LVMH to Invest in Accor's Orient Express Brand, Casts Doubt on Louis Vuitton Hotel Rumor
Skift Take
LVMH and Accor said Thursday they had signed a deal to speed up the revival of the Orient Express brand.
The luxury titan's move came after LVMH separately doused rumors it would plan to open a Louis Vuitton-branded hotel in Paris, suggesting the group isn't trying to compete head-on with established hotel groups.
LVMH said it would make an unspecified strategic investment in the Orient Express brand, the operating company for hotels, trains, and sailing ships.
The move is important because it could end brand confusion for consumers. LVMH separately manages the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express luxury train service through its subsidiary, Belmond.
For instance, customers riding on Venice-Simplon-Orient-Express luxury trains, run by Belmond, may want to book stays at Orient Express Hotels run by Accor, assuming the brand was unified. But Belmond wouldn't be able to help them.
The Orient Express joint venture includes trains and hotels. But will also own ships, the first of which is currently under construction in France, with the partners seeking a third collaborator.
Orient Express began as a brand with its first luxury train trip in 1883. It later became more glamorous after Agatha Christie wrote the detective fiction, Murder on the Orient Ex
