At Milan Fashion Week_ industry's darker side goes unmentioned
Artisans in white coats greeted guests at the Tod's fashion show in Milan Friday_ crafting the Made in Italy leather and needlework items for which the company -- and country -- is renowned.
But despite that display of handcraft_ there has been little mention at Milan Fashion Week of some of the industry's forgotten workers -- whom prosecutors found were working in sweatshop conditions at subcontractors for many Italian luxury brands_ including Tod's.
With the glamorous catwalks_ celebrities and excess of finery on display_ the possibility of the recent investigations uncovering labour abuses being on anyone's mind appeared slim.
After the show_ Tod's founder and chairman Diego Della Valle told AFP the company's decision to highlight its artisanal heritage was in no way linked to the recent investigations.
"No controversy -- I think we'll do good things together with the courts and trade associations. I think we're on the right track_" Della Valle said.
On Tuesday_ Tod's submitted to a Milan court a list of measures it was undertaking to reinforce its supply chain_ including the creation of a platform to better trace supplier activity and expanded audits.
"I think that by working together like this_ everyone will be involved in finding a solution_" he said_ adding that Italy's laws needed revising "to protect people and artisans".
'Product first'
Many international guests at the show had not heard mention of the accusations of migrant labour exploitation levelled last year at over a dozen of luxury's biggest names_ including Gucci_ Loro Piana_ Prada_ Dolce & Gabbana and Ferragamo.
Allegations include around-the-clock working hours and substandard pay_ breaches of safety measures and makeshift sleeping areas inside small workshops.
Asked whether it would matter to the luxury consumer_ the vice president and fashion director at Nordstrom_ Rickie De Sole_ suggested the answer might be yes and no.
"I think the integrity of Made in Italy is incredibly important and I think that at the end of the day_ to the customer_ it's product first_ right?" she told AFP.
Influential fashion critic and journalist Suzy Menkes_ sitting in the front row_ cautioned that she hadn't followed the cases in Italy but said "people do care when there are specific things that have come to light".
"But I don't think it's any different from food and various other things_ where one hopes that the bigger the company is_ that the more they're serious about it."
A Hong Kong content creator dressed head to toe in Tod's_ 26-year-old Stephanie Hui_ said people were "desensitised" to stories of sweatshop conditions in the fashion industry_ with consumers feeling powerless to effect change.
"It takes a lot of people to band together to like really make a change. It's not really in our control_ but definitely I think if consumers stop spending as much they'll kind of give the brands a wake-up call_" she said.
'Want to be seen'
Fashion industry insiders say that controlling every link in the supply chain is more complicated the bigger the company.
Stefano Aimone_ CEO and creative director of Agnona_ told AFP in an interview this that it depends on the company's scale.
"When you're smaller_ you have more control and can really check and know all your employees and consultants by name. When you're dealing with 400_ they're just numbers_ and it's unthinkable to control everything_" he said.
"Something will slip through regardless_ because even if you have contracts with such-and-such subcontractor_ you don't know what they then do in turn_" said Aimone.
Asked whether fashion customers paid attention_ Aimone said that despite some headlines_ it remained "a B (business) to B (business) issue".
"The end customer doesn't know."
And even if supply chains were better known_ the customer might not care_ said Iuliana Stetco_ 21_ a fashion marketing student in Milan.
"They want to be seen_ they want to be seen wearing a certain type of brand_ a certain label_ and so as a result they don't care much."(AFP)