French art of living: LVMH acquires Buly to expand perfumes and cosmetics portfolio

07 Oct 2021 --- LVMH is acquiring Officine Universelle Buly 1803 (Buly), to further bolster its presence in the perfumes and cosmetics industry. Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed.

“Interest in Buly began in 2017 when we were a minority shareholder of the brand. We aim to work closely with the Buly team, helping them find new locations and benefit from our growth strategy at some point. Still, they will remain a brand and keep their own ‘DNA’ and products,” LVMH spokesperson tells PersonalCareInsights.

The Buly brand is recognized as a symbol of the French art of living which blends well with LVMH’s appeal, being the parent company of Christian Dior, Givenchy and Guerlain.

French cosmetics pedigree
After being supported and assisted for nearly four years by LVMH Luxury Ventures, a minority investment fund, it joins the LVMH group’s 75 other Maisons.

“The Buly stores give the skincare and cosmetic consumer a good experience. We wanted to see what was possible in acquiring them and hope they will continue to do well in the future. We aim to support and invest in them,” the spokesperson continues.

Buly embodies the LVMH Group’s concept of combining heritage, craftsmanship and a “one-of-a-kind” experience in personalized shops, details Bernard Arnault, chairman and CEO of the LVMH Group.Officine Universelle Buly 1803 is a perfume and cosmetics specialist.

“Its refined products enjoy success around the world, and we will do everything we can to ensure that this family entrepreneurial journey, led by Victoire de Taillac and Ramdane Touhami, continues to grow within the LVMH family.”

Personalized experience
Relaunched in 2014 by Ramdane Touhami and Victoire de Taillac, Buly is a Parisian brand inspired by Jean-Vincent Bully, emblematic perfumer of the 19th century.

The brand is recognized for the quality of its products – in perfumes, face and body care, among others. The traditional, “original” and refined design of its shops offer a personalized experience.

“Since 2014, we have been keen to revive an iconic Parisian Maison, with a powerful and unusual universe, drawing its inspiration from forgotten or little-known beauty secrets. We know that Buly will remain true to its unique identity within LVMH, the birthplace of Maisons”, says Victoire de Taillac, co-founder and director of product strategy, image and communication, Buly.

Tracking LVMH’s previous activities
In September, LVMH formed a consortium with Henkel, L’Oréal, Natura &Co and Unilever to urge industry to form a scoring system for cosmetics products and environmental impact assessment. These two will provide consumers with concise and comparable environmental impact information.

LVMH also manufactured hand sanitizers and provided them free of charge to French health authorities, following the increased need for these due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

By Nicole Kerr

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