Click here to read the full article.

Fashion is now big business. And Kering is cashing into the tune of $17.15 billion.

That gargantuan sum is the figure the luxury groupowner of Gucci, Saint Laurent and Bottega Venetaturned over in 2019. The majority of that number$10.42 billion to be exactwas generated by Gucci alone, despite the emergence of the deadly coronavirus at the end of the year. As a whole, the groups margins surpassed the 30 percent mark for the first time.

More from Robb Report

In a statement, Kering CEO Franois-Henri Pinault acknowledged the deadly viruswhich, as of press time, had claimed 1370 lives and infected more than 64,000 peopleand pledged to support the the Chinese people.

In the difficult period that China is going through, we would like to express once again our support for all our collaborators and our solidarity with the Chinese people, Pinault said. The particularly uncertain environment that prevails at the present time does not, however, call into question the fundamentals of Kering on the luxury market.

Kering is one of several companies in the fashion industry to donate to relief efforts related to the deadly disease. China and the surrounding territories play a key role in Kerings long-term growth strategy, so its no surprise the CEO would tout the conglomerates financial security as the virus roils markets.

As for the other houses under the Kering umbrella, a full breakdown of each labels earnings was not provided. The companys report, however, revealed that growth varied among its brands. Bottega Veneta, for instance, appears to have grown the least amongst the brands disclosed, only inching up 2.2 percent year on year. That news comes as something of a surprise given new creative director Daniel Lees viral approach to promoting the brand.

As for Kerings future trajectory, that may depend on how fast the coronavirus is contained. The company has temporarily closed half of its stores in China for an undetermined amount of time. Given that China accounts for more than a third of luxury sales worldwide, its safe to say that the luxury group is anxiously awaiting a resolution.

Best of Robb Report

Sign up for Robb Report's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Excerpt from:
Kering Turned Over $17.15 Billion in 2019 - Yahoo Lifestyle