A biography for Antoine Arnaulthasn’t been written yet.
“In many competitive worlds like luxury, things are done behind closed doors and with secrecy, so one day I had a eureka moment: for one weekend we show everything, full transparency, forget about business or commerce and showcase our work.”
“Going from zero to five kids in two and a half years is the most wonderful thing in the world.”
“It was clear that my father wanted us to work with him. I mean, it is a family company.”
“We need to focus on what we know to do best, and our domain is the highest quality in luxury products and spending the most attention on uncompromising quality, not on being technologically advanced.”
“Experience is going to be even more important than it used to be - people will want to live something when they are in our stores, otherwise they'll just buy on their phones.”
“Being surrounded by creativity and talent is very enriching - not in terms of money but in terms of the soul and the spirit.”
“Never forget your iPod and dvd player during long trips.”
“A pair of Berluti shoes has this flair, these nuances in colour and patina, so I thought: 'What if we took this je ne sais quoi and turn it into a menswear brand?'”
“I never conduct business on the golf course.”
“You have to embrace trends; it's crazy to think you can live above it. Like digital, like selling online, like social networks - if you fear them, they're going to eat you alive.”
“I like to respect my customers.”
“Growing up, I'd always visit boutiques with my father on the weekends.”
“During the last years of university I started an online business with a couple of friends selling domain names - we started by cybersquatting and then we became a real business. Someone bought us after three years and we made a good deal.”
“The luxury industry is being radically reshaped by technology-driven innovation.”
“Designers are not artists. They may have the talent of one, but if they want to work in that way they should paint or sculpt.”
“It's not a burden, you know? You're going to work in fashion, surrounded by creativity and beautiful people, beautiful objects... or work in banking. OK, I choose fashion.”
“Luxury is a difficult object to describe - it's been the object of hundreds of years of discussion. We definitely don't need it, but it's good for the soul.”
“Italy has a special place in my heart.”
“Millennials, as others, want creative, durable, desirable, and beautiful products. But they do add a new criteria: respect.”
“If I see one of my sales assistants neglecting someone because he doesn't look like a good client, he's fired immediately.”