Investigation begins into Armani luxury goods and Dior brand

By Alimat Aliyeva

The Italian antimonopoly authority is investigating companies belonging to the Armani luxury goods group and the Dior brand. The reason is the accusations that the enterprises violated safety regulations, Azernews reports.

The Italian antimonopoly authority AGCM has launched an investigation into some companies of the Armani group (Giorgio Armani S.p.A. and G.A. Operations S.p.A.) and some companies of the Dior group (Christian Dior Couture S.A., Christian Dior Italia S.r.l. and Manufactures Dior S.r.l.) on the subject of unfair exploitation of employees. In some cases, companies sold products from workshops where workers were underpaid, worked overtime and hired in violation of safety regulations, AGCM reports.

Now the investigation will find out whether the companies resorted to illegal labor practices in the production and sale of their expensive goods. The working conditions in the ordered companies may contradict the high production standards that Armani and Dior themselves praised in advertising. According to the agency, this practice violates the Italian consumer protection law.

According to media reports, in mid-June, the contractor of the Italian division of the Dior fashion house was under investigation for an article on labor exploitation in the organization of the production of luxury bags. We are talking about two companies that sewed products under a subcontract. About two dozen Chinese and several Filipinos worked for them. The cost of manufacturing premium bags was only 53 euros (at a retail price of 2.6 thousand).