When Ford left in 2004, Gucci Group was valued at $10 billion.

In 2001 she left Chloé and with backing from the Gucci Group started her own line.

Balenciaga, which is part of Gucci Group, expects to be profitable within 18 months.

The growth rate was similar to that of the rival Gucci Group.

At Gucci Group, we can almost control production because we give the factories so much business that they will work for us first.

That guarantee, a put option, was cut to $85.52 earlier this year when the Gucci Group paid its shareholders a $1.58 billion dividend.

Shares of Gucci Group dropped 2 percent, to 73.65 euros, on the Amsterdam exchange.

The Gucci Group had revenues of $3.18 billion last year.

Gucci Group climbed 5 1/4, to 70 7/8, after the Italian company reported that sales nearly doubled in the first quarter.

The latest, and among the most severe, report came today from the Gucci Group, which warned of a 13 percent fall in profit this year.