- Elon Musk and Bernard Arnault have formed an unexpected friendship, the LVMH chief said.
- Arnault praised Musk's success and called him a "genius" during a CNBC interview.
- He even suggested the two have talked about a Louis Vuitton-branded SpaceX rocket.
An unexpected friendship has apparently blossomed between two of the world's richest men: Elon Musk and Bernard Arnault.
Arnault, who is the chairman of luxury conglomerate LVMH and the world's third-richest person, discussed his relationship with Musk, the wealthiest man on Earth, during a wide-ranging interview on CNBC's "Squawk Box" ahead of the Opening Ceremonies of the Paris Olympics, of which LVMH is a sponsor.
The two billionaires — Musk is worth $244 billion and Arnault $185 billion, Bloomberg estimates — were to sit together at a lunch for the games, Arnault said, along with the president of France, Emmanuel Macron.
"I admire very much what he's doing," Arnault said of Musk. "To do such success with a car company was quite unexpected. He's a genius in also being so successful with his rockets; it's incredible."
They've even talked about two of their most well-known brands — Louis Vuitton and SpaceX — collaborating on a branded rocketship.
"We discussed one idea, which is a rocket, maybe with a way to put Vuitton in a rocket," he added, joking that if it happens, he's afraid Musk will ask him to go to space.
The LVMH leader, who is 75, has long been a business titan that newer names have come to for advice, including Steve Jobs. Ahead of opening Apple stores, Jobs asked him about how to create a good retail experience, Arnault told "Squawk Box."
Arnault recommended he focus on location and even offered that it could help to follow in the footsteps of Louis Vuitton.
"He was quite interested" in that suggestion, Arnault said. "One of the first ones he did was in Tokyo, just in front of our shop."
"It proved to be a fantastic success," he added.