====== Vendôme Luxury Group ======
  *See Also [[Place Vendôme]]

**Vendôme Luxury Group** was a group of luxury goods manufacturers from 1993 through 1998, when it was dissolved into parent company, [[Richemont]].

===== History =====
Cartier Monde was formed in [[1979]] as a holding company for the various [[Cartier]] businesses. In [[1988]], it acquired controlling interest in [[Piaget]] and [[Baume & Mercier]], becoming a major luxury watch concern. [[Richemont]] was already a minority shareholder in Cartier Monde, as was Rothmans International, a Richemont subsidiary. Rothmans at that time held an interest in [[Alfred Dunhill]], [[Montblanc]], and Chloé. Richemont strengthened its interest in Rothmans the following year.

In October [[1993]], Richemont separated its tobacco and luxury goods businesses into Rothmans International and the newly-created Vendôme Luxury Group, respectively. Richemont still controlled both businesses, completely buying out Rothmans in 1995 but not acquiring all shares of the Vendôme businesses until [[1998]]. In [[1996]], Vendôme purchased [[Vacheron Constantin]], and the company added Lancel and [[Officine Panerai]] the following year.

Vendôme ceased to exist as an entity as Richemont bought out other partners in [[1997]] and [[1998]], and Richemont began divesting of its Rothmans interest the following year. By [[2007]], Richemont held only a minority interest in Rothmans and had focused instead on luxury goods from the Vendôme side.

===== Timeline =====
  * [[1979]] - Cartier Monde is formed
  * [[1988]] - Cartier Monde acquires [[Piaget]] and [[Baume & Mercier]]
  * [[1993]] - Vendôme Luxury Group is formed, including Cartier, [[Alfred Dunhill]], [[Montblanc]], Piaget, Baume & Mercier, Karl Lagerfeld, Chloé, Sulka, Hackett, and Seeger
  * [[1996]] - Vendôme acquires [[Vacheron Constantin]]
  * [[1997]] - Vendôme acquires [[Officine Panerai]] and Lancel; Richemont begins buying out other stakeholders
  * [[1998]] - Richemont acquires complete control and dissolves Vendôme

===== See Also =====
  * [[Cartier]]
  * [[Richemont]]


{{tag>Watch_trusts Richemont Vendôme_Luxury_Group}}