
Armani fined in Italy for unfair practices tied to supply chain
The regulator said Armani and one of its units misled consumers by promoting ethical and sustainable values in its marketing, while outsourcing the bulk of its leather goods production to suppliers and subcontractors where working conditions were found to be substandard.
The investigation found that some of these third-party producers employed workers illegally and in poor health and safety environments, contradicting Armani's stated commitments to corporate responsibility.
The fashion group rejected the findings and said it would challenge the decision in court. "(The group) always operated with the utmost fairness and transparency towards consumers, the market, and stakeholders, as demonstrated by the Group's history," Armani said in a statement, expressing "disappointment and bitterness" over the ruling.
The watchdog claimed Armani "issued misleading ethical and social responsibility statements in contrast with the actual working conditions found at suppliers and subcontractors," and said the brand had used sustainability as a marketing tool while failing to ensure that its production chain adhered to those values.
The case stems in part from a broader investigation that began last year, when Italian prosecutors placed one of Armani's units under judicial administration amid reports of labor abuse. That measure was lifted in February, but regulatory scrutiny has continued.
Italy's fashion sector has been under increasing pressure to improve labor practices across its subcontracting networks. Earlier this year, Loro Piana and a Valentino unit were also placed under court oversight over alleged worker mistreatment.

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Toronto Sun
4 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
Italy OKs $15.5B project to build world's longest suspension bridge from mainland to Sicily
Published Aug 06, 2025 • 3 minute read This digital rendering shows a bridge linking the Italian mainland with Sicily, a long-delayed 13.5 billion euro ($15.5 billion) project, that an interministerial committee with oversight of strategic public investments has approved, the Italian Transport Ministry said in a statement Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025. Photo by Webuild – Eurolink Image Library / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS MILAN — Italy cleared the way Wednesday to build the world's largest suspension bridge linking the Italian mainland with Sicily in a massive 13.5 billion euro ($15.5 billion) infrastructure project that has been long delayed by debates over its scale, earthquake threats, environmental impact and the spectre of mafia interference. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The Strait of Messina Bridge will be 'the biggest infrastructure project in the West,' Transport Minister Matteo Salvini told a news conference in Rome, after an interministerial committee with oversight of strategic public investments approved the project. Premier Giorgia Meloni said that the bridge 'will be an engineering symbol of global significance.' Salvini cited studies showing the project will create 120,000 jobs a year and accelerate growth in economically lagging southern Italy, as billions more in investments are made in roads and other infrastructure projects accompanying the bridge. Preliminary work could begin between late September and early October, once Italy's court of audit signs off, with construction expected to start next year. Despite bureaucratic delays, the bridge is expected to be completed between 2032-2033, Salvini said. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The Strait of Messina Bridge has been approved and canceled multiple times since the Italian government first solicited proposals in 1969. Premier Giorgia Meloni's administration revived the project in 2023, and this marks the furthest stage the ambitious project_ first envisioned by the Romans — has ever reached. 'From a technical standpoint, it's an absolutely fascinating engineering project,' Salvini said. The Strait of Messina Bridge would measure nearly 3.7 kilometres (2.2 miles), with the suspended span reaching 3.3 kilometres (more than 2 miles), surpassing Turkey's Canakkale Bridge, currently the longest, by 1,277 metres (4,189 feet). With three car lanes in each direction flanked by a double-track railway, the bridge would have the capacity to carry 6,000 cars an hour and 200 trains a day — reducing the time to cross the strait by ferry from up to 100 minutes to 10 minutes by car. Trains will save 2/12 hours in transit time, Salvini said. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The project could provide a boost to Italy's commitment to raise defence spending to 5% of GDP targeted by NATO, as the government has indicated it would classify the bridge as defence-related, helping it to meet a 1.5% security component. Italy argues that the bridge would form a strategic corridor for rapid troop movements and equipment deployment to NATO's southern flanks, qualifying it as a 'security-enhancing infrastructure.' Salvini confirmed the intention to classify the project as dual use, but said that was up to Italy's defence and economic ministers. A group of more than 600 professors and researchers signed a letter earlier this summer opposing the military classification, noting that such a move would require additional assessments to see if it could withstand military use. Opponents also say the designation would potentially make the bridge a target. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 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This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The project has been awarded to a consortium led by WeBuild, an Italian infrastructure group that initially won the bid to build the bridge in 2006 before it was later canceled. WeBuild constructed the Canakkale Bridge using the engineering model originally devised for the Messina bridge. It includes a wing profile and a deck shape that resembles a fighter jet fuselage with openings to allow wind to pass through the structure, according to WeBuild. Addressing concerns about building the bridge over the Messina fault, which triggered a deadly quake in 1908, WeBuild has emphasized that suspension bridges are structurally less vulnerable to seismic forces. It noted that such bridges have been built in seismically active areas, including Japan. Turkey and California. WeBuild CEO Pietro Salini said in a statement that the Strait of Messina Bridge 'will be transformative for the whole country.' 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Toronto Star
8 hours ago
- Toronto Star
Italy greenlights a $15.5 billion project to build bridge linking Sicily to the mainland
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Winnipeg Free Press
8 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Italy greenlights a $15.5 billion project to build bridge linking Sicily to the mainland
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