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The count begins again — yet another high-end brand faces allegations, exposing systemic abuses in fashion’s supply chain
Next in line: Loro Piana.
The luxury label has become the latest name under scrutiny. So, the count begins again. Another crack in the polished image of luxury fashion.
The Milan Court has placed Loro Piana S.p.A., part of the LVMH group and chaired by Antoine, the son of French tycoon Bernard Arnault, under judicial administration for one year. The company is accused of indirectly subcontracting production to Chinese-owned firms allegedly involved in labour exploitation.
This makes it the fifth luxury brand caught in the web of investigations into labour rights violations within Italy’s high-end supply chain — following Giorgio Armani Operations, Alviero Martini S.p.A., Manufactures Dior, and Valentino. So far, charges against the first three were dropped before conclusion, but the abuses were real.
As Corriere reports, “Loro Piana S.p.A. failed to verify the actual operational capacity of the contractors and subcontractors it relied on, and neglected to carry out meaningful inspections or audits over the years to assess the true state of its supply chain and working conditions.”
This development clashes with the recent signing of a “protocol of understanding,” involving the country’s most representative trade unions and employers’ associations, aimed at ensuring compliance with the law within the high-end fashion supply chain. Yet their actions tell a different story.
Loro Piana: The investigations reveal systemic issues in luxury fashion
According to prosecutors, Loro Piana outsourced the production of garments — including jackets — to third-party companies where labour exploitation allegedly occurred. The Milan court has placed the brand under one year of judicial supervision, which may be lifted early if the company takes adequate steps to comply with labour laws.
As reported by Corriere della Sera, the investigation revealed that Loro Piana entrusted manufacturing to Evergreen Fashion Group S.r.l., a company that lacked its own production facilities. Evergreen subcontracted the work to Sor-Man S.n.c. in Nova Milanese. Without sufficient production capacity, Sor-Man outsourced once again — this time to Chinese-managed factories Clover Moda S.r.l. (in Baranzate) and Dai Meiying (in Senago).
These facilities reportedly employed undocumented Asian workers off the books, under inhumane and unsafe conditions. Workers were housed in illegal dormitories and forced to endure gruelling shifts — including nights and public holidays — as evidenced by spikes in electricity usage. They were paid far below the legal minimum wage, operated hazardous machinery without proper training, and lacked both health monitoring and basic workplace protections.
According to the investigation, Loro Piana’s production model was structured to cut costs and maximise profits.
Indeed, that’s how capitalism works, isn’t it?
Final thoughts
In case we needed further proof: this isn’t just about Loro Piana. It never was. What we’re seeing is a pattern.
Subcontracting is not an accident — it’s a symptom of a supply chain built on deliberate denial.
The real issue isn’t one brand. It’s the system itself.
A system fuelled by capitalist logic: extraction, exploitation, and carefully maintained opacity.
For further context, revisit this post:
👉 Valentino Under Investigation: Subcontracting as a Supply Chain System
The count has begun again.
Next in line: Loro Piana.
And after the roll call is complete — after one name, then another — will anyone finally admit the truth?
This isn’t about a few bad apples.
It’s about a rotten tree.
