Italy seeks ad ban on fashion brand Tod’s in labor probe

Milan prosecutors are seeking to ban fashion company Tod’s from advertising for six months as part of a widening investigation into alleged labor exploitation in the company’s supply chain, according to legal documents seen by Bloomberg News. The move aims to curb what investigators describe as Tod’s “intentional blindness” to abuses involving 53 Chinese workers in six contracted workshops across the country. The company and three of its executives are under investigation after issues flagged in several third-party audits were ignored, according to case documents. The case broadens Italy’s scrutiny of labor practices in the luxury sector, after earlier probes led to judicial oversight. Milan prosecutors have been examining how high-end labels rely on dense networks of small suppliers where authorities say illegal subcontracting, underpayment and unsafe conditions have taken hold, raising compliance and reputational risks for a core Italian export industry. In a statement Thursday, Tod’s said it is reviewing the latest allegations. Chairman Diego Della Valle isn’t one of the people under investigation, the company said. Workshop conditions The prosecutors’ request follows inspections by the Carabinieri’s labor-protection unit between October 2024 and May 2025. Prosecutor in charge Paolo Storari said the sites showed underpayment, unsafe machinery and dormitory conditions where operators withheld pay for room and board. A hearing on the proposed measure is set for December 3. Previous allegations of sweatshop-like conditions in Italian luxury-goods manufacturing resulted in administrative measures such as temporary court supervision for companies including Loro Piana and Dior, both owned by French luxury powerhouse LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. A Valentino unit and Giorgio Armani also faced monitoring. Last month, Bloomberg reported prosecutors were probing Tod’s and seeking judicial oversight of the company. They alleged then that the maker of leather driving loafers failed to prevent labor exploitation. Tod’s Chairman Diego Della Valle pushed back at the time, saying their probes of luxury-goods supply chains threaten the “Made in Italy” brand. By Daniele Lepido and Flavia Rotondi

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Italy seeks ad ban on fashion brand Tod’s in labor probe