Portrait of Bernard Lewis & family

Rank #1532

Bernard Lewis & family

Net worth $2.8B

Fashion retailer · United Kingdom

Born
Feb 10, 1926
Age
100
Source
Fashion retailer
Residence
London
Citizenship
United Kingdom
Marital status
Children
3
Education

Net worth over time

Biography

  • Bernard Lewis founded UK-based clothing retailer River Island Fashion in 1948; it now sells online and has stores in several European countries.
  • The business had revenues in 2022 of over $900 million.
  • His nephew Ben Lewis, who started as a store manager in 1990, serves as CEO.
  • Lewis and his family are also investors in property development and private equity across UK, Europe, US, Caribbean and Thailand.
  • Lewis launched his entrepreneurial career at age 20 by establishing a fruit & vegetable stall in a makeshift shack constructed on a bombsite in North London in 1946.
  • In 2025, River Island faced severe financial pressures, prompting a restructuring plan to avert bankruptcy.