Which French luxury group owns Gucci, Saint Laurent, and Balenciaga? The answer is Kering.
Kering is a French multinational luxury-goods group headquartered in Paris. Its portfolio includes Gucci, Saint Laurent—often listed under its corporate name Yves Saint Laurent—and Balenciaga, along with houses such as Bottega Veneta, Boucheron, Brioni, Alexander McQueen, and Pomellato.
The company began in 1962 as a timber and building-materials business founded by François Pinault. It later became Pinault-Printemps-Redoute, or PPR, and shifted decisively toward luxury. PPR acquired Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent in 1999, followed Balenciaga in 2001, and changed its name to Kering in 2013.
A frequent confusion is mixing Kering with LVMH, another major French luxury conglomerate whose brands include Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Givenchy. Hermès is an independent luxury company, while Richemont owns houses such as Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels. Kering’s role is as the parent group behind its portfolio brands; Gucci, Saint Laurent, and Balenciaga retain distinct creative identities, products, and histories.