The impact on employment
The negative scenario we mentioned at the beginning “determines for all the players in the sector the persistence of an excess of production capacity and an unsustainable imbalance in industrial costs”, explained the company. Brioni is forced to undertake a lasting and urgent process of cost rationalization and downsizing of the production sites of Penne (breaking latest news), Montebello di Bertona (breaking latest news) and Civitella Casanova (breaking latest news) – the official note still reads – which currently they can count on a staff of over 1,000 workers, with the aim of implementing all the actions necessary for the relaunch and development of the brand.
Interventions to reduce the social impact
Brioni naturally intends to make available the currently estimated resources involved up to a maximum of about 320 workers between direct and indirect production, every most appropriate instrument to reduce, as much as possible, the consequent social impact, including measures for re-employment. It would therefore go from around one thousand to 680 employees. «Brioni confirms its firm intention of not wanting to proceed unilaterally, but rather in a logic of constructive confrontation and dialogue with trade unions and with all the parties, in order to be able to implement all the actions necessary for the defense and strengthening of the brand that represents and must continue to represent a pride of Italian expertise in the world ».
Brad Pitt, from testimonial to designer
To confirm Kering’s desire to relaunch the brand, which has no similar brands in its portfolio and therefore aims at preside over the “traditional” male high-end segment, there is the initiative presented last week, which sees a greater involvement of Brad Pitt: from a “simple” testimonial (he has been since 2019), the actor becomes a designer for the BP signature capsule. It is actually a complete wardrobe: the seven pieces in the collection include a two-button suit, a featherweight long-sleeved cashmere polo shirt, a double cashmere sports jacket, an unlined ultra-light coat and a velvet evening jacket paired with wool trousers and a evening shirt in fine cotton.
BP Signature Evening Wear are inspired by the outfit Pitt wore during the 92nd Academy Awards ceremony in which he won the Oscar for his role in Once Upon a Time in… Hollywood by Quentin Tarantino.
The reaction of the trade unions
“It is necessary and strategic to evaluate the Brioni industrial plan in its complexity, looking for alternative solutions to the reduction of personnel and the dispersion of professionalism – they indicate in a joint note the national secretariats Filctem Cgil, Femca Cisl, Uiltec Uil -. For example, through the use of the social safety nets available, the retraining of staff and also using the fund for new skills and the support of regional institutions, in a logic of sharing with the company to avoid unilateral actions by the employer ». There is also a critical note: «We soon became aware of the difficulties that the company is going through – the note continues – also due to the pandemic that has led to reductions in volumes and turnover. The initiatives undertaken from 2015 to date have not achieved the set objectives, and the company has consequently announced a real change of pace, declaring a series of interventions including the optimization of investments, the rationalization of structural costs and the reorganization of production ». The next step is also indicated: “Territorial discussion tables will be activated in the coming days to evaluate the industrial plan in detail, sifting and looking for possible optimal solutions to protect workers and manage the difficult time that the company is going through. The interventions that will be implemented – conclude Filctem, Femca, Uiltec – will be constantly monitored by the parties involved, with the support of the ministries of economic development and labor, to verify their effectiveness ».