#1 Bernard Arnault
Net worth: $41 billion
Forbes billionaires rank: 4
Nationality: French
Background: Arnault, the chairman of luxury conglomerate LVMH, whose stable of brands includes fashion powerhouse Louis Vuitton. He also owns stakes in Bulgari, Hermes, and Carrefour.
In addition to being the fourth richest man in the world, he's also the richest man in Europe.
#2 Amancio Ortega
Net worth: $37.5 billion
Forbes billionaires rank: 7
Nationality: Spain
Background: Ortega is the former chairman of Indetix, the firm that owns fashion retailers including Zara, Massimo Dutti and Stradivarius, and has 5,000 stores in 77 countries.
#3 Stefan Persson
Net worth: $26 billion
Forbes billionaires rank: 8
Nationality: Swedish
Background: Persson is the chairman of cheap-chic retailer Hennes & Mauritz (H&M), which has 2,200 stores worldwide and is known for collaborating with A-list designers from Karl Lagerfeld to Jimmy Choo.
#4 Christy Walton
Net worth: $25.3 billion
Forbes billionaires rank: 10
Nationality: U.S.
Background: Walton is the heir to the Wal-Mart empire, and while the discount big box retailer is not exclusively in the fashion business, it makes a big enough chunk of change selling apparel that we included her in this list.
*Fellow Wal-Mart heirs Jim Walton and S. Robson Walton would also rank on a list of the wealthiest people in fashion, but we've decide to include only Christy as a representative of the Walton family.
#5 Liliane Bettencourt
Net worth: $24 billion
Forbes billionaires rank: 15
Nationality: French
Background: Fashion and beauty are inextricably intertwined, and L'Oreal heir Liliane Bettencourt owes her largess to the global cosmetics company founded by her father.
#6 Phil Knight
Net worth: $14.4 billion
Forbes billionaires rank: 47
Nationality: U.S.
Background: Knight, the co-founder of Nike, started by selling running sneakers out of his car and eventually expanded into a footwear and athletic wear empire that had
revenues of $20.9 billion in FY 2011.
#7 Francois Pinault
Net worth: $13 billion
Forbes billionaires list: 59
Nationality: French
Background: Pinault, a high school dropout, is the majority shareholder of luxury goods conglomerate PPR. Holdings include Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and Puma.
He's also the owner of auction house Christie's, and husband of actress Salma Hayek.
#8 Leonardo Del Vecchio
Net worth: $11.5 billion
Forbes billionaires rank: 74
Nationality: Italian
Background: Del Vecchio is the founder of Luxottica, the world's largest manufacturer of sunglasses and prescription eyeglasses, as well as the world's biggest eyewear retailer.
His company owns over 6,000 retail stores, including Sunglass Hut and LensCrafters.
#9 Tadashi Yanai
Net worth: $10 billion
Forbes billionaires rank: 88
Nationality: Japanese
Background: Yanai is the founder and president of Fast Retailing, which counts the hugely popular apparel retailer Uniqlo among its subsidiaries, as well as Theory and Helmut Lang.
#10 Ralph Lauren
Net worth: $7.5 billion
Forbes billionaires rank: 122
Nationality: U.S.
Background: The Bronx-born fashion designer is best known for his preppy Polo Ralph Lauren brand.
#11 Alain & Gerard Wertheimer
Net worth: $7.5 billion
Forbes billionaires rank: 122
Nationality: French
Background: Brothers Alain and Gerard Wertheimer own and control House of Chanel, the high-end fashion brand.
In addition to running the company, the brothers own a vineyard and are equestrian enthusiasts.
#12 Giorgio Armani
Net worth: $7.2 billion
Forbes billionaires rank: 127
Nationality: Italian
Background: The designer is also a shrewd businessman. He unveiled a megastore on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue in 2009 and lent his aesthetic (and name) to a chain of hotels, including one that recently opened in Dubai
#13 Johann Rupert
Net worth: $5.1 billion
Forbes billionaires rank: 199
Nationality: South African
Background: Rupert is the chairman and CEO of Richemont, the luxury goods holding company that controls brands like Cartier, Alfred Dunhill, Montblanc and Chloé.
Richemont acquired e-tailer Net-a-Porter for $343 million in 2010.
#14 Isak Andic
Net worth: $4.8 billion
Forbes billionaires rank: 221
Nationality: Spain
Background: Andic is the co-founder of the Spanish fashion retailer Mango.
#15 Leslie Wexner
Net worth: $4.3 billion
Forbes billionaires rank: 248
Nationality: U.S.
Background: Wexner is the chairman and CEO of Limited Brands, which operates Victoria's Secret, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Express, among other major mall chains.
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米ラルフ・ローレン、1000人削減・50店舗閉鎖へ
［７日 ロイター］ - 米アパレル大手のラルフ・ローレン＜RL.N＞は、約１０００人を削減するとともに、５０店舗を閉鎖すると明らかにした。年間１億８０００万－２億２０００万ドルの経費削減と売り上げ回復を目指す。
米ギャップ、日本で「オールド・ネイビー」全店閉鎖へ
同社はまた、通年と第１・四半期の売上高が減少するとの見方を示し、株価は一時１０％超急落した。
人員の削減規模は正社員のおよそ８％に相当するとしている。
４月２日時点で、直営店舗数は約４９３店。従業員数は約２万６０００人で、正社員数は約１万５０００人。
ラルフ・ローレンは、高級品の販売鈍化による打撃を受けているほか、下位ブランドの「ポロ」や「ローレン」はスウェーデンのへネス・アンド・マウリッツ（Ｈ＆Ｍ）＜HMb.ST＞やスペインのインディテックス＜ITX.MC＞のザラなどとの競争が激化している。
店舗閉鎖などに伴い、今年度の純売上高は２ケタ台前半の落ち込みが予想されるとした。
