The Covid-19 pandemic has had a massive impact on the global economy, with thousands of businesses facing closure or significant staff retrenchment.
In Italy, the country’s two-month lockdown has taken its toll on local businesses, including the once-thriving wedding industry. A wedding dress designer from Italy’s southern Apulia region of Lecce believes that the Italian government’s strict regulations on social gatherings are hurting the industry, and staged a protest by burning part of his 2020-2021 collection.
In a statement on his Facebook page, wedding dress designer Pietro Demita and his business co-owner Silvana Persano thanked the supporters of Diamond Couture, and explained the motivation behind his ‘extreme’ stunt.
“It wasn’t easy for us to destroy something that we had created with sacrifice and passion,” he said. However, he felt that his attempts to contact government departments about the business’s frustrations were falling on deaf ears.
“Our protest turned the spotlight on the entire Italian events and wedding sector which, to date, has been forgotten about in all phases of the Covid-19 emergency,” he said. “Bridal fashion, musicians, hairdressers, beauticians and make-up artists, florists, wedding planners, catering, wedding favours, car rental, photographers etc … are unheard voices. These are not just numbers related to turnover, but entire families who are seeing the work of an entire season shattered.”
“We ask the Italian governemnt to help us from an economic point of view to support our companies and employees.”
Pre-ordered gowns and designs were not burned.
Demita also assured his clients that those who had chosen the company to design and create their bespoke wedding attire would still receive their items as soon as their staff were allowed to return to work. These items were not part of the collection that was burned in the protest.
“We hope to be able to resume our work as soon as possible,” said Demita in the statement.
Stilista brucia sua collezione abiti da sposa per catalizzare l'attenzione sul dramma che vivono aziende italiane abbandonate dallo Stato. Non c'è tempo da perdere, servono azioni forti e immediate: azzerare burocrazia, tagliare tasse, dare liquidità a fondo perduto alle imprese pic.twitter.com/mFDcP7lUVY
— Giorgia Meloni
ن (@GiorgiaMeloni) May 1, 2020
ن (@GiorgiaMeloni) A4W News – All4Women
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