In 1981, with his friend Daniel Filipacchi, he purchased Hachette magazines, which included the French TV Guide (Tele 7 Jours), and the then-struggling Elle magazine. Elle was then launched in the U.S., followed by 25 foreign editions. Filipacchi and Lagardère then expanded Hachette Filipacchi Magazines in the U.S. with the purchase of Diamandis Communications Inc. (formerly CBS magazines), including Woman's Day, Car and Driver, Road and Track, Flying, Boating, and many others.
Despite setbacks, such as the costly failure of La Cinq TV channel, he led significant mergers that established EADS, today major global aerospace contractor Airbus. He handed over control of his businesses to his son Arnaud in 2001, under whom the Lagardère Group continued to thrive. Jean-Luc Lagardère's contributions were praised by President Jacques Chirac, highlighting his visionary leadership and commitment to European integration.[2]
Thoroughbred horse racing
Lagardère was a prominent figure in French horse racing.[4] In 1981, he purchased the renowned Haras d'Ouillystud in Pont-d'Ouilly, Calvados that had been owned by François Dupré and raced under their famous colors of gray with a pink cap. At one time, his operation had as many as 220 horses. He won the French owners' championship in 1998 and between 1995 and 2001 was the leading breeder in France. His most important racing win came with Sagamix who won the 1998 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
Upon its formation in 1995, Jean-Luc Lagardère served as the first president of France-Galop. On his death in 2003, the business was taken over by his son Arnaud who sold Haras d'Ouilly and its entire bloodstock in 2005 to the Aga Khan IV.
He first married Corinne Lagardère. They had one son, Arnaud. After his divorce, he married Betty Lagardère, whose birth name is Elisabeth Pimenta Lucas, a socialite and former Brazilian model who settled in France.[2]
Death
Lagardere died on March 14, 2003, from a rare neurological condition.[5][2]
Legacy
In honor of his contribution to Airbus, the company has chosen to name the Airbus A380 assembly plant in Toulouse after him.[6] With production ending in 2022, the plant was then converted into the final assembly line for the Airbus A320 family.[7]
