LVMH pilots new traceability system as Loro Piana is linked to labour exploitation
Luxury conglomerate LVMH is reassessing its supply chains across all subsidiaries in light of recent court cases involving two of its brands, where workers in the supply chain were allegedly exploited. The company is now piloting traceability technology across its portfolio, with Loro Piana becoming the second LVMH-owned brand to be placed under court administration this week.
The luxury market has recently been rocked by a series of scandals, ranging from labour exploitation to viral misinformation about luxury goods being produced in China alongside counterfeit items.
In a 26-page ruling released this week, the Court of Milan found that Loro Piana—renowned for its high-end cashmere clothing—had subcontracted production through two front firms with no actual manufacturing capacity. These companies then outsourced to Chinese-owned workshops in Italy, which the court determined were exploiting workers.
As a result, Loro Piana S.p.A. will be subject to court monitoring for one year. The court has also appointed an external administrator to verify that the company complies with legal requirements regarding supply chain oversight. The administration may be lifted early if Loro Piana aligns its practices with the law, as was previously the case with Dior, Armani, and Alviero Martini.
Loro Piana is not alone. Units of other major fashion houses—Valentino, Dior (LVMH’s second-largest brand), Armani, and Alviero Martini—have also recently been placed under court administration due to similar issues.
According to court documents, LVMH acquired an 80% stake in Loro Piana in July 2013, with the founding Italian family retaining the remaining 20%. Loro Piana declined to comment to Reuters, and LVMH was not immediately available.
In June, Loro Piana appointed Frédéric Arnault, son of LVMH chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault, as its new CEO.
Italian police investigations have revealed that two Chinese-owned factories were closed, while a third entity was identified as a “paper” company with no actual production capacity. Authorities imposed a combined fine of over €240,000. One factory worker reportedly told police he was hospitalized for over a month after being beaten by his employers when he demanded unpaid wages.
In response to these controversies, LVMH presented its efforts toward greater transparency at its Annual General Meeting in April. The company has begun using TextileGenesis, a traceability platform, to track over 31,000 sample products across major brands including Louis Vuitton, Loro Piana, Dior, and Bulgari.
The system allows LVMH to trace the origin of materials, such as the cashmere used in Loro Piana scarves or the components used in Louis Vuitton handbags.
“Traceability and transparency are the fundamental principles that guarantee the excellence of our products,” said Antoine Arnault, Chairman of Loro Piana and Head of Communications and Image at LVMH, during the AGM.
TextileGenesis founder Amit Gautam confirmed a surge in demand for traceability solutions following the court action against Dior last year.
“Brands are realising that consumers now expect verification, not just storytelling,” Gautam said. “The luxury sector can no longer assume trust based on brand heritage alone.”
The 1st edition of Fashion Commerce Summit at CIFF
The first edition of the Fashion Commerce Summit will take place this August during CIFF, in collaboration with their official digital partner Not selling liquid.
On August 5th, the event will explore the ever-evolving world of fashion commerce and why unified strategies are at the core for brands navigating both digital and physical spaces. Together with Shopify and Klaviyo, the most influential platforms in the fashion e-commerce space, the Summit will dive deep into how brands can successfully bridge the gap between e-commerce and retail. Expect actionable insights, practical frameworks, and candid conversations about the challenges and opportunities that arise from scaling across multiple channels.
Fashion brands Fabienne Chapot and more, will share real-life examples of how they’ve embraced unified commerce to grow and future-proof their business. As the official digital partner, Not selling liquid will bring hands-on expertise to CIFF’s community. Founded in 2020, the agency is a leading Shopify Plus Partners for fashion brands. From performance marketing and data strategy to web design and international expansion, their approach is rooted in both creativity and commerce.
Jonathan Anderson debut collection for Dior at Men’s Summer 2026 show
As in a museum, where works from the past meet everyday conversations, the setting is an invitation to play with the archives in the present. Joy in the art of dressing is expressed in garments that transcend time. The Bar jacket in Donegal tweeds enhances waistlines. The Delft, Caprice and La Cigale dresses are brought into the present, recontextualizing the collection. Cargo shorts are intricately pleated and denim swirls gracefully around the legs.
Modern-day tailcoats and 18th and 19th century waistcoats blur the boundaries between day and night. Floral knits, delicate embroideries and Diorette charms have a rococo feel, a tribute to Monsieur Dior’s love of the era. Long capes elevate the theatrical effect. Bow ties, stoles and striped ties are slipped on the neck. Boxer shorts and mules reimagine indoor style for the outdoors. Worn over the shoulder, the Dior Book Tote gets book covers, including Bonjour Tristesse by Françoise Sagan. The Lady Dior bag is revisited by textile artist Sheila Hicks with a nest of line ponytails.
LVMH at Future Fabrics Expo 2025
LVMH participated for the fourth consecutive year at the Future Fabrics Expo 2025, held in London on June 24-25. As a flagship event of London Climate Week for the fashion and textile industry, the exhibition showcases sustainable textiles and innovative industry practices. The Group leveraged this opportunity to highlight its strategic partnerships with entrepreneurs shaping the future of sustainable luxury.
As part of the implementation of LIFE 360, its environmental action program, LVMH is deploying a strategy built around three key milestones – 2023 (with targets achieved), 2026, and 2030 – structured around five pillars: biodiversity protection, climate change mitigation, circular economy, transparency, and business partners.
At Future Fabrics Expo, LVMH presented the Group’s and its Maisons’ environmental initiatives within two dedicated pavilions. This edition highlighted the Group’s partners and suppliers, illustrating LVMH’s commitment to building lasting strategic collaborations founded on innovation and excellence.
Recognizing the major environmental challenges and committed to significantly reducing its emissions, LVMH considers that closer cooperation with its entire ecosystem is essential to achieving its goals.
The Group introduced the LIFE 360 Business Partners program in late 2023. It aims to support suppliers in their environmental transitions and is structured around three ambitions: harmonizing ESG data collection; opening up access to LVMH’s training catalog; and jointly imagining new decarbonization solutions.
Soko Italy and Pioneer Denim collaboration: celebration event in Florence
On June 17th, Pioneer Denim and Soko celebrated their collaboration with an event held in Florence which showcased a collection that brilliantly embodies the style, design, and finishing vision of Adriano Goldschmied.
The event took place in the beautiful Florentine-style courtyard of the Soko Projects Division, the creative and technical powerhouse of Soko, which supports brands, fabric producers, and garment makers in their pursuit of innovation.
The garments of the collection were made by crafting panels of Pioneer’s cotton/hemp denim previously washed with Soko’s innovative processes. This fusion of sophisticated tailoring, premium fabric quality, and low-impact creativity gave life to masterpieces that are truly unique, both in their appearance and in the way they were made.
The collection, which includes blazers, bodices, trousers, and various jacket styles, was also presented at Pitti Uomo during the same week.
During the event, guests experienced the live application of Soko’s sustainable finishing products, such as Hydrogel and Rare, underlining the collection’s commitment to innovation and responsibility.
Creations made with Pioneer Denim by the brands Oceano Oltreluce, Sturlini, and Pianegonda were also displayed at the event.
Montecore presents ‘Beyond Time: a visual & narrative project
Montecore has opened up a new aesthetic and conceptual dimension with an artistic project conceived in collaboration with the architect and designer Roberto Palomba. The project, created for the Fall/Winter 2025/26 collection, stems from the brand’s desire to build a deeper narrative around the outerwear – which has always been the manifesto of the Montecore vision – and develops into an artistic journey: a journey through images and suggestions that puts fashion, design, architecture, nature and memory into dialogue.
The campaign, shot over three days among places of art, typical architecture, hills and beaches in the Marche, trace an emotional itinerary that reinterprets time as an inner territory. The selected sets become the scenography of a narration that gives time back its deepest dimension: that of bonding, of waiting, of shared memory.
The gaze of Roberto Palomba, eclectic protagonist of contemporary design, renders all this in a series of photos conceived as a true emotional storyboard. Each shot is thought with the same care as a design object: composition, gesture, light and material come together to create an intimate and powerful visual tale.
The outfits tell the story of FW25/26 with aesthetic and stylistic coherence: technical and material fabrics, measured volumes, fluid superimpositions. The garments become narrative tools through which the body inhabits landscapes and reflections. The dominant colours – grey, blue, beige – are also reflected in the surrounding environment, erasing the boundary between wardrobe and context.
During Milan Men’s Fashion Week, the project will take shape inside the Montecore showroom, which will become for the occasion a space for storytelling and sharing, where images and visions dialogue with the spirit of the brand.
“Collaborating with Roberto Palomba meant giving artistic form to an idea that has always guided us: to create garments that do not follow time, but pass through it. His multifaceted mind was able to reinterpret our essence in a powerful and universal way,’ says Fabio Peroni, founder of Montecore.
Icecream makes its debut at Pitti Uomo 108
Founded by Pharrell Williams and NIGO in 2003, ICECREAM has become known for its distinctive mix of graphic storytelling, playful nostalgia, and streetwear innovation, pushing boundaries within contemporary menswear.
The SP26 collection represents a new chapter in the ICECREAM narrative — staying true to the brand’s DNA of bold graphics, iconic silhouettes, and nostalgic motifs. Key pieces include the Running Dog denim and signature tracksuits, which remain global bestsellers and community favorites season after season.
ICECREAM’s debut at Pitti Uomo marks a significant step forward in the European journey of the brand, which is currently stocked in top-tier retailers such as Selfridges, Smets, Ounass, Harvey Nichols, De Bijenkorf, Samaritaine, and END Clothing.
Promas and DEFI support 24 French brands at Pitti Uomo
For the sixth consecutive edition, Promas French Menswear Fédération and DEFI (Développement des Entreprises Françaises de l’Industrie de la Mode) renew their partnership in support of the participation of 24 French brands in Pitti Uomo 108.
This collaboration is part of a long-term strategy to strengthen the international presence of French menswear, also through innovative digital tools like PROMAS LIST: the Promas platform that connects buyers from around the world directly with French menswear brands, offering access to the latest collections, detailed information and new business opportunities. A key networking tool in the industry.
NEW! WeAr Global Magazine issue 83
WeAr Global Magazine issue 83 is now out.
Get ready for the Spring/Summer 2026 season with the latest trends, brands and reports on the state of the industry. Get inspired by leaders of the industry discussing the future of fashion, sustainability and branding. Want to know what moves business this summer? How to combine travel and fashion? Then dive right in. Learn about new brands in the Lookbook section and get inspired by the creative design this Storebook offers, featuring the best in both multi-label and mono-brand stores.
Onchain Culture Summit
On Saturday, June 14, 2025, FUTURE030 and the w3.hub will host the ONCHAIN CULTURE SUMMIT, the meeting point for the future of art, fashion, and music, in Berlin. Experience interactive highlights at the w3.hub Creative Campus: Discover the art exhibition of the FUTURE030 avatars, co-create a community NFT, and watch a film premiere. Immerse yourself in inspiring talks & panels with discussions on AI and digital culture. In the evening, the celebration continues at the Community Rave 001 at a new location.
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