A Toast to Resilience: LVMH’s Champagne-Fuelled Quarter
By Consumer Exec
Raise a glass — because after a long dry spell, the drinks industry finally has something to celebrate.
LVMH’s latest results show Champagne sales bubbling again, marking a return to growth for the world’s biggest luxury group. Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, and Dom Pérignon all popped back into the spotlight, helping to lift a portfolio that’s spent much of the past two years adjusting to softer global demand.
It’s a small rebound, but one that carries a big message: the appetite for celebration is coming back.
A Shift in Sentiment
After years of unpredictable spending patterns, cautious consumers are starting to re-emerge — not with reckless abandon, but with a sense of selective indulgence.
People are buying fewer bottles, but better ones. They’re trading quantity for experience, looking for products that feel personal, premium, and grounded in story.
In short: the “quiet luxury” movement has made its way into the drinks cabinet.
For LVMH, that meant a lift in Champagne and rosé wines, with US restocking helping to steady its long-pressured Wines & Spirits division. Cognac is still cooling, but the signs of recovery are hard to ignore — especially when they come wrapped in gold foil and heritage branding.
Beyond the Bubbles
This moment isn’t just about fizz; it’s about fundamentals.
Even as Champagne sales rise, fashion and leather goods are still under pressure — down around 2% year-on-year. But that’s actually better than analysts expected, and it signals that the industry’s slow reset is working.
Creative leadership changes across Dior, Fendi, and Celine are starting to take hold, and with demand in China rebounding, the luxury sector looks set for a steadier 2025.
If LVMH is the benchmark for global luxury, then Q3’s results show something important: premium is resilient — but only when it evolves.
The Balance Between Craft and Control
Luxury drinks brands are masterclasses in balancing emotion with execution.
They rely on story, scarcity, and sensory pull — but behind every pop of a cork is serious operational discipline.
LVMH’s CFO Cecile Cabanis said the group expects the creative reshuffles to bear fruit next year, signalling the value of patient, strategic leadership in an industry that often prizes speed.
It’s a reminder for consumer brands everywhere: the smartest growth isn’t loud or rushed — it’s deliberate, measured, and led by leaders who understand both brand and balance sheet.
What It Signals for Consumer Brands
From Champagne to skincare, confidence is creeping back into the market — but it looks different now.
The next chapter of growth in the consumer sector will be defined by value, authenticity, and emotional intelligence. Consumers are more conscious, investors more selective, and leaders more focused on sustainable scale.
That requires new kinds of teams: commercially sharp, operationally calm, and culturally fluent.
It’s what we’re seeing across the Consumer Exec network — brands searching for leaders who can steady the glass while still driving momentum.
Consumer Exec partners with consumer and luxury brands to build leadership teams that blend commercial precision with creative intuition.
From growth hires to interim executives, we help businesses navigate change with confidence and clarity.
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