Italy probes luxury fashion brands over alleged Chinese worker exploitation

Italian police and the Milan public prosecutor’s office carried out coordinated raids on the headquarters of several high‑end fashion houses, including Chanel, Bulgari, Brunello Cucinelli, Moncler, Etro, Goyard, Jacob Cohen, Stefano Ricci and others. The operation, led by prosecutor Paolo Storari, targets alleged labour abuses in subcontractor workshops that employ undocumented Chinese workers. Investigators are demanding documents on supply‑chain governance and have not placed any of the nine companies under criminal investigation or sought court‑appointed administration.

The probe follows a similar sweep in December 2025 that examined 13 other luxury brands such as Gucci and Prada. Authorities say the investigations aim to determine whether the firms failed to audit their suppliers and allowed exploitative conditions, a scandal that threatens the reputation of Italy’s €60 billion luxury sector. Chanel said it “is committed to fully cooperating with the Italian authorities,” while Brunello Cucinelli expressed it was “surprised and deeply saddened” by the findings.