Italian fashion bodies Confindustria Moda and Confindustria Accessori Moda have issued a joint statement urging caution and balance in media reporting, following new developments in investigations into alleged labour exploitation in Italy’s fashion industry. The probe, led by Prosecutor Paolo Storari, has placed 13 additional brands under scrutiny, including major names such as Prada, Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana.
The two industry associations reiterated that they are “firmly against all forms of illegality,” provided that action taken does not inflict “profound and unjustified damage on the image and, consequently, on the economy of the entire sector.” They warned that the surge in media sensationalism surrounding the investigations risks undermining the stability and global reputation of the Made in Italy fashion system.
The statement stressed that “safeguarding workers’ dignity, legality and transparency is a shared, indispensable value in defending a strategic sector of Made in Italy, recognised worldwide for excellence, quality and creativity.” However, it argued that the public naming of brands at preliminary, non-conclusive stages of the inquiry “risks compromising the reputation of a sector that represents one of the pillars of the national economy, exports and the country’s cultural identity,” while also lending itself to “easy misinterpretation by the international media, generating negative fallout.”
The associations highlighted the fragility of the sector, noting that 23,000 fashion retail stores have closed in Italy since 2021, according to data from Federazione Moda Italia-Confcommercio. They warned that an overly aggressive media campaign could fuel further “mistrust among domestic and international consumers, investors and the entire supply chain.”
Confindustria Moda and Confindustria Accessori Moda emphasised that they are working closely with authorities to develop control, audit and monitoring systems for implementation across the supply chain. They also noted their longstanding participation in the development of legislation aimed at establishing a single conformity certification for fashion supply chains to promote legality.
The statement concluded with a call for “balance, responsibility and respect for the work of thousands of companies and hundreds of thousands of workers,” stressing that the essential fight against illegality must not be transformed into a media spectacle that causes “irreparable damage” to a sector that embodies the global value of Made in Italy.
