Kering
Kering SA is a French publicly-traded luxury holding company (EPA: KER) that operates a portfolio of heritage fashion (Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, McQueen, Brioni), jewelry (Boucheron, Pomellato, DoDo, Qeelin), and eyewear houses serving affluent consumers globally, currently mid-turnaround under CEO Luca de Meo.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1963
- HeadquartersParis, France
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Kering does
Kering SA is a publicly traded French luxury holding company (Euronext Paris: KER) founded in 1963 by François Pinault and controlled by the Pinault family through Artémis SA. With 44,000 employees and €14.7 billion in 2025 revenue, the group operates a portfolio of wholly owned luxury houses in fashion and leather goods (Gucci — ~40% of group revenue, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Brioni), jewelry (Boucheron, Pomellato, DoDo, Qeelin), eyewear (the centralized Kering Eyewear platform, including Lindberg), and tableware (Ginori 1735). A beauty division (Creed et al.) was divested to L'Oréal for €4 billion in March 2026, and the group has recently taken a minority stake in Chinese fashion house ICICLE via the House of Wonders vehicle.
The business model is predominantly direct-to-consumer luxury retail — 1,100+ owned boutiques, brand e-commerce sites, travel retail, and selective wholesale — targeting affluent individuals and Very Important Clients (VICs) across Europe, Asia-Pacific (China critical), the Americas, and the Middle East. Technology investments are concentrated in three areas: (i) a centralized eyewear manufacturing and design platform producing both owned-brand and licensed Cartier/Montblanc/Chloé frames, (ii) sustainability infrastructure including the proprietary Environmental Profit & Loss (EP&L) accounting methodology and the Fashion Pact coalition leadership, and (iii) the ReconKering strategic platform unifying industry, technology, and client intelligence across houses. Revenue mechanics rely on premium pricing across a wide product spectrum, with Gucci generating the majority of segment profit and an explicit 2030 target to double jewelry revenue.
In 2025, recurring operating margin compressed to 11% (from 27% in 2022), prompting new CEO Luca de Meo (appointed September 2025, former Renault CEO) to unveil the ReconKering turnaround plan in April 2026, targeting a return to ~22% recurring operating margin and ROCE above 20% by 2030 via store footprint reduction, China restructuring, and a stepped-up VIC client engagement program. Offensive diversification includes the Google partnership for AI-powered Gucci smart glasses (2027), a Gucci title sponsorship of Alpine F1 (2027), and the ICICLE China platform. S&P maintains an A (Stable) credit rating, and the group has tapped debt markets (€3.8B in 2023 for Creed, €1.75B in 2024) to fund strategic flexibility.
Kering firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kering
- Legal name
- Kering SA
- Website
- https://kering.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1963
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- Kering SA is a French publicly-traded luxury holding company (EPA: KER) that operates a portfolio of heritage fashion (Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, McQueen, Brioni), jewelry (Boucheron, Pomellato, DoDo, Qeelin), and eyewear houses serving affluent consumers globally, currently mid-turnaround under CEO Luca de Meo.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kering industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Luxury Goods
- NAICS
- Other Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing (31699), Other Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing (316990), Other Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing (3169)
- SIC
- Leather & Leather Products (3100)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Luxury & Designer Leather Goods Manufacturing (IMAOAHAG)
Keywords
Where Kering is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paris
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
Kering business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others
Revenue model
- Fashion and Leather Goods: Revenue from luxury fashion apparel, leather goods, and accessories across brands including Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, McQueen, and Brioni
- Jewelry: Revenue from jewelry brands including Boucheron, Pomellato, DoDo, and Qeelin, with ambition to double jewelry revenue by 2030
- Eyewear: Kering Eyewear produces and distributes optical and sunglasses products under owned brands and licensed arrangements including Montblanc, Dunhill, Chloé, and licensed Cartie
- Beauty: Kering Beauté division sold to L'Oréal for €4 billion in 2026; previously included fragrance brand Creed acquired for €3.5 billion
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Kering generates revenue of €14.7 billion (2025) across portfolio of luxury houses |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Kering product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kering is a French multinational holding company that develops and operates a worldwide portfolio of luxury fashion and leather goods houses (Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Brioni), jewelry brands (Boucheron, Pomellato, DoDo, Qeelin), and a centralized eyewear platform (Kering Eyewear). The group sells these products directly through owned boutiques, e-commerce sites, and selective wholesale and travel-retail channels across Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Americas, the Middle East, and Oceania.
Product overview
Kering is a global, family-led luxury group operating a portfolio of complementary Houses across fashion and leather goods (Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Brioni), jewelry (Boucheron, Pomellato, DoDo, Qeelin), and other luxury segments including Ginori 1735 (tableware) and Kering Eyewear. The Group previously operated Kering Beauté (beauty division sold to L'Oréal in 2026), and holds a minority stake in Chinese luxury brand Icicle through its House of Wonders initiative. Kering Eyewear serves as the centralized platform for all eyewear across the portfolio, managing proprietary brands and licensed eyewear including Montblanc, Dunhill, Alaia, Puma, and Lindberg. The Group generated €14.7 billion in revenue in 2025 with 44,000 employees.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Gucci: Luxury fashion and leather goods brand founded in Florence, Italy in 1921
- Saint Laurent
- Bottega Veneta
- Balenciaga
- Alexander McQueen
- Brioni
- Boucheron
- Pomellato
- DoDo
- Qeelin
- Ginori 1735
- Women In Motion
Products and services
- Gucci Flagship luxury fashion house offering ready-to-wear, leather goods, footwear, and accessories for affluent global consumers.
- Saint Laurent Luxury fashion house offering ready-to-wear, leather goods, and accessories under the creative direction of Anthony Vaccarello since 2016.
- Bottega Veneta Italian luxury fashion and leather goods house renowned for its distinctive intrecciato weave craftsmanship.
- Balenciaga High-end fashion and leather goods house within Kering's portfolio, known for ready-to-wear, accessories, and footwear.
- Alexander McQueen British luxury fashion house offering ready-to-wear, leather goods, and accessories known for expressive and subversive design.
- Brioni Italian luxury menswear house known for excellence in tailoring, suiting, and leather goods for affluent male clientele.
- Boucheron Prestigious French jewelry house specializing in high jewelry and watches, the first contemporary grande joaillerie to open a boutique on Place Vendôme.
- Pomellato Italian luxury jewelry brand known for colorful gemstone jewelry and contemporary design.
- DoDo Italian jewelry brand known for playful, accessible luxury jewelry pieces.
- Qeelin Chinese luxury jewelry brand offering contemporary designs blending Eastern and Western aesthetics.
- Ginori 1735 Italian luxury tableware and home décor brand producing fine Italian porcelain and decorative objects.
- Kering Eyewear Centralized eyewear platform designing, producing, and distributing optical frames and sunglasses for Kering houses (Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, McQueen, Brioni) and licensed brands (Montblanc, Dunhill, Alaia, Porsche Design).
Quantifiable outcome
- Targeting over 22% operating margin (from 11% in 2025) and ROCE above 20% in mid-term under ReconKering plan
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Kering
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Kering technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Feature3 records
Kering partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and supporting.
- ICICLE / ICCF GroupcoreKering acquired a minority stake in Chinese fashion group ICCF, parent of ICICLE brand, through House of Wonders initiative. Partnership combines ICCF's deep knowledge of Chinese luxury ecosystem with Kering's European craftsmanship expertise. ICICLE operates 200+ boutiques and plans international expansion including London and Milan.
- Alpine F1 TeamflagshipGucci to become title sponsor of Alpine F1 team starting 2027, rebranding as 'Gucci Racing Alpine F1 Team'. First luxury fashion house to serve as title partner in Formula 1. Deal reportedly driven by Luca de Meo, former Alpine CEO now leading Kering.
- EssilorLuxotticasupportingEssilorLuxottica licenses Cartier eyewear from Richemont; Kering Eyewear competes in same luxury eyewear market. Gucci/Google partnership positions against Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses produced by EssilorLuxottica.
- L'OréalcoreL'Oréal acquired Kering Beauté (including Creed fragrance brand) for €4 billion. Deal completed in March 2026, representing major portfolio restructuring for Kering. Creed was acquired by Kering in 2023 for €3.5 billion.
- Shanghai Fashion WeeksupportingPartnership for CRAFT creative residency program supporting 10 Chinese designers, with activities spanning Italy, Paris, and Shanghai. Program announced at China International Import Expo, unveiled March 2026.
- GooglecoreKering Eyewear partnership with Google to launch Gucci-branded smart glasses powered by Android XR platform, targeting 2027 launch. First major luxury brand to directly enter AI-powered eyewear market, competing with Meta/EssilorLuxottica Ray-Ban partnership.
- The Fashion PactcoreGlobal coalition launched at G7 Summit in Biarritz in 2019; Kering spearheaded the Fashion Pact's European Accelerator in late 2025. Members commit to stopping global warming, restoring biodiversity, and protecting oceans. Open to all fashion/textile companies.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Kering competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Richemont: Swiss luxury conglomerate most concentrated in jewelry and watchmaking (Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels) plus fashion/leather goods. Directly comparable to Kering on jewelry-house economics (Boucheron, Pomellato, Qeelin) and on luxury-portfolio strategy.
- Capri Holdings: Multi-brand luxury group (Michael Kors, Versace, Jimmy Choo). Comparable as a luxury conglomerate with a portfolio of acquired houses competing in the same accessible-luxury and aspirational-luxury segments as Kering's smaller brands.
- EssilorLuxottica: Global eyewear leader that licenses and produces luxury eyewear (including Cartier for Richemont) and owns Ray-Ban Meta. Directly comparable to Kering Eyewear as a luxury eyewear platform and as Kering's primary competitive counterpart in smart glasses.
- Burberry Group: British heritage luxury house facing its own brand turnaround challenges under new leadership. Directly comparable to Kering on the dynamics of an iconic European luxury brand working to restore desirability and pricing power after a cyclical down-cycle.
- Prada Group: Italian luxury house operator (Prada, Miu Miu, Church's) and closest direct peer in terms of mid-sized multi-brand European luxury structure. Miu Miu's recent momentum makes Prada Group a useful comparable for Kering's growth-brand strategy.
- Tapestry, Inc. US-listed multi-brand luxury house operator (Coach, Kate Spade, Stuart Weitzman). Comparable on multi-brand luxury holding structure and on the strategy of running differentiated houses under a single corporate parent.
- LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton: The world's largest luxury conglomerate, directly comparable to Kering as a multi-brand luxury house operator covering fashion, leather goods, jewelry, and spirits. LVMH's Louis Vuitton and Dior are the primary competitive benchmarks for Kering's Gucci and Saint Laurent, and the peer comparison defines luxury sector margins and growth.
Broad incumbents
- L'Oréal: World's largest beauty company and direct counterparty in Kering's €4B Kering Beauté divestiture (completed March 2026). Comparable as a luxury-adjacent conglomerate with global brand management capabilities overlapping Kering's prior beauty operations.
- Hermès International: Single-house luxury operator (Birkin, Kelly leather goods) and the gold-standard for luxury operating margins (>40%). Comparable as the benchmark Kering's Gucci aspires to compete with on leather goods desirability and pricing power.
- Estée Lauder Companies: Global prestige beauty conglomerate whose recent struggles (China softness, travel-retail exposure) closely parallel Kering's experience of luxury cyclicality. Relevant comparable for the dynamics that drove Kering's divestiture of Kering Beauté to L'Oréal.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Kering social profiles
Digital presenceKering financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kering leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Kering subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries15 records
Kering funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kering M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A13 records
Investments7 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kering
What does Kering do?
Kering is a French multinational holding company that develops and operates a worldwide portfolio of luxury fashion and leather goods houses (Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Brioni), jewelry brands (Boucheron, Pomellato, DoDo, Qeelin), and a centralized eyewear platform (Kering Eyewear). The group sells these products directly through owned boutiques, e-commerce sites, and selective wholesale and travel-retail channels across Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Americas, the Middle East, and Oceania.
Is Kering a public or private company?
Kering is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Kering founded?
Kering was founded in 1963. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Kering based?
Kering is headquartered in Paris, France, in the Europe region.
How does Kering make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Fashion and Leather Goods are the primary driver. The others are jewelry, eyewear and beauty.
Who are Kering's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Richemont, Capri Holdings, EssilorLuxottica, Burberry Group, Prada Group, Tapestry, Inc. and LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. Broad incumbents are L'Oréal, Hermès International and Estée Lauder Companies.
Does Kering have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kering.
What industry is Kering in?
Kering's product category is Luxury Goods. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAOAHAG, Luxury & Designer Leather Goods Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 31699 and its SIC code is 3100.