Is Italian-made goods, sought-after and hailed by luxury, too expensive for the premium segment? The question arises spontaneously after Hugo Boss decided to close the Scandicci plant and transfer the prototypes of leather goods and women’s footwear to Asia and Portugal. Reason (claims the trade unions): the market and consumers “are no longer interested in made in Italy”. Actually, the market trend seems to be going in the opposite direction. This is demonstrated by the (very many) foreign leather goods brands that have arrived in Italy, or that have increased production in our districts. All this, also in view of the difficulties and rising costs of Asian supplies. What doesn’t add up?
Why Boss is leaving Scandicci
“In order to keep up with changing customer demands and market needs”, the German group tells WWD, “Hugo Boss Group has recently modified its global strategy. In this context, and after an in-depth internal analysis, the company decided to reorganise the processes and workflows in its footwear and accessories business”. This in turn led to the decision to close the Scandicci site. The company is “working on a mitigation plan”, with the aim of “reducing the impact for the 21 affected employees as much as possible”.
Goodbye after 15 years
Hugo Boss had been in Scandicci for 15 years. It did not produce, but carried out part of the creative process. For this reason, according to the unions, the choice of the German brand is even more serious. A brand that is not going through a moment of crisis, but of full expansion. The same unions believe that behind the decision there is the will to “maximise profit at the expense of workers”. A regional round table between institutions and unions has been convened on Monday February 14, to be followed by a meeting with the company. But is it really not worth making prototypes and samples for the premium segment in Italy (and in the Tuscan production centre of excellence), because it is too expensive? Or does only Hugo Boss (which produces part of its accessories in Morrovalle, where there is great concern about further closures) think so?
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