Italian prosecutors have widened their scrutiny of luxury shoemaker Tod’s, placing the company and three of its senior executives under formal investigation over suspected labour abuses in its supply chain, as reported by Reuters.
Authorities are seeking a temporary ban on advertising certain Tod’s products, in addition to the ongoing inquiry into working conditions at outsourced manufacturing sites.
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Prosecutors have asked for a six-month prohibition on marketing goods produced at the subcontracted factories currently under examination.
The development marks a step up from a case disclosed in October 2025, when prosecutors moved to place Tod’s under judicial administration, in line with measures already applied to five other fashion brands.
It is the first time an Italian fashion label and its top management have themselves become direct subjects of a labour exploitation probe, after a series of investigations that have already increased pressure on major players in the sector.
Investigators allege that Tod’s was made aware of labour exploitation issues at contractor-run workshops after several years of third-party audits identified concerns.
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By GlobalDataThese findings underpin the request for restrictions on advertising products linked to those facilities.
A court hearing has been scheduled for 3 December, at which representatives of Tod’s could be questioned or file written submissions in their defence.
The company did not immediately comment in response to a request from Reuters.
Tod’s founder Diego Della Valle has previously defended the group’s practices and cautioned that investigations into supply chains could harm the “Made-in-Italy’’ brand reputation.
US private equity company L Catterton, backed by French luxury group LVMH, completed the takeover of Tod’s in 2024 under a deal with the Della Valle family, the brand’s controlling shareholder.
In September, L Catterton announced an investment in Japan-based Seki Furniture.
The firm characterised the deal as “strategic”, without revealing financial terms, and said that the capital injection was aimed at supporting Seki Furniture’s domestic growth, drawing on L Catterton’s experience in consumer-facing businesses.
