Luxury / news
Italian Police Probe Nine Luxury Brands Over Subcontractor Labour Practices
Italian authorities have launched a second wave of labour investigations, visiting the headquarters of nine luxury fashion houses to demand documents on supply-chain controls amid allegations of worker exploitation at subcontractors.
Officers from the Carabinieri labour unit carried out the operation on Thursday, targeting brands including Brunello Cucinelli, Moncler, Chanel, Bulgari, Jacob Cohen Company, Etro, Stefano Ricci, Goyard and Owenscorp Italia. The visits follow a similar probe in December 2025 that involved 13 other top fashion labels such as Gucci, Prada and Dolce & Gabbana.
None of the nine companies is under investigation, and prosecutors have not sought court-appointed administration for any of them, according to a judicial order reviewed by Reuters. The firms did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The investigation centres on two Chinese-owned workshops that produced garment bags, shopping bags and pouches for intermediaries Brandart and F. VL. These intermediaries supplied the items directly to the nine fashion brands, which marketed them under their own labels.
The latest action is part of a broader crackdown that has already placed seven other fashion groups under court-appointed administration over the past three years, tarnishing the industry's reputation for ethical supply-chain management.