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Gucci’s craftsmen and artisans initiated a strike in response to proposed plans to relocate a significant portion of their team from Rome to Milan. Around 40 artisans from Gucci’s design studio halted their work on Monday in protest. The luxury Italian brand, under the umbrella of the French conglomerate Kering, announced in October its intention to move 153 out of 219 design employees from the capital to Milan. The striking artisans argue that this relocation constitutes “a disguised mass layoff.”
Chiara Giannotti, a union representative for the brand, regards this strike as an unprecedented event in Gucci’s history, emphasising the artisans’ indispensable role in the brand’s heritage. She noted that last week, over 50 Gucci artisans participated in a national strike organized by Italy’s major trade unions. Kering aims to leverage this restructuring to downsize the workforce, urging out employees dissatisfied with the offered conditions or unable to relocate due to familial commitments in Rome.
Gucci clarified that this transition does not involve staff reduction and will comply fully with existing regulations. The company stated it has presented “a range of financial and supportive measures” for affected staff. However, uncertainties persist regarding the fate of the remaining 66 artisans slated to stay in Rome, as highlighted by the unions. Some employees expressed their discontent, characterizing Gucci’s approach to layoffs as a trendy move.
The brand had recently undergone a change in artistic leadership in January, appointing Sabato De Sarno to succeed Alessandro Michele, who, over seven years, revolutionized the label with eccentric, gender-fluid designs and unconventional presentations.
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