PARIS (AP) — The reopening of Notre Dame was a solemn celebration of cultural and spiritual renewal. Yet for some, the historic cathedral's revival also felt like a meticulously choreographed branding event by LVMH and other luxury conglomerates.
Bernard Arnault, the lowkey billionaire behind luxury powerhouse LVMH and a key Notre Dame donor who regularly tops the list of the world’s richest men, was at the center of the celebration. He was surrounded by his family, the French president, the archbishop and clergy, and the unmistakable symbols of his luxury empire’s influence, including its brands Louis Vuitton and Dior.
France's first lady Brigitte Macron and her U.S. counterpart, Jill Biden, both had Lady Dior handbags. Louis Vuitton artistic director Pharrell Williams performed kitted out in Louis Vuitton. South African soprano Pretty Yende also contributed with a rendition of “Amazing Grace” while wearing a Dior gown adorned with 110 carats of diamonds.
Welcome to the “inauguration of the LVMH arena,” commented television journalist Yann Barthès about the cathedral ceremony.
LVMH has enjoyed unprecedented visibility in France in 2024, especially as a high-profile sponsor of the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Some questioned the taste of such brand prominence occurring in a sacred space like the beloved Gothic monument, while noting LVMH's crucial contribution to the reconstruction.
“You can’t blame monsieur Arnault, a businessman, to do business. But people are now asking if it was an appropriate venue for a display like that,” said fashion PR consultant Theo Fontaine.
“It’s been a great PR year for LVMH — that's for sure,” Fontaine added. “The Olympics and now Notre Dame. The whole world has been watching.”
Not far behind Arnault sat representatives of Kering, adding another layer to the ongoing rivalry between France’s two largest luxury conglomerates.
Kering CEO François-Henri Pinault attended alongside his wife, actress Salma Hayek, who wore a tailored Gucci coat. Gucci is Kering-owned.
The event, marking the culmination of an 840 million euro ($882 million) restoration effort following a devastating 2019 fire, brought together global dignitaries and cultural icons.
The restoration united France’s corporate giants. Arnault’s 200 million euro donation was the largest, followed by 100 million euro contributions from Pinault and the Bettencourt-Meyers family of L’Oréal. Over 250 companies and 2,000 craftspeople contributed to the five-year restoration effort, which reconstructed the spire, repaired vaulted ceilings and restored stained-glass windows.
As the bells of Notre Dame rang out across Paris, the cathedral’s rebirth stood as a testament to collective effort — but also for some as a symbol of how France’s seats of power and its prized luxury industry are inextricably intertwined.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Brigitte Macron welcomed heads of state, including President-elect Donald Trump, Britain’s Prince William and Elon Musk, to a ceremony steeped in tradition — and high fashion.
Arnault attended with his family, including Dior chair and CEO Delphine Arnault, LVMH image and environment director Antoine Arnault, Moët Hennessy deputy CEO Alexandre Arnault, LVMH Watches CEO Frédéric Arnault, and Louis Vuitton product and development director for watches Jean Arnault. Antoine Arnault’s wife, model Natalia Vodianova, was also in attendance.
“I am proud of the outpouring of generosity from all over the world, to which the LVMH Group and my family wanted to contribute from the very beginning, which has enabled the restoration of this jewel of our heritage,” Antoine Arnault said in a statement posted to LinkedIn.
“This extraordinary project highlighted the excellence of French know-how and the talent of nearly 2,000 architects, workers and craftsmen of all trades,” he added.
Yet, public reaction was mixed
Papuna Biliseishvili, 24, who watched the ceremony in Paris, quipped, “If the devil wears Prada, the cathedral wears Louis Vuitton and Dior.”
Cari Lefebvre, 27, said “this is the most PR the Catholic Church has seen in centuries.”
Marie-Claire Dubois, a 45-year-old Catholic worshiper from Paris, expressed her disapproval. “This is a sacred place. It is beautiful that these companies contributed, but the branding should have remained outside," she said "Notre Dame deserves respect as a house of God, not a showcase for luxury.”
While the grandeur of the reopening sparked debate, Arnault’s donation and LVMH’s contributions to the cathedral restoration—including 36 300-year-old oak trees for the spire—have been widely praised.
LVMH’s influence at the Paris 2024 Olympics further cemented its stellar year. The company crafted custom display cases for 5,000 medals and the Olympic torch, showcasing its artistry and precision. Berluti, another LVMH brand, designed costumes for the opening ceremony, while an Olympic-themed Vogue World fashion show, supported by the group, drew international attention during Paris Couture Week.
Tensions between Arnault and Pinault, the driving forces behind LVMH and Kering respectively, were on full display with their brands’ prominent appearances at the cathedral. This rivalry dates back decades to a bitter bidding war over Gucci in the late 1990s, which Pinault’s Kering ultimately won. Since then, their competition has extended beyond fashion into the realms of art, philanthropy and global influence.
In Notre Dame, French luxury was also championed by the French Catholic church — and was on display even in the stitch of the liturgical vestments. French fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac was called on by the church to design the cathedral’s 2,000 garments. The unorthodox designs were fun, modern — and perhaps shockingly minimalist. They ensured that even the clergy’s robes reflected high-fashion artistry, further underscoring the intersection of faith and fashion at the event.
FILE - French President Emmanuel Macron, center, and his wife Brigitte Macron arrive to attend the inaugural Mass, with the consecration of the altar, at the Notre Dame Cathedral, five-and-a-half years after a fire ravaged the Gothic masterpiece, as part of ceremonies to mark the Cathedral's reopening after its restoration, in Paris, France, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Sarah Meyssonnier/Pool Photo via AP)
FILE - Actress Salma Hayek and her husband CEO of Kering Francois-Henri Pinault sit inside Notre Dame Cathedral before France's iconic cathedral is formally reopening its doors for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark in 2019, Saturday Dec.7, 2024 in Paris. (Ludovic Marin/Pool via AP, File)
FILE - CEO of LVMH Bernard Arnault, left, Antoine Arnault, CEO of Berluti , center right, and members of the Arnault family talk in Notre Dame Cathedral before France's iconic cathedral is formally reopening its doors for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark in 2019, Saturday Dec.7, 2024 in Paris. (Ludovic Marin/Pool via AP, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Making his first appearance before Congress since the Trump administration went to war against Iran, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced withering questioning Wednesday from skeptical Democrats over a costly conflict being waged without congressional approval.
The war has cost $25 billion so far, according to Pentagon numbers presented to the House Armed Services Committee during a contentious hearing ostensibly focused on the administration’s 2027 military budget proposal. It would boost defense spending to a historic $1.5 trillion.
While Republicans focused on the details of military budgeting and voiced support for the Iran operation, Democrats grilled Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, about the ballooning costs of the war, the huge drawdown of critical U.S. munitions and the bombing of a school that killed children. Some lawmakers also questioned President Donald Trump's dealings with allies and his shifting justification for the conflict.
Hegseth dismissed the criticism as political and rebuked lawmakers who pushed him for answers.
“The biggest challenge, the biggest adversary we face at this point are the reckless, feckless and defeatist words of congressional Democrats and some Republicans,” Hegseth said.
Wednesday's hearing stretched nearly six hours as Democrats and some Republicans questioned Hegseth over the war and his ouster of several top military leaders.
In one tense exchange, Hegseth told Democratic Rep. Adam Smith that Iran’s nuclear facilities were obliterated in 2025 strikes by the U.S., prompting Smith to question the Trump administration’s reasoning for starting the Iran war less than a year later.
“We had to start this war, you just said 60 days ago, because the nuclear weapon was an imminent threat,” said Smith, the ranking Democrat on the committee. “Now you’re saying that it was completely obliterated?”
Hegseth responded that Iran “had not given up their nuclear ambitions” and still had thousands of missiles.
Smith said the war “left us at exactly the same place we were before.”
Iran’s closing of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping corridor for the world’s oil, has sent fuel prices skyrocketing and posed problems for Republicans ahead of the midterm elections. The U.S. has imposed a naval blockade of Iranian shipping and three American aircraft carriers are in the Middle East for the first time in more than 20 years.
Democrats accused Hegseth of misleading Americans about the reasons for the conflict and said rising gas prices are now threatening the pocketbooks of millions of people in the U.S.
“Secretary Hegseth, you have been lying to the American public about this war from day one and so has the president,” said Rep. John Garamendi of California, who called the war “a geopolitical calamity," a “strategic blunder" and a "self-inflicted wound to America."
Hegseth blasted Garamendi's remarks.
“Who are you cheering for here?” he asked the lawmaker. ”Your hatred for President Trump blinds you” to the success of the war.
The defense secretary faced intense questions from Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, a Pennsylvania Democrat, about his decision to oust the Army’s top uniformed officer, Gen. Randy George, one of several top military officers to be dismissed since Trump took office again.
Houlahan said George was deeply respected by members of the military and Congress and asked why Hegseth fired him. Hegseth's response that “new leadership” was needed failed to satisfy Houlahan.
“You have no way of explaining why you fired one of the most decorated and remarkable men,” Houlahan began, before Hegseth interrupted her. “We needed new leadership,” he repeated.
The Pentagon also announced this month that Navy Secretary John Phelan was stepping down. Hegseth previously removed Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the Navy’s top uniformed officer, Gen. Jim Slife, the Air Force's No. 2 leader and others, while Trump fired Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown Jr. as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska said that while Hegseth is empowered to make personnel changes, he shared what he called “bipartisan concern” about the firings.
“We had a huge bipartisan majority here that had confidence in the Army chief of staff and the secretary of the navy,” Bacon said. “And I would just point out it may be constitutionally right ... but it doesn’t make it right or wise.”
Hegseth has said the changes are part of building a “warrior culture” at the Pentagon.
Republican Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina defended Hegseth's personnel moves, saying he is “trying to innovate and trying to change the way we do business.”
“I’m glad that you’re firing people," Mace said. “There are people there that are getting in your way. They need to go.”
Hegseth detailed plans to increase pay for service members and upgrade munitions while also announcing that, as of Tuesday, the Pentagon had released $400 million in previously appropriated military aid for Ukraine in its fight against Russia.
But the Iran war dominated the debate.
While a fragile ceasefire is in place, the U.S. and Israel launched the war Feb. 28 without congressional oversight. House and Senate Democrats have failed to pass multiple war power resolutions that would have required Trump to halt the conflict until Congress authorizes further action.
Republicans say they back Trump’s wartime leadership for now, citing Iran’s nuclear program, the potential for talks to resume and the high stakes of withdrawal. Still, GOP lawmakers are eager for the conflict to end, and some are eyeing future votes that could become an important test for the president if the war drags on.
Democrats questioned Hegseth over the war's economic impact and rising gasoline costs, noting Trump's promise to lower consumer costs. Hegseth responded by citing the threat posed by Iran.
“What is the cost of Iran having a nuclear weapon that they wield?” he said.
The U.S. and Iran appear locked in a stalemate. Trump told Axios on Wednesday that he is rejecting Iran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for lifting the U.S. blockade.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, left, and Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, appear before a House Committee on Armed Services business meeting on the Department of Defense Fiscal Year 2027, on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey Jr.)
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth appears before a House Committee on Armed Services business meeting on the Department of Defense Fiscal Year 2027 on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey Jr.)
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth appears before a House Committee on Armed Services business meeting on the Department of Defense Fiscal Year 2027, on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey Jr.)
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth appears before a House Committee on Armed Services business meeting on the Department of Defense Fiscal Year 2027 on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey Jr.)
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth appears before a House Committee on Armed Services business meeting on the Department of Defense Fiscal Year 2027 on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey Jr.)
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth appears before a House Committee on Armed Services business meeting on the Department of Defense Fiscal Year 2027 on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey Jr.)
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine speaks to members of the media during a press briefing at the Pentagon, Thursday, April 16, 2026 in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)
