In a historic turn of events, Gucci’s design studio is currently facing its first ever strike. A total of 40 artisans have downed tools in protest against the plans to relocate a significant part of the team from Rome to Milan. This luxury Italian brand, owned by French group Kering, announced its decision in October to transfer 153 out of 219 design employees from the capital to Milan. However, the striking employees argue that this move is essentially a disguised mass redundancy. Demonstrators outside one of Gucci’s offices in Rome displayed banners with powerful messages such as “Gucci cuts but doesn’t sew” and “At Gucci, redundancy is fashionable.”
This strike carries great significance for Gucci, as Chiara Giannotti, a union representative for the brand, explains, “The style office is the heart of Gucci, where the designers and couturiers work, and this is where all the collections are born. This is the first strike in its history.” Notably, over 50 artisans from Gucci joined a national strike organized by Italy’s largest trade unions just last week.
Giannotti asserts that Kering is intending to reduce staff numbers and exclude employees who have been offered unsatisfactory conditions or are unable to leave Rome due to family and childcare commitments. On the other hand, Gucci itself insists that the move to Milan will not result in any personnel reductions and will be carried out in accordance with existing regulations. The company has also taken steps to provide economic and support measures to those affected by the transition.
While 153 employees are slated to be transferred to Milan by March, the future of the remaining 66 artisans in Rome remains uncertain. The unions are demanding equal treatment for all employees involved in the relocation to Milan, or alternatively, the option to move to other Kering companies in Rome or Florence.
It is noteworthy that Gucci recently appointed Sabato De Sarno as its new artistic director in January, taking over from Alessandro Michele. Michele had spent the last seven years revolutionizing the label with his unconventional shows and eccentric, gender-fluid designs.
Additional Information Links:
1. For more information on the strike and its implications, you can visit this Reuters article.
2. To read about Gucci’s recent appointment of Sabato De Sarno as artistic director, you can click on this Vogue article.
