The Italian fashion house Loro Piana, property of LVMH, placed under “judicial administration” for facilitating the exploitation of workers

The Italian fashion house Loro Piana, owned by the French luxury giant LVMH, was placed under “judicial administration” in Italy to have “Easy by negligence” The exploitation of workers with subcontractors, according to the verdict of the Milan court, including the France-Presse agency (AFP), obtained a copy on Monday July 14. This one -year measure has a goal “Rather prevention than repression” In order to prevent a company from being trained in criminal circuits, according to the same source.

In a press release, the riflemen of the working conditions of working conditions say they have “Executed a decree of judicial administration of the Milan court” Against this house, renowned for her cashmere clothes, tried “Unable to prevent and stem phenomena of manpower in the context of production” of its collections.

Loro Piana is accused of “Do not have implemented adequate measures to verify the actual working conditions (…) subcontracting companies ». The judges of the Milan court believe that the management of Loro Piana has “Easy by negligence” the exploitation of labor, due to a “Generalized deficiency of models of organizations and a faulty internal audit system”.

According to investigators, the house confided in clothing to a company without any productive capacity, which itself resorted to another company, which in turn called on workshops employing Chinese workers in Italy to lower its costs. In these workshops, workers were used in an irregular situation without respecting the legislation on health and safety in the workplace, especially for “Salaries, working hours, breaks and holidays”.

Complaint of a Chinese worker

The investigation began in May after the complaint of a Chinese worker who has gone to tobacco by his boss because he demanded the payment of his wages of wages. The riflemen found that workers were housed in “Dormers constructed improperly and under hygienic and health conditions below the ethical minimum”.

Two Chinese nationals owners of workshops were referred to justice for the exploitation of labor, as well as two Italians for violations of standards on health and safety in the workplace. Seven workers without residence permits were also sent to justice.

The court also imposed fines of more than 181,000 euros and administrative sanctions of around 60,000 euros. The activities of two Chinese workshops were also suspended for “Serious safety violations and use of black work”.

Loro Piana had been bought by LVMH in 2013. The current president of the company is Antoine Arnault, eldest son of Bernard Arnault, boss of LVMH, including another son, Frédéric, is director general of this Italian subsidiary. Contacted by AFP, neither Loro Piana nor LVMH were able to react immediately.

Several prestigious fashion houses, including Armani, have already been pinned by Italian justice in similar cases. The Italian Competition Authority thus forced the luxury brand Dior in May, also belonging to LVMH, to pay 2 million euros in assistance to “Victims of exploitation” As part of a survey on the working conditions of his subcontractors. The authority had however excluded any « infraction ».