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Italy is approximately two weeks ahead of the US and the UK—and perhaps four weeks behind China—in its exposure and reaction to the coronavirus pandemic. The curve of infection there has flattened, but is falling slowly. Last night Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte ordered an extension of the national lockdown until May 3, while adding that he would “act accordingly” if conditions change.
Much of Italy’s vaunted fashion manufacturing sector has been closed for business since March 9, or shortly after. The only exceptions have been those plants—belonging to companies including Gucci, Giorgio Armani, and Prada—that have been converted for the use of medical face masks and gowns.
Today the Italian fashion industry presented an open letter to Prime Minister Conte in which it signaled its readiness to restart. As detailed in the newspaper Corriere Della Sera, three organizations representing the entirety of Italy’s 65, 000 fashion and luxury manufacturing companies—which between them produce 80% of the world’s luxury goods and employ 600,000 people—say this beating heart of the global fashion system has slowed to a dangerously low ebb. Claudio Marenzi of Herno heads up the textile, fashion, and accessory organization Confindustria Moda and says: “If we don’t reopen within a reasonable time, 50%t of our companies risk collapse.”
But when might that reasonable time be? That—equal to the annual turnover of the sector—is a $103 billion dollar question whose answer must be this: when it is safe. Carlo Capasa, who heads the Camera Della Moda (Italy’s CFDA), says: “We know that we will have to be cautious, keeping a correct balance between health and economy. We already have rules that function for those industries that are active.” By this Capasa means that the continued manufacture of medical-grade protective equipment has allowed Italian fashion companies to refine prototype protocols for when fashion production begins again. Staggered shifts, filtered ventilation, workstation distancing, disinfection systems, and of course mask wearing have all been tried and tested.
The fear amongst many in Italian fashion is that its intricate ecosystem of small factories—the vast majority of businesses employ under 100 people—will begin to fall apart if it is unable to fulfill at least some orders for the fall 2020 season. Matteo Lunelli of the trade organization Altagamma told Corriere: “The reopening must be addressed soon. Gradually, with prudence, and a great sense of responsibility.”
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