ve learned that the distance between Apple and the luxury industry is “a short, two-way street.”