The former Louis Vuitton Chairman and CEO dubbed as Empire Builder, Yves Carcelle, aged 66, died in Paris on Sunday.
The Empire Builder is credited for turning the French conglomerate known for its handbags and travel trunks into one of the most recognizable luxury brands in the world.
"It is with great sadness and emotion that I learned of the death of Yves Carcelle, a tireless traveller. Yves was the image of the house that he so long embodied: A pioneer, always curious, passionate, on the move. He was one of the most inspiring leaders I have ever met. LVMH today lost one its dearest friends," said Bernard Arnault, chairman and chief executive of LVMH, in a statement released after Carcelle's death.
Carcelle joined LVMH in 1989 as head of strategy and became chairman and chief of executive of the Louis Vuitton Malletier unit in 1990. He was in-charge of overlooking the Louis Vuitton Fashion Group in 1998. The group includes other notable luxury brands such as Fendi, Céline, and Donna Karan. He stepped down from the position to focus exclusively on Louis Vuitton. He retired entirely in 2012 but still involved in strategic roles for the company.
The former CEO spearheaded the luxury brand's expansion in Asia and other international market. In 1999, his brand opened its first store in Beijing, China. He was noted for his aggressive role in innovating the brand to be one of the most coveted symbol in the market.
He's also responsible for recruiting Marc Jacobs in 1997 to design ready-to-wear clothes and shoes for Louis Vuitton, which soon included jewelries and other accessories. The now famous designer was still relatively unknown then but has moved on to create his own empire.
Last year, Carcelle learned that he had a rare form of kidney cancer, which has limited treatment options. The Empire Builder is survived by his wife and his five children kids.
