Luxury, in the ranking of the best brands, Gucci is galloping ahead (+6%) while Prada takes a step back (-12%)

Gucci is growing, Prada limping, Hermès climbing, in a ranking in which Italy is represented little and technology stocks dominate. This is the verdict of the Best Global Brands ranking by Interbrand, the rating of the influence of brand positioning on company business, from its ability to attract the best talent to meeting customer expectations through to growth. Dominating the ranking of the top 100 brands of 2016 we find Apple and Google, followed at the top by Coca Cola and Microsoft. The top brand in the luxury industry is Louis Vuitton (19^th place), while its compatriot Hermès (34^th) has grown by 17%. Standing out in 53^rd place is Gucci, where the injection of creativity brought by Alessandro Michele generated a progression of 6% on the previous year. The authors behind the research emphasise the primacy of the Kering Group label, whose value has increased from $4.7 billion in 2004 to $9.3 billion today, on the Italian scene. The number two Italian excellence, Prada, on the other hand, brings the difficulties afflicting the market into the Interbrand ranking: the share price drops 12%, collapsing to 81^st place on the list. When it comes to Italians, thanks to Maria Grazia Chiuri, Dior asserts itself in 89^th place, a new entry for 2016.