Benetton Group co-founder Gilberto dies at 77

24 Oct '18

1 min read

Gilberto Benetton, one of the four siblings who founded the renowned Italian fashion brand United Colors of Benetton, has died at the age of 77 after a brief illness. Considered to be the man behind Benetton’s diversification away from its clothing base, Gilberto, at the time of his death, was vice-president of family holding company Edizione and Autogrill.

Edizione, the business which includes telecoms, catering, agriculture and toll roads, posted annual revenue of €12.1 billion ($13.8 billion) last year.

Benetton, the fashion brand, initially became famous for its signature soft wool jumpers in a variety of colours, but later on became more known for a series of controversial ads released by the company between 1982 and 2000.

Gilberto’s death comes just three months after the death of Carlo, the youngest of the siblings, who died of cancer at the age of 74 this July.

As of October 2018, Gilberto Benetton’s net worth was around $2.7 billion, according to Forbes.

Gilberto Benetton is survived by his wife, Lalla; his daughters, Barbara and Sabrina, and his son-in-law, Ermanno, who were with him in his final moments, according to media reports. (RKS)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India

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