François Pinault just gave $109 million to help rebuild the Notre-Dame. Meet the French billionaire who owns Christie's and founded the luxury giant behind Gucci.

Chirac and Pinault arrives at a Venice party hosted by Pinault's son and daughter-in-law in 2009. 

REUTERS/Manuel Silvestri (ITALY)

• The Pinault family finalized its $109 million gift to help rebuild Notre-Dame on October 1, nearly six months after the cathedral caught fire, according to the Associated Press.
• François Pinault is the founder and owner of Kering luxury group, which includes several iconic fashion houses, including Gucci and Alexander McQueen.
• Pinault started out working for his family's timber company before eventually entering the retail market.
• Today he is the second-richest person in France, behind Bernard Arnault, and the 23rd-richest person in the world. 
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François Pinault, currently the second-richest person in France, finalized his $109 million gift to help rebuild the Notre-Dame Cathedral on October 1, according to the Associated Press. 

Soon after the Cathedral caught fire in April, Pinault's son announced that the family would donate €100 million, or $113 million, to repair the 800-year-old building. In the aftermath of the devastating fire, France's superrich collectively pledged over €400 million, or $452 million, to the iconic cathedral's repairs; that includes fellow fashion mogul Bernard Arnault, who also announced that he'd be pledging $226 million to the cause. However, in the ensuing months, many of those promises were left unfulfilled.

Read more: Bernard Arnault just keeps getting richer. French billionaires have made more money this year than their counterparts in any other country, and they partially have China to thank

François Pinault is tied to some of the biggest names in fashion: Gucci, Alexander McQueen, and Yves Saint Laurent. As the owner of Kering luxury group, his family manages over a dozen high-end brands.

Alongside other major holdings, such as a winery in Bourdeaux and a cruise line in Marseille, Pinault is one of the world's biggest private art collectors. His collection includes over 3,000 works of art and is worth over $1.2 billion.

Keep reading for a deeper look at Pinault's life, from his company's origins to his most recent business investments.

François Pinault is one of the most powerful men in the fashion industry.

REUTERS/Charles Platiau

According to Bloomberg, he is the 23rd-richest person in the world with a net worth of $34.3 billion ...

Photo by S. Plaine / CC-BY-SA-4.0

Source: Bloomberg

... and the second-richest person in France.

REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer

Source: Bloomberg

The richest man in France is Bernard Arnault, who controls LVMH, the world's largest luxury group.

Arnault is the world's fourth-richest man, behind Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and Warren Buffett. 

Reuters

Source: Forbes, The Guardian, New York Times

Over the years, Pinault's successful career has included many calculated business moves and key partnerships. However, some of his most important decisions were made early on in France, where his company originated. Pinault was born in Les Champs-Géraux, a commune in Brittany, France.

Google Maps

Source: Google Maps, Britannica

Pinault's first job was working for his father's lumber business.

A lumber yard (Pinault's not pictured). 

Mark Goebel/Flickr

Source: The Guardian, Bloomberg

In 1963, Pinault founded Établissements Pinault, a timber trading company, in Rennes, France. Pinault also briefly attended College Saint-Martin in Rennes, but left school at age 16.

Rennes is the capital city of Brittany. 

JJFarquitectos / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Source: Kering, The Guardian, Bloomberg

In 1988, the company first appeared on the Paris Stock Exchange and two years later, in 1990, the company took on retail distribution.

Andrew Kelly/Reuters

Source: Kering

In 1994, the company became Pinault Printemps Redoute after acquiring La Redoute, a French mail-order retailer, and Le Printemps, a major French department store chain.

The Printemps storefront in Paris. 

Tuscan Knox / Wikimedia Commons

Source: Kering

After several years in retail, the company began shifting its focus to luxury in 1994 after purchasing a 42% stake in the Gucci Group.

REUTERS/Henry Nicholls

Source: Kering

The acquisition of Gucci followed a nearly two-and-a-half-year battle with fellow billionaire Bernard Arnault. The New York Times previously labeled the legal war "one of the most bitter fights in corporate history."

Bernard Arnault. 

Getty/Pascal Le Segretain

Source: New York Times

During this time, Pinault also acquired luxury brand Yves Saint Laurent ...

A Saint Laurent storefront. 

tupungato / iStock Editorial / Getty Images Plus

Source: Kering

... and Italian fashion houses Bottega Veneta and Balenciaga.

A Bottega Veneta fashion show in Milan. 

REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo

Source: Kering

In 2005, Pinault Printemps Redoute shortened its name to PPR. Pinault has three children; his son, François-Henri Pinault, was named the company's new face and CEO.

François-Henri Pinault. 

REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer

Source: Kering

Under his son's direction, the company continued to acquire brands, with a special interest in luxury fashion houses ...

REUTERS/Charles Platiau

Source: Kering

... and was renamed the Kering luxury group in 2013.

REUTERS/Charles Platiau