Rafiad Ruhi
Knowing who you know is more essential than knowing what you know, according to fashion. When it comes to seating arrangements for Thanksgiving dinner, we’ll look at lengthy fashion lines to make sure squabbling siblings, affluent patriarchs, and money-hungry stepdaughters are kept away from the carving knife. Many of the world’s most well-known worldwide companies are still family businesses that originated as small, working-class firms.
The family list is covered in the subsequent section of this article:
- Gucci: Drama has certainly been part of the family behind the double G logo. Ridley Scott’s film House of Gucci, starring Lady Gaga and Adam Driver, was released in US theaters this month and documents the treachery within this Italian fashion dynasty. As a family business, Gucci was passed down through three generations, but after family feuds led to the expulsion of the remaining Gucci’s in the 90s, the company reinvented itself under Texan designer Tom Ford. Though Alessandro Michele currently holds the top position within the company, he has worked for both Ford and his successor Frida Giannini before taking over as the director himself. Therefore, he is an honorary family member.
- Prada: As a leather goods manufacturer, Fratelli Prada was founded in 1913 as a luxury house. This particular pair was Mario and Martino. Eventually, Mario’s daughter, Luisa, took over, and then in 1978, her daughter Miuccia took over. A year after marrying her business partner Patrizio Bertelli, Miuccia Prada launched her revolutionary ready-to-wear collection. In 1992, the second line of Miu was born, named after Miuccia’s family nickname. They introduced distinct visual languages into the fashion landscape that have continued to resonate.
- Missoni: In 1953, Ottavio and Rosita Missoni founded a small knitwear company in the northern Italian city Varese. Their first fashion show was held in Milan in 1958. The company’s power shifted in 1996 when Vittorio became marketing director, Luca became in charge of menswear, and Angela became in charge of women’s wear. The creative director of M Missoni, Margherita, returned home from the city of New York where she studied philosophy at Columbia University. She had been living there since 2016. Two of Vittorio’s sons, Giacomo and Ottavio Jr, were promoted to prominent positions in the company earlier this year, due to internal restructuring.
- Versace: After taking over her namesake company in 1997, Donatella Versace experienced one of the most difficult handovers in fashion history. The luxury company was founded in 1978 when her brother Gianni was murdered. Donatella’s brother Santo became CEO of the company, with his share of the business growing to 30 percent, while Allegra, Donatella’s daughter, received 50 percent. Donatella’s struggle with cocaine addiction began as a result of the burden of business responsibility. She has become a cultural icon because of her vulnerability coupled with her unapologetic high-octane glamorous image.
- Ralph Lauren: Ralph Lauren, head of America’s first family of fashion, started by selling ties out of his trunk. The executive works alongside his son David, CEO, head of the Ralph Lauren Foundation, and vice chairman of the board. He is heavily influenced by the style of his wife Ricky, for whom he named his best-selling luxury handbag.
- Fendi: In 1925, Adele Casagrande married Edoardo Fendi, who founded the Italian leather goods brand Fendi. Each of the family’s five daughters received 20 percent of the business until LVMH purchased the majority share in 1999. As Anna Venturini Fendi’s daughter and the maker of the famous Baguette bag, Silvia Venturini Fendi is still a key figure in the company, overseeing its accessory, menswear, and children’s wear lines. The family business is also run by Delfina Delettrez, who is a jewelry designer in her own right.
- Armani: The Italian fashion king Giorgio Armani has an estimated net worth of 7.5 billion dollars. His company was formed in 1975 with help from Sergio Galeotti and seed money raised from selling Armani’s Volkswagen. It’s not just Armani who rules. Rosana, his sister, is also involved in the business, along with Roberta, who runs the PR department, and Silvana, who manages the women’s line. Years of speculation have swirled around who will inherit the crown when the 87-year-old founder steps down.
- The Row: Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen, former child stars turned fashion designers, founded The Row in 2005, named after London’s famous Savile Row. The brand has won multiple CFDA awards for its minimalist luxury, an aesthetic usually associated with European fashion.
- Ferragamo: Salvatore Ferragamo, the eleventh of 14 children, established a leather shop in 1912 in Bonito, Italy, when he was just 13. He became known as the “Shoemaker to the Stars” after making shoes for Joan Crawford and Gloria Swanson after immigrating to the US in 1923. Fiamma, Giovanna, Fulvia, Ferruccio, Leonardo, and Massimo, the children of Leonardo and Wanda, took over the business in 1960, and for the next several decades continued to operate it.
Kering: Two of the foundations of today’s global luxury industry are the Pinaults and the Arnaults. François Pinault founded Kering in 1963 as a timber trading company, and his son François-Henri joined in 1987, becoming President and CEO in 2013. They hav Kering: Two of the foundations of today’s global luxury industry are the Pinaults and the Arnaults. François Pinault founded Kering in 1963 as a timber trading company, and his son François-Henri joined in 1987, becoming President and CEO in 2013. They have built an empire encompassing brands such as Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, and Bottega Veneta. His daughter is born to actress Selma Hayek, with whom he is married.
