Where Does Fashion Rank in the Forbes List of Billionaires?
Forbes has released its annual rankings of the world’s billionaires. This year, the rich got richer: there are now 1,826 people worth at least a billion dollars (46 of them under 40) for a combined $7.05 trillion.
In 2015 there were 290 new billionaires, including Michael Jordan, who made most of his $1 billion on Nike’s Jordan brand. Also of note: designer Michael Kors actually dropped out of the list this year.
We delved further into the list to see who in the fashion and retail worlds made the cut.
As usual, Walmart’s Walton family dominated the top of retail segment, placing eighth, ninth, eleventh and twelfth for a combined $160.8 billion.
Next in line among fashion retailers and brands was LVMH’s Bernard Arnault, placing thirteenth with a $37.4 billion fortune. He moved up two spots from #15 last year and he is currently the second richest person in France.
H&M chairman Stefan Persson is ranked #28 with $25.4 billion. He is the richest person in Sweden. His son, is H&M’s CEO Karl-Johan Persson, 39, is on the list too with a $3 billion fortune. He is ranked #15 in Sweden. Three other Persson family members are billionaires.
Nike’s Phil Knight is #35 with $22.4 billion. He is the 21st richest person in the U.S.
Leonardo Del Vecchio, who founded the Italian eyeglass giant Luxottica in 1961, is ranked #40 with $21 billion. He is the second richest person in Italy, just behind the 97-year-old Maria Franca Fissolo, the matriarch of the Ferrero chocolate family (best known for Nutella).
Fast Retailing chief Tadashi Yanai, owner of the Uniqlo chain and the Theory brand, among others, is #41 with $20.8 billion. He is the richest person in Japan.
Francois Pinault, the owner of luxury group Kering (Brioni, Gucci, and Saint Laurent, among others) is #65 with $14.7 billion. Pinault also owns the auction house Christie’s. He is the fifth wealthiest person in France.
Giorgio Armani is ranked #174 with wealth totaling $7.8 billion. He is the fifth richest person in Italy.
Ralph Lauren’s $7.1 billion fortune earned him the 193rd spot globally and tenth among the wealthiest New Yorkers and 67th in the U.S.
Other fashion notables with fortunes over a billion dollars include Miuccia Prada, Forever 21 founders Jin Sook & Do Won Chang, Diesel’s Renzo Rosso, Under Armour founder Kevin Plank, Gap board member (and son of the founders) John Fisher and Lululemon founder Chip Wilson.
