Latest news with #LoroPiana
NZ Herald
17 hours ago
- Business
- NZ Herald
For a decade, a Chinese tailor worked 13-hour days making high-end garments near Milan
The crackdown, led by Milan's corporate court and the labour-crimes unit of the Carabinieri military police, has snared contractors linked to five well-known fashion labels including Valentino, Armani, and Dior. Loro Piana, owned by French luxury powerhouse LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE, became the latest last week, and was placed under court supervision for up to a year. 'There is already a reputational issue in the fashion industry, which started with prices spiralling unreasonably,' said Stefania Saviolo, a lecturer on fashion and luxury management at Milan's Bocconi University. 'These investigations not only damage the brands involved, they affect all of Made in Italy as a system.' Loro Piana, part of LVMH since 2013, denied wrongdoing and said it will co-operate with authorities. The company said it terminated relations with the supplier within 24 hours of being informed of the contractors' existence. The fragmented, mostly family run structure of high-quality Italian manufacturing 'can pose challenges in transparency and oversight', said Toni Belloni, president of LVMH Italy. The group has strengthened controls and revised its internal charter, he said in a statement to Bloomberg News. 'However, areas of fragility remain, so we must work to improve our practices.' The fashion industry is one of Italy's biggest, accounting for about €96 billion worth of Made in Italy products in 2024, according to industry group Camera Nazionale della Moda. The vast majority are destined for overseas markets. Yet the tailor's case shines a light on the treatment of workers who make garments that can cost thousands. He worked from 9am to 10pm daily through to late 2024, when his 'caporale', or boss - also a Chinese migrant - stopped paying him for unknown reasons, according to the court documents. After repeated demands for his wages, a confrontation ensued. The employer punched the tailor and beat him repeatedly with an aluminium tube, the documents said, leading to a criminal complaint. Persistent Lapses Past enforcement efforts have failed to stamp out labour abuses. 'These cases have been increasing in the last few years, with more big groups taking control of smaller Italian companies and starting outsourcing part of the production,' said Roberta Griffini, secretary for the Filctem CGIL Milano union. Responsibility is sometimes hard to determine because subcontractors work for more than one fashion group, Griffini added. Britain has also cracked down on illegal sweatshops, particularly small factories operating in cities such as Leicester. A 2021 United Kingdom report found companies in numerous industries couldn't guarantee their supply chains were free from forced labour. For fashion producers in Italy, the supply chain should be short and closely monitored, said Saviolo of Bocconi University. Younger consumers in particular are paying more attention to brand credibility. Milan is the locus of the sprawling fashion industry in Italy, housing about one-fourth of the nation's 600,000 fashion workers across some 60,000 companies, according to Camera Nazionale della Moda. The Lombardy region's dense ecosystem of design studios, tanneries, and sample makers gives brands unrivalled speed but also shelters what prosecutors called 'a generalised manufacturing method' in which legitimate subcontractors parcel out work to micro-factories operating from converted garages and semi-legal industrial parks. Chinese-owned firms make up a significant part of this complex. About 20% of Lombardy's 10,000-plus textile workshops and factories are Chinese-owned, according to Milan's Chamber of Commerce. The area has drawn a large number of Chinese immigrants, driven by small-business opportunities, globalisation of the fashion industry, and growing family ties. A Loro Piana SpA label on a cashmere pullover. Photo / Alessia Pierdomenico, Bloomberg via the Washington Post Falling Sales The judicial clampdown in Italy is unfolding against a jittery global backdrop, with demand falling and a United States-led tariff war threatening to magnify export costs. The personal luxury-goods industry, worth €364b, lost 50 million customers in 2023 and 2024, Bain estimated last year. The sector will shrink between 2% and 5% this year, according to the consulting firm's June follow-up. Italy's fashion industry was already grappling with falling sales, inflation and international tensions. Brands squeezed by softer demand and volatile costs have doubled down on 'near-shoring' quick orders to Lombardy's workshop belt to protect margins. That very strategy, say prosecutors, is fuelling the race to the bottom that the courts are now trying to halt. Investigators traced Loro Piana's knitwear to intermediaries which subcontracted to factories where illegal migrants worked 90 hours a week and slept next to their sewing machines. The judges said the firm 'negligently benefitted' from illegal cost-cutting. The judicial administrator appointed last week is tasked with monitoring Loro Piana management's progress towards addressing its supply chain. The issues have been similar at other luxury brands, including Giorgio Armani Operations, Dior Manufactures, Valentino Bags Lab and Alviero Martini: opaque layers of small subcontractors, paper safety records, and a workforce of mostly undocumented Chinese migrants. Armani, Dior, and Alviero Martini were released of court oversight after implementing measures such as real-time supplier audits. The unit of Valentino, which is majority owned by Mayhoola of Qatar alongside partner Kering SA, is still subject to court monitoring. The Italian Competition Authority has also been involved. In May it closed an unfair-practices probe into Dior, securing €2 million in funds for anti-exploitation initiatives and requiring the company to improve supplier vetting. Dior, also part of the LVMH orbit, noted then that no infringement was established, and said it is dedicated to high standards of ethics and excellence. Armani Group, still under investigation by the competition authority over alleged unfair commercial practices, said the allegations have no merit and its companies are co-operating with authorities. Greater co-ordination In Milan, co-ordination has tightened with an accord in May between the Milan Prefecture, the fashion chamber, trade unions, and leading brands. The pact sets up a shared database of vetted suppliers and commits signatories to regular certifications. The outcome of the Loro Piana case for now rests with updates to the bench on its progress. LVMH's Belloni said the group had carried out more than 5000 audits in Italy and introduced a stronger control body. While the prefect's new protocol is a 'building block', deeper change will take time and a more collective effort is needed, he said. As for the tailor, the Milan prosecutor is now trying to get him hired legally, according to a person familiar with the matter, who asked not to be named discussing a personal matter. This would require the employer to make pension contributions, pay taxes, and provide standard benefits. - With assistance from Antonio Vanuzzo, Deirdre Hipwell and Angelina Rascouet.
Hypebeast
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hypebeast
Marni's Meryll Rogge Era Begins & Loro Piana Labor Abuses Revealed in This Week's Top Fashion News
Marnihas officially named Belgian designerMeryll Roggeas its new Creative Director, followingFrancesco Risso's departure. Rogge, the 2025ANDAMGrand Prize winner with prior experience atMarc JacobsandDries Van Noten, expressed her honor in joining Marni, a brand she has 'long admired for its independent spirit'. Since founding her own brand in 2020, Rogge has gained recognition for her distinct blend of vintage whimsy and contemporary craftsmanship. OTB Chairman Renzo Rosso praised Rogge's ability to reinterpret Marni's DNA with a contemporary vision that spans all brand dimensions, including accessories and interior design. LVMH-ownedLoro Pianahas been placed under court administration for a year by a Milan court following the severe beating of a worker who demanded unpaid wages at a subcontracted workshop. Investigations revealed the facility, which produced Loro Piana cashmere, employed undocumented migrant workers forced to work up to 90 hours weekly for €4 an hour and housed illegally. Loro Piana stated it was unaware of the subcontractors' violations and terminated ties with the supplier. This case is part of a broader crackdown on labor exploitation in the luxury sector, with other brands likeArmani,Dior, andValentinoalso facing similar scrutiny. The incident underscores ongoing injustices against laborers in the global apparel supply chain, despite high retail prices for luxury goods. Matthieu Blazywill present his first Métiers d'Arts collection forChanelin New York City on December 2, 2025. The presentation will spotlight the artistry of Chanel's Paris ateliers and pay homage toKarl Lagerfeld's final 2018 show — also held in New York. Blazy's New York City debut is set to mark Chanel's return to the city since Lagerfeld's passing. Bruno Pavlovsky, President of Chanel SAS, expressed excitement for Blazy's return to New York, stating he will blend the city's creative energy with Chanel's savoir-faire. Blazy has a history in New York, having worked underRaf SimonsatCalvin Klein. A visual teaser, showing a double C logo over a vintage subway map, suggests a tribute to both New York's culture and Lagerfeld's legacy. Chanel has not yet shared an official date for the runway presentation Following his departure fromGivenchy,Matthew M. Williamshas officially introduced his eponymous project, reclaiming his independence as a creative force. The label, which he calls a 'project' rather than a 'brand,' focuses on crafting high-quality, wearable staples with intrinsic value, transcending trend-driven design and market pressures. After two decades in the industry, Williams now moves towards a more personal expression, distinct from both Givenchy's corporate demands andALYX's specific streetwear aesthetic. Showing a more mature, minimalist approach, the designer highlights raw materiality and precise construction, unburdened by established brand codes. The collection includes collaborations with specialty workshops, resulting in consciously crafted pieces like Japanese denim and sturdy white tees. Jil Sander's new creative director,Simone Bellotti, has unveiled his inaugural project for the fashion house: a captivating music video titled 'WANDERLUST'. The audiovisual project, featuring ethereal electronic compositions by Italian artist Bochum Welt (Gianluigi Di Costanzo), made its premiere on Instagram. Filmed in Hamburg, Germany, the music video conveys 'a wanderlust tale happening in an everyday setting, drifting between worlds and opposites'. In an interview withVogue, Bellotti shared his perspective on Jil Sander, describing it as a brand with 'definite style' and a 'complex house' that skillfully balances classicism, modernity, and lightness. This 'WANDERLUST' music video serves as a compelling prelude to his highly anticipated formal debut collection, which is slated to be presented at Milan Fashion Week this September. Acne Studioshas launched an impressive three-story flagship store in Tokyo's Aoyama district, directly oppositePrada's existing boutique. A joint effort between Creative Director Jonny Johansson and design firm Halleroed, the expansive space offers an immersive experience inspired by Tokyo's urban fabric and the brand's affinity for Japan. Blending brutalist aesthetics and refined minimalism, Acne Studios' signature pink granite is used on walls, flooring, and various furnishings. The store prioritizes an artistic atmosphere, with custom seating by Max Lamb, unique lighting by Benoit Lalloz, and expressive mannequins by Daniel Silver. Johansson also collaborated with Japanese ceramicist Takuro Kuwata, whose ceramic objects are displayed, and who created an exclusive, limited-edition capsule collection of reinterpreted Acne Studios denim for the opening.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Loro Piana Hit With Judicial Administration for ‘Fueling' Worker Exploitation in Italy
A Milan court has placed Italian cashmere purveyor Loro Piana, a twinkling star in LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton's 'quiet luxury' firmament, under a year of judicial administration after it allegedly failed to prevent a supplier's subcontractors from exploiting migrant workers in factories where working hours surpassed the legal eight-hour daily minimum and wages undercut accepted thresholds. The preliminary ruling by the Milan Tribunal marks the fifth time prosecutors have peeled back the hallowed reputations of some of Italy's most valuable brands to reveal sweatshop-like conditions typically found in more disreputable parts of the global South. Other boldface names that have been implicated in recent years include a Giorgio Armani Group-owned firm, a Christian Dior subsidiary and a Valentino unit. More from Sourcing Journal Trump's Trade War Could Kill Lesotho's Garment Industry Is Amazon's Third-Party Marketplace Stoking Worker Exploitation? Hundreds of Cambodia's Garment Factories Unsure About Operations Beyond 3 Months According to the ruling, the violations at two Chinese-owned workshops with no actual manufacturing capacity were 'negligently fueled by Loro Piana,' which it said chose not to properly verify working conditions in pursuit of greater profits. The court said that the lack of due diligence checks persisted despite the widely reported missteps of Loro Piana's fellow high-end compatriots and the signing of a non-legally binding memorandum of understanding in May to tackle what appear to be systemic issues in the 'made in Italy' supply chain. Loro Piana, which has adopted LVMH's supplier code of conduct that requires business partners to commit to fair pay practices and legal work hours, said in a statement that it was only made aware of the existence of the subcontractors in May following investigations by military police from the Milan labor protection unit, after which it cut ties with the offending supplier 'within 24 hours.' It was during the same month that the Carabinieri arrested the owner of a Chinese workshop that produced Loro Piana-branded cashmere jackets in the northwestern suburbs of Milan. One of his workers had accused him of physical assault, causing injuries requiring more than a month of medical treatment, for demanding 10,000 euros ($11,700) in owed wages. Further inspection of the factory found that its 10 Chinese employees, five of whom were undocumented immigrants, were made to toil up to 90 hours a week, seven days a week, for 4 euros ($4.70) an hour. Italy doesn't have a national minimum wage, but trade unions consider 7 to 9 euros ($8 to $10.50) to be an adequate benchmark. The Carabinieri broadened its investigation to two intermediary companies and three Chinese workshops, also in the Milan area, identifying 21 workers, of whom 10 lacked proper registration and were working covertly. Instead of appropriate housing, many slept on the production floor or in illegally established rooms inside the workshops, it said. While the owners of the contracting and subcontracting companies are under investigation by Milan prosecutors for stoking sweatshop-like conditions, Loro Piana itself faces no criminal investigation. The administration can be lifted before the year runs out, as was the case with Armani and Dior, if the company adjusts its supply chain practices to the court's satisfaction. 'Loro Piana firmly condemns any illegal practices and reaffirms its unwavering commitment to upholding human rights and compliance with all applicable regulations throughout its supply chain,' the brand said. 'Loro Piana is committed to ensuring that all its suppliers comply with the maison's highest quality and ethical standards in line with its code of conduct. In this perspective, Loro Piana has been constantly reviewing and will continue to strengthen its control and audit activities.' The owner of an intermediary company told prosecutors that she had, in recent years, been producing 6,000-7,000 jackets per year for Loro Piana at an agreed cost of 118 euros ($138) apiece for orders exceeding 100 items and 128 euros ($149) for those under 100 items. A women's cashmere-and-silk-blended jacket on the brand's website retails for more than $4,000. A men's topper made from the 'Gift of Kings' wool, a type of merino, costs $11,500. In its statement, Loro Piana said that the reported figures 'are not representative' of the amounts it paid to its supplier, nor do they consider the 'full value of all the elements,' including raw materials and fabrics. The 100-year-old brand has previously come under scrutiny for allegedly not fairly compensating Indigenous workers who harvest the rare fur of the vicuña—a wild form of alpaca—in Peru, where prices for the commodity have been steadily falling, according to a Bloomberg investigation last year. At the time, Loro Piana pushed back at what it said was an unfair and inaccurate depiction of its 'genuine and longstanding engagement' with the vicuña community. The Carabinieri said in a statement they have shuttered two of the factories—a third turned out to be a shell company with no production capacity—and imposed a collective fine of more than 240,000 euros ($280,000). LVMH, the world's largest luxury group, paid 2 billion euros ($2.3 billion) for 80 percent of Loro Piana in 2013. Kendall Roy, a character from the HBO TV series 'Succession,' famously paired a $500-plus Loro Piana baseball cap with his custom suits and Gucci sneakers, driving the brand into the wider public consciousness and sparking thousands of fashion trend pieces. Whether this imbroglio will further diminish the label's stature among the well-heeled remains to be seen, particularly amid a broader luxury slowdown. 'Loro Piana expresses its full willingness to cooperate with the relevant authorities on this matter and intends to provide the utmost support for any further investigations,' it said. Solve the daily Crossword
Vogue
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Vogue
The Chicest Fashion Pop-Ups to Know This Summer
Travel has always inspired fashion—but this summer, a number of brands are making that association more literal by popping up at some of the world's most famous vacation hotspots. Although 'pop-up' might be a bit of an understatement here: take Burberry's takeover of Somerset hotel The Newt, where they mowed their iconic check motif into the croquet grounds. Some, like the English fashion house, put their stamp on hotels; others, like Jacquemus and Loro Piana, curated buzzy beach clubs. Meanwhile, Loro Piana is (temporarily) operating out of a Forte dei Marmi flower stand. Below, find a roundup of the best fashion pop-ups of the summer, whether they are in the Hamptons or Ibiza. Talk about lifestyle. Burberry and The Newt in Somerset Photo: Courtesy of Burberry The English house transformed The Newt in Somerset, the bucolic English countryside hotel, into a Burberry check-filled oasis: the famous motif is mowed into their croquet lawn, and also covers everything from badminton nets to golf carts to a hot air balloon. Naturally, their on-site boutique is overflowing with Burberry products as well. Ulla Johnson and Quinta de Comporta
Fashion Network
5 days ago
- Business
- Fashion Network
Italy cracks down on sweatshops feeding Loro Piana, Armani, Dior
For two years, prosecutors have sought to reform an export model where premium brands sell Italian fashion abroad at luxury prices, even as inexpensive workshops proliferate around Milan, flouting labor standards in Italy's capital of style. The crackdown, led by Milan's corporate court and the labor-crimes unit of the Carabinieri military police, has snared contractors linked to five well-known fashion labels including Valentino, Armani and Dior. Loro Piana, owned by French luxury powerhouse LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE, became the latest on Monday, and was placed under court supervision for up to a year. 'There is already a reputational issue in the fashion industry, which started with prices spiraling unreasonably,' said Stefania Saviolo, a lecturer on fashion and luxury management at Milan's Bocconi University. 'These investigations not only damage the brands involved, they affect all of Made in Italy as a system.' Loro Piana, part of LVMH since 2013, denied wrongdoing and said it will cooperate with authorities. The company said it terminated relations with the supplier within 24 hours of being informed of the contractors' existence. The fragmented, mostly family-run structure of high-quality Italian manufacturing 'can pose challenges in transparency and oversight,' said Toni Belloni, president of LVMH Italy. The group has strengthened controls and revised its internal charter, he said in a statement to Bloomberg News. 'However, areas of fragility remain, so we must work to improve our practices.' The fashion industry is one of Italy's biggest, accounting for about €96 billion worth of Made in Italy products in 2024, according to industry group Camera Nazionale della Moda. The vast majority are destined for overseas markets. Yet the tailor's case shines a light on the treatment of workers who make garments that can cost thousands. He worked from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily through late 2024, when his 'caporale,' or boss — also a Chinese transplant — stopped paying him for unknown reasons, according to the court documents. After repeated demands for his wages, a confrontation ensued. The employer punched the tailor and beat him repeatedly with an aluminum tube, the documents said, leading to a criminal complaint. Past enforcement efforts have failed to stamp out labor abuses. 'These cases have been increasing in the last few years, with more big groups taking control of smaller Italian companies and starting outsourcing part of the production,' said Roberta Griffini, secretary for the Filctem CGIL Milano union. Responsibility is sometimes hard to determine because subcontractors work for more than one fashion group, Griffini added. The UK has also cracked down on illegal sweatshops, particularly small factories operating in cities such as Leicester. A 2021 UK report found companies in numerous industries couldn't guarantee their supply chains were free from forced labor. For fashion producers in Italy, the supply chain should be short and closely monitored, said Saviolo of Bocconi University. Younger consumers in particular are paying more attention to brand credibility. Milan is the locus of the sprawling fashion industry in Italy, housing about one-fourth of the nation's 600,000 fashion workers across some 60,000 companies, according to Camera Nazionale della Moda. The Lombardy region's dense ecosystem of design studios, tanneries and sample makers gives brands unrivaled speed but also shelters what prosecutors called 'a generalised manufacturing method' in which legitimate subcontractors parcel out work to micro-factories operating from converted garages and semi-legal industrial parks. Chinese-owned firms make up a significant part of this complex. About 20% of Lombardy's 10,000-plus textile workshops and factories are Chinese-owned, according to Milan's Chamber of Commerce. The area has drawn a large number of Chinese immigrants, driven by small-business opportunities, globalization of the fashion industry and growing family ties. The judicial clampdown in Italy is unfolding against a jittery global backdrop, with demand falling and a US-led tariff war threatening to magnify export costs. The personal luxury-goods industry, worth €364 billion, lost 50 million customers in 2023 and 2024, Bain estimated last year. The sector will shrink between 2% and 5% this year, according to the consulting firm's June follow-up. Italy's fashion industry was already grappling with falling sales, inflation and international tensions. Brands squeezed by softer demand and volatile costs have doubled down on 'near-shoring' quick orders to Lombardy's workshop belt to protect margins. That very strategy, say prosecutors, is fueling the race to the bottom that the courts are now trying to halt. Investigators traced Loro Piana's knitwear to intermediaries which subcontracted to factories where illegal migrants worked 90 hours a week and slept next to their sewing machines. The judges said the firm 'negligently benefited' from illegal cost-cutting. The judicial administrator appointed Monday is tasked with monitoring Loro Piana management's progress toward addressing its supply chain. The issues have been similar at other luxury brands, including Giorgio Armani Operations, Dior Manufactures, Valentino Bags Lab and Alviero Martini: opaque layers of small subcontractors, paper safety records and a workforce of mostly undocumented Chinese migrants. Armani, Dior and Alviero Martini were released of court oversight after implementing measures such as real-time supplier audits. The unit of Valentino, which is owned by Kering SA and Qatar's Mayhoola, is still subject to court monitoring. The Italian Competition Authority has also been involved. In May it closed an unfair-practices probe into Dior, securing €2 million in funds for anti-exploitation initiatives and requiring the company to improve supplier vetting. Dior noted then that no infringement was established, and said it is dedicated to high standards of ethics and excellence. Armani Group, still under investigation by the competition authority over alleged unfair commercial practices, said the allegations have no merit and its companies are cooperating with authorities. In Milan, coordination has tightened with an accord in May between the Milan Prefecture, the fashion chamber, trade unions and leading brands. The pact sets up a shared database of vetted suppliers and commits signatories to regular certifications. The outcome of the Loro Piana case for now rests with updates to the bench on its progress. As for the tailor, the Milan prosecutor is now trying to get him hired legally, according to a person familiar with the matter, who asked not to be named discussing a personal matter. This would require the employer to make pension contributions, pay taxes and provide standard benefits.
