Key facts
- Italian police raided offices of luxury brands including Bulgari and Chanel.
- The investigation concerns allegations of labour exploitation in supply chains.
- Subcontractors allegedly employed Chinese workers in exploitative conditions.
- Prada, Givenchy, and Dolce & Gabbana are also implicated in the probe.
- Milan prosecutor Paolo Storari confirmed the raids and implicated brands.
Italian police have conducted raids on the offices of several prominent luxury brands, including Bulgari and Chanel, as part of a sweeping investigation into alleged labour exploitation within their supply chains. The probe, led by Milan prosecutors, focuses on the widespread practice of brands subcontracting work through multiple layers of suppliers, ultimately leading to firms that allegedly employ Chinese workers under exploitative conditions.
Other brands implicated in the investigation, as confirmed by Milan prosecutor Paolo Storari, include Prada, Givenchy, Dolce & Gabbana, Brunello Cucinelli, Etro, Goyard Italie, Jacob Cohen Company, Moncler, and Stefano Ricci. This is not the first time the sector has faced scrutiny; several brands, such as Loro Piana, have previously been placed under temporary judicial administration due to concerns over labour conditions at their suppliers. These companies subsequently agreed to implement stronger oversight of their supply chains.
The Italian government has, in the past, defended the reputation of its luxury sector. Industry Minister Adolfo Urso stated last year that the reputation of Italian brands was "under attack."