Who are the most powerful families in the fashion world?

Gucci

Betrayal within this Italian fashion dynasty is the subject of the Ridley Scott movie House of Gucci, which was released and starring Lady Gaga and Adam Driver. Founded in 1921 by Guccio Gucci, the company continued for three generations, but family feuds led to the export of the remaining Gucci and it reinvented itself in the '90s when the company went public under the creative direction of Tom Ford. But current creative director Alessandro Michele has worked at the company since 2002 under both Ford and her successor, Frida Giannini, and could be considered an honorary member of the family, before filling the top spot herself.

Prada

Luxury home Prada was founded in 1913 as Fratelli Prada or Prada Brothers, a leather goods supplier. The brothers in question were Mario and Martino. Later, Mario's daughter Luisa took control and in 1978 her daughter Miuccia stepped in. Miuccia married her business partner Patrizio Bertelli in 1987, and Prada's revolutionary ready-to-wear collections were launched in 1989. The second brand Miu Miu came in 1992, it got its name from the family nickname of Miuccia. Both brands have introduced a whole new visual language to the fashion world, and that language continues to resonate.

Missoni

Missoni was founded in 1953 as a small knitwear company by Ottavio and Rosita in the northern Italian town of Varese, and five years later they presented their first Milan fashion show. A generational transfer of power in 1996 saw their son Vittorio become marketing director, with Luca taking over menswear, while daughter Angela taking control of womenswear. Her granddaughter, Margherita, returned home from New York to study philosophy at Columbia University to become the creative director of M Missoni in 2018. In the internal restructuring, Margherita resigned, while Vittorio's two sons, Giacomo and Ottavio Jr., took on important roles.

Versace

In perhaps one of the most tumultuous times in fashion history, Donatella Versace took over the reins of her namesake company in 1997, following the brutal murder of her brother, Gianni, who founded the luxury company in 1978. Brother Santo became CEO and took over 30 percent of the business, while Donatella's younger daughter Allegra took over 50 percent. Donatella Versace is still head of the creative team of the luxury fashion house.

Ralph Lauren

Head of America's first fashion family, Ralph Lauren initially started by selling ties from the trunk of his car and built a multi-billion dollar empire. The celebrity favorite was heavily influenced by the style of his wife, Ricky, whose best-selling luxury bag is named after him. The Chief Innovation Officer works with his son, David, who holds the titles of strategic adviser to the CEO, president of the Ralph Lauren Foundation, and vice chairman of the board.

Fendi

Fendi is the brand that turned into a fashion house from another Italian leather goods store. Fendi was founded in Rome in 1925 by Adele Casagrande, who took the family name when she married Edoardo Fendi. His five daughters, Paola, Anna, Franca, Carla and Alda, owned 20 percent of the business until the family sold its majority stake to LVMH in 1999. Silvia Venturini Fendi, Anna's daughter and creator of the famous Baguette bag, is still a key figure in the company that manages the accessories, menswear and children's collections, and her daughter Delfina Delettrez, a jewelry designer in her own right, is also linked to the family business.

Armani

Known as the king of Italian fashion, Giorgio Armani is estimated to be worth $7.5 billion, but he founded his company in 1975 with his partner Sergio Galeotti with the money from the sale of Armani's car. Her sister Rosanna, two of her nieces, Roberta, the head of the major public relations operation, and Silvana, the head of womenswear, are also involved. There has been speculation for years about who will take the crown when the 87-year-old founder resigns.

The Row

Fashion world's most famous sisters and former child actors Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen reinvented themselves in 2005 as the founders of luxury label The Row, named after Savile Row, London's bespoke epicenter. Winning multiple CFDA awards, the brand is synonymous with the level of minimalist luxury traditionally associated with European fashion houses.

Ferragamo

Born to a poor family, the eleventh of fourteen children, Salvatore Ferragamo opened a leather shop in his hometown of Bonito, Italy, in 1912 at the age of 13. He immigrated to the United States in 1923, earning the nickname "Shoemaker of the Stars", making shoes for Joan Crawford and Gloria Swanson. In 1960, his divorced wife Wanda and their six children, Fiamma, Giovanna, Fulvia, Ferruccio, Leonardo and Massimo, joined him, and later hired their children.

LVMH

One of the two rising fashion families that casts a long shadow over all the families mentioned above is the Arnaults. Bernard Arnault, Chairman and CEO of LVMH, runs the world's largest luxury conglomerate and is reportedly the third richest person in the world. Four of his five children work for the company, notably Delphine, who is director and vice president of Louis Vuitton, and Antoine, CEO of Berluti and president of Loro Piano, and also married to model Natalia Vodianova.

Kering

The Pinaults, together with the Arnaults, form the two pillars of today's global luxury industry. Businessman François Pinault founded what is now Kering as a timber trading company in 1963 and was joined in 1987 by his son François-Henri, who became President and CEO in 2013. The powerful father-son team is behind an empire that includes Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen and Bottega Veneta. Pinault is married to actress Selma Hayek, with whom he has a daughter.