Author: Eric Sylvers, Sarah Kent

MILAN — As Milanese prosecutors continue to pressure the fashion industry with investigations into labour practices in its opaque supply chains, brands are beginning to implement changes aimed at resolving issues that have only added to the sector’s woes.Companies are increasing and improving checks on their suppliers, vetting new suppliers more rigorously and, in some cases, buying suppliers to assume direct control of manufacturing. The shakeup has also created an opportunity for companies helping the fashion industry to digitise their data in order to make their supply chain easier to control.The changes couldn’t come soon enough.In late September, the Camera…

MILAN — Tod’s chairman Diego Della Valle on Friday gave an impassioned defence of his company, after it emerged earlier in the week that as part of an on-going investigation into labour exploitation in luxury supply chains, local prosecutors are scrutinising the Italian shoe producer. Tod’s is the latest company to get caught up in the investigations, which have already netted brands including Armani, Dior, Valentino and Loro Piana. As in the other cases digging into the fashion industry’s complex and opaque supply chains, the alleged abuses, which include severely below market wages, long hours and dangerous working conditions, took…