Benetton Group

Benetton Group S.r.l. (correct Italian pronunciation: [benetˈton]; often mispronounced [ˈbɛːnetton] or [benetˈtɔn]) is a global fashion brand, based in Ponzano Veneto, Italy. The name comes from the Benetton family who founded the company in 1965. Benetton has a network of about 6,000 stores in the main international markets. The stores generate a total turnover of 1.6 billion euros (2013).

Early years

In 1963, Luciano Benetton, the oldest of four children, was a 30-year-old salesman in Treviso. He saw a market for colourful clothes, and sold a younger brother's bicycle in order to buy his first second-hand knitting machine. His initial small collection of sweaters received a positive response in local stores in the Veneto region, and soon after he asked his sister and two younger brothers, Gilberto and Carlo, to join him. In 1965, the entity known as the "Benetton Group" was formed.

In 1966, the Benettons opened their first store in Belluno and three years after in Paris, with Luciano as chairman, his brother Gilberto in charge of administration, their younger brother Carlo running production, and Giuliana as a chief designer. The Benettons have been long time partners with Italian businessman Antonio Percassi in the development of the group's most important brands, including United Colors, Zerdodici, Sisley, and Playlife, in the Italian and international markets.