The “Made in Italy” label has long been a byword for sophisticated craftsmanship and a means of selling some of the most expensive dresses, handbags and shoes money can buy. In 2025, its reputation as a mark of quality for luxury goods has come under unprecedented threat.
Labour issues in Italy’s fashion supply chain have been an open secret for years. But neither the brands, nor their customers, appeared to pay much attention to media reporting on allegations that some of the workers producing haute couture were being paid a pittance.
But a recent series of probes instigated by Milanese prosecutor Paolo Storari — targeting some of the most powerful names in the industry, including Loro Piana, Dior, Tod’s and Armani — has turned a fringe issue into a national scandal.