(Finance) – Patrizio BertelliCEO of Prada, asked for theintervention of the policy for small and medium-sized fashion companies Italians who are affected by the crisis in Ukraine and the resulting sanctions on Russia. “We don’t have to see brands like Prada and other major brands, but SMEs that have no contractual capacity and are starting to have problems,” she said at an event in Florence. According to Bertelli “politics must intervene as for Covid. The State must adopt the same procedures as for Covid and must do it immediately without waiting, not for the big brands but for the SMEs that are the axis of the fashion system “.
The geopolitical crisis “will not be a problem of Prada, but of the companies that work for the entire fashion system”, says Bertelli, explaining that on the Russian market “Prada makes only 2% of its sales, and has guaranteed its collaborators on site three months’ salary “. “It will be the problem of small and medium-sized enterprises in Europe – he adds – including those that work for France. This problem will get worse in the coming months: there are signs that they are not positive, the situation will be worrying from September onwards “.
In this situation “there will be brands that will suffer less, as they have the ability to be distributed on various continents”, and moreover “Russia is closed, but the Russians are all in Dubai to spend“said the number one of the Italian luxury group listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange.
When asked “Are you for sale?”, Bertelli replied: “No for what reason?“, adding that there is a whole generation of young people ready to work in the company. According to the entrepreneur, the reasons for the sale of a company” usually concern the new generations who do not want to do that job, want to do another one and do not want carry on what was left to them “.”The problem is to pass the baton in an intelligent way. When my son feels ready to face this complexity, within 2-3 years, there will be this change. “
Bertelli also spent a few words on Zegna, with whose patron he claimed to have an excellent relationship. “When Zegna made the quotation in New York I intervened with a very small share on a personal basis “, he revealed.