Luxury fashion brand Loro Piana, known for its high-end cashmere clothing and “quiet luxury” style, has been placed under judicial administration by an Italian court. The company, owned by the French group LVMH, will be monitored by the court for a year due to serious concerns about how its clothes are being made.
An investigation in Milan found that some of Loro Piana’s clothing was being made in workshops where workers were exploited (sweatshops). These workshops were not directly hired by Loro Piana, but by subcontractors (smaller companies that were not properly checked or approved).
One worker said they were physically assaulted by their employer. Other workers were found working up to 90 hours a week, earning less than $5 per hour, and even sleeping in the factory in unsafe conditions. Many of them were undocumented immigrants.
Loro Piana said it didn’t know about the illegal subcontractors and cut ties with the supplier as soon as it found out. The company said it strongly condemns illegal practices and is committed to ethical standards. The court said Loro Piana was careless in checking who was making its clothes.
Loro Piana is the fifth luxury brand in Italy to be investigated for similar issues. Other brands include Dior, Armani, Valentino, and Alviero Martini. This case raises serious questions about how luxury brands manage their supply chains and whether they are doing enough to protect workers.
Source: Forbes
Do you think Loro Piana‘s statement that it didn’t know about this situation is acceptable? Would you consider clothes made under these conditions to be real luxury? Let us know in the comments below!