Italy's fashion brands have Chinese connection

Immigrants from Wenzhou collaborate with local counterparts to transform clothing business

For centuries, Prato has stood as a prominent center of Italian fashion production, nestled within the picturesque central region of Tuscany, celebrated for its rich artistic heritage.

However, in the 1990s, this medieval city faced a pressing challenge — scarcity of labor and inability to keep pace with the rapid changes in the fashion industry.

Consequently, a wave of Chinese immigrants flocked to the city, answering the call to collaborate with their Italian counterparts for swiftly producing affordable garments.