@diorFashion / NewsFashion / NewsFashion’s biggest houses just donated €300 million to rebuild Notre-DameCasualShareLink copied ✔️April 16, 2019April 16, 2019TextEmma Elizabeth Davidson If you spent any amount of time scrolling through your IG or Twitter feed last night, it’s likely that you’re fully aware of the devastating fire that ravaged through the cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris. As the blaze took hold of the building in the early hours of the evening, the city’s residents took to the streets nearby to console each other, watching as plumes of smoke rose from the iconic Gothic landmark’s roof and filled the sky. Others shared photographs and memories of Notre-Dame across social media, with the likes of Simon Porte Jacquemus, Helmut Lang, and Riccardo Tisci among them. Now, two of fashion’s biggest businessmen have pledged to donate some pretty huge sums of money to restoring the UNESCO-listed site. But then, it's probably not that surprising that you’d want to lend a helping hand when you've got uber-profitable, mega-brands including Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Balenciaga on your roster. First to support the cause was Kering chief executive François-Henri Pinault – who, along with Gucci and Balenciaga, also owns Saint Laurent – who offered up €100 million to the building’s regeneration. Soon after, and seemingly not wanting to be outdone, LVMH’s Bernard Arnault pledged an even more casual €200 million: “The Arnault family and the LVMH group would like to show their solidarity at this time of national tragedy, and are joining up to help rebuild this extraordinary cathedral, which is a symbol of France, of its heritage, and of French unity,” he explained in a statement. With the fire brought under control in the early hours of Tuesday morning, and many historic artworks and religious artefacts saved by firefighters, it is believed it will be possible to rebuild much of the cathedral. Whether any new iterations of its famous gargoyles will be named after Pinault or Arnault in tribute to their generosity remains to be seen – watch this space. Escape the algorithm! Get The DropEmail address SIGN UP Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday. Privacy policy Thank you. You have been subscribed Privacy policy Expand your creative community and connect with 15,000 creatives from around the world.READ MOREHarry Styles and the curse of the queerbait wardrobeOscars 2026: The best dressed stars on the red carpetOscars red carpet: The 17 most controversial outfits of all timeA new Vivienne Westwood exhibition celebrates the designer’s activismRome is where the heart is at Valentino AW26This film captures Naples’ intense love affair with Stone IslandTouching grass was the biggest trend of AW26Mask4mask: Masquerade was having a moment at the AW26 showsCeline is sick of irony! Plus everything you missed at Paris Fashion WeekAdidas tapped the City of Angels for its latest release ZimmermannZIMMERMANN celebrates trailblazing women for AW26 Alysa Liu makes her Paris Fashion Week debut at Louis VuittonEscape the algorithm! Get The DropEmail address SIGN UP Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday. Privacy policy Thank you. You have been subscribed Privacy policy