Global Luxury Fashion

BERNARD ARNAULT, the man behind some of the world’s top luxury labels, has been officially named France’s richest man. He came top of Challenges magazine’s annual 500 wealthiest professionals, with an estimated £18.9 billion fortune.

 Arnault, the founder, chairman, and ceo of LVMH – the large luxury goods conglomerate which includes Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Fendi, knocked last year’s winner Auchan supermarket owner Gérard Mulliez off the top spot. Liliane Bettencourt, one of the principal L’Oreal’s shareholders came third at £14.3 billion.

 Also rating highly on the list came Hermès and Bertrand Puech families came in forth with £7.1 billion. Chanel’s Alain Wertheimer came eighth place at £7.76 million.