Gucci was the fastest-growing brand of 2019 with a valuation topping 15 billion here are 11 of the most iconic names owned by its parent company, French luxury giant Kering

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Kering is one of the largest and most profitable luxury conglomerates in the world.

It was founded in 1963 by Francois Pinault, and started as a wood and building materials company. Today, it sells luxury goods, and, as of 2018, the company brought in about 13.7 billion in revenue, with Pinault boasting a net worth of 35.7 billion, according to Forbes.

Since 2005, Kering has been led by Pinault's son, Francois-Henri, who is an avid gender rights activist and is married to actress Salma Hayek.

The luxury conglomerate is best known for owning Gucci, Alexander McQueen, Yves Saint Laurent, and Balenciaga but those aren't the only luxury brands the conglomerate owns.

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Kering is one of the largest and most profitable luxury conglomerates in the world.

It was founded in 1963 as a wood and building materials company by Francois Pinault, whose family still owns it. As Business Insider previously reported, Pinault dropped out of high school when he was only 11 years old to work in his father's lumber mill, reportedly because his peers would make fun of his "poor background." Today, he has a net worth of 35.7 billion.

Since 2005, Kering has been helmed by Pinault's son, Francois-Henri, who is a noted women's rights activist and is married to actress Salma Hayek. Francois-Henri has helped the company expand in both size and profits to help take on luxury rival LVMH currently the largest luxury conglomerate on the planet.

Kering is known for owning brands such as Gucci, Alexander McQueen, and Yves Saint Laurent but those are only some of its notable names. Keep reading to see the top 11 iconic brands owned by Kering, in ascending order from the year Kering acquired them. Gucci: One of Kering's mot popular brands, Gucci was 2019's fastest-growing luxury brand, with a brand valuation of 15.9 billion.

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Year acquired by Kering: 1999

Type of goods: Luxury retailer

Most recognizable for: Currently led by Alessandro Michele, the modern Gucci era is arguably "camp" defined by Susan Sontag in a famous 1964 essay as a "love of the unnatural: of artifice and exaggeration." The brand recently released a capsule collection with Disney to celebrate the year of the rat for Chinese New Year.

Yves Saint Laurent: Named after its legendary founder, Saint Laurent has become one of the top luxury brands in the world. L'Oreal owns the beauty license to the brand's sizable and reputable cosmetics line.

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Year acquired by Kering: 1999

Type of goods: Luxury retailer

Most recognizable for: Yves Saint Laurent's eponymous fashion label was one of the first to make suits fashionable for women. Today, the brand is known for both men's and women's wear, and recently, actor Rami Malek was announced as the face of the brand's Spring Summer campaign.

Bottega Veneta: One of the top Italian fashion houses, Bottega Veneta is known for many signature pieces including the Intrecciato clutch, pictured below. Another signature piece is The Pouch, the fastest-selling bag in the brand's history.

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Year acquired by Kering: 2001

Type of goods: Luxury retailer

Most recognizable for: Bottega Veneta is a popular Italian fashion house, founded in 1996. Current CEO Daniel Lee has, as Ella Alexander of Harper's Bazaar wrote in December 2019, made Bottega Veneta "one of fashion's most popular brands." In 2019, The Pouch became the fastest-selling bag in the brand's history.

See the rest of the story at Business InsiderSee Also:Gucci opens a pop-up shop in Chicago to debut new psychedelic collection and honor the recipients of its first-ever 50,000 grant7 times Roger Stone has looked like a perfect Bond villainThe TikTok generation cares about luxury brands but feels ignored by them. Here's how the big names in luxury can connect with Gen Z.SEE ALSO: Louis Vuitton and Gucci are the only 2 luxury companies to consistently rank among the world's most valuable brands for the last 20 years. Here's how they grew to dominate the high-end retail sector.

DON'T MISS: Sephora is opening 100 new stores across the country this year here are 17 of the most iconic brands owned by its parent company, French luxury giant LVMH

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