[News Figures] Gerald Guiot Taking a Selfie with Lee Boo-jin

Founder of 'Destree,' the fashion brand by 'Lee Boo-jin Baek'
Celebrities like Beyonce and supermodel Gisele B?ndchen invest
Also known as the third daughter-in-law of Louis Vuitton chairman

Lee Boo-jin, President of Hotel Shilla, met with Gerald Guiot, the third daughter-in-law of Bernard Arnault, Chairman of LVMH (Louis Vuitton Mo?t Hennessy), and the founder of the fashion brand 'DESTREE.' Guiot showcased their friendship by posting a photo with Lee on her Instagram, drawing attention not only to their connection but also to who Guiot, the founder of DESTREE, is.

Gerald Guiot, President of Destri (left), and Lee Boo-jin, President of Shilla Hotel (right) Photo by Guiot Instagram capture

According to the fashion industry on the 13th, Guiot, who recently visited Korea, shared a photo on her Instagram on the 12th with Lee, BLACKPINK member Ros?, actor Lee Jung-jae, and others. She said, "I am very pleased to enter Korea, which has become a hub for trendsetting," adding, "Korea has risen to become one of the world's top three markets in just two years. We have laid the groundwork to open our first store in Seoul." DESTREE launched an offline pop-up store on the 3rd floor of Hyundai Department Store Trade Center branch on the 1st of last month. This store will operate for a limited time until this month.

The connection between President Lee and Guiot runs deep. Earlier, in February, Lee attended the wedding of Jung Joon-sun, son of Jung Mong-kyu, Chairman of HDC Group and a professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), carrying DESTREE's 'Gunter Passementerie Bag.' At that time, the bag attracted attention for its unique design featuring no logo and craft details resembling a round coil of string.

According to the culture, fashion, and lifestyle magazine 'frivolette,' Gerald Guiot, born in Paris, France in 1992, majored in fine arts at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London, a leading fashion school in the UK. In 2015, she founded DESTREE with her friend Laetitia Lumbroso. Laetitia Lumbroso has over 10 years of experience in the fashion industry, having worked at Givenchy and Dior.

The bag carried by Lee Boo-jin, President of Hotel Shilla, at the wedding of Jung Joon-sun, eldest son of Jung Mong-kyu, Chairman of HDC Group and professor at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), last February. Photo by Destri website capture

At the time of DESTREE's founding, they expanded the fashion domain into luxury fashion accessories starting with hats, as leather goods and fashion jewelry were no longer considered new fashion categories in France. Currently, DESTREE also sells other accessories such as bags, earrings, and belts.

As of last year, DESTREE is known to operate about 100 stores worldwide, with investors including singer Beyonc?, Rihanna, supermodel Gisele B?ndchen, and Emily Weiss, founder of the beauty brand Glossier. Regarding this, Guiot told a media outlet, "I am grateful and honored by the investment from female entrepreneurs." Notably, Venezuelan female investor Carmen Busquets, who has been investing since 1997, stated the reason for her investment was that "DESTREE values French craftsmanship." Carmen Busquets is a global investor in fashion, culture, and other art enterprises.

Guiot, who is also the wife of Alexandre Arnault, son of Bernard Arnault and Senior Vice President of Tiffany, announced her engagement on Instagram in December 2020. At that time, Guiot revealed, "Everything started in 1998 (when I met Alexandre)," and they held their wedding in Paris in October 2021. The couple is known to have dated for about a year and a half.