Francois-Henri Pinault has a plan to rebuild the Notre Dame post fire

The world was witness to a terrible sight last evening—the 850-year-old cathedral of Notre Dame, one of the most iconic heritage sights in Paris, was set ablaze due to an accident during its undergoing renovations. Several videos surfaced on social media of the roof and the spire collapsing in a cloud of smoke against the pink Parisian sky. The city gathered in mourning as fire fighters did their best to reverse the damage. Emmanuel Macron, President of France spoke to the press after the fire was put out, assuring the people of France that their beloved cathedral would be rebuilt one day.

In the face of the tragedy, the city has already risen to the challenge. François-Henri Pinault, CEO of luxury conglomerate Kering, along with his father François Pinault have pledged 100 million euros to help rebuild the Notre Dame. Kering is the luxury group that owns brands like Gucci, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Bucheron, Yves Saint Laurent and more.“This tragedy is striking all the French people, and beyond that, all those attached to spiritual values,” Francois-Henri Pinault, said in the statement emailed by the family. “Faced with this tragedy, everyone wishes to give life back to this jewel of our heritage as soon as possible.”

While the central spire, the roof and much of the interiors were damaged by the fire, the twin towers and the exterior structure of the Notre Dame have managed to survive. Some reports suggest that due to the ongoing renovations, several relics and other sacred items, were already moved to a safe space last week. Given that one of the most powerful families in the industry has made the first move to resurrect the heritage structure, it’s hard not to imagine how this will play out fashion in the coming seasons.