Armani

The investigation into whether Dior misled consumers about working conditions at its suppliers concluded without finding any wrongdoing, after Dior made a number of commitments to tighten up its controls and communication.

It’s been almost a year since Italian prosecutors linked Armani and then Dior to sweatshops on the outskirts of Milan in an investigation expected to bring up to a dozen more brands under the microscope. In response, officials and industry leaders have rushed to tighten controls over the luxury supply chain.

An Italian probe linking luxury labels including Dior and Armani to labour exploitation — with the supply chains of up to a dozen more brands under the microscope — has exposed a seedy practice deeply embedded in the luxury system, creating an unpredictable PR crisis at a precarious time for the sector, a BoF investigation has found.

The Prefecture of Milan is aiming to beef up the fashion sector’s monitoring systems after an investigation by Milanese prosecutors found labour exploitation in the supply chains of luxury brands including Armani and Dior. The scheme currently in draft would be voluntary and limited to the Lombardy region.

Fashion was in the spotlight as the Paris 2024 games opened with an awe-inspiring spectacle including a mock runway show, as well as performances by Lady Gaga, Aya Nakamura and Celine Dion.

An investigation into labour exploitation in fashion’s Italian supply chains has already entangled Armani and LVMH, accusing the companies of failing to adequately oversee their suppliers. Incoming EU regulation means such lapses in oversight could soon come with penalties of up to five percent of global revenue.

Beneath luxury’s glamorous surface lies a network of supply chains tangled with the same labour abuses as fast fashion. Brands can, and should, do better, argues Caterina Occhio.

After the SAG strike put red carpets on pause over the summer, the Golden Globes — an event that’s battled controversy in recent years — ushered some much-needed glamour back to Hollywood.

The State of Fashion: Beauty explores why outsized influence of today’s teens and twentysomethings over consumer industries mean beauty brands face a fast-changing challenge to adapt their businesses — from marketing to pricing strategies — to remain attractive to this hugely discerning cohort.

As travel bounces back after two-plus years of limited trips, fashion-branded hotels have gained fresh momentum.