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Prada’s attempt to storm Chinese market hit by feminist protesters

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Summary of story from The Guardian, May 6, 2011, and The Standard (HK), May 3, 2011

The fashion designer and one-time women’s rights campaigner, Miuccia Prada, told reporters last year that she believed feminism no longer existed. She may now be rethinking that view. Because it appears that she was very wrong.

Attempts by Prada, the fashion house founded by her grandfather and for which she is a leading designer, to court the label-hungry Asian market hit a major setback when dozens of women protested at the company’s flotation on the Hong Kong stock market, citing a dispute between the Italian brand and a senior employee who claims to have been discriminated against on grounds of appearance.

The dispute dates back to 2009, when retail manager Rina Bovrisse was dismissed by the brand. In 2010, she filed a lawsuit alleging that Prada Japan’s CEO, Davide Sesia, had sacked her after she refused his instructions to fire up to 30 members of the retail team because he considered them overweight or unattractive.

Bovrisse also claims that Sesia asked her to lose weight herself and change her hairstyle to fit in more with the brand’s image. Prada responded to Bovrisse’s claims with a vigorous denial and by filing a countersuit stating that the allegations were false. Both cases are ongoing.

Members of the Association for the Advancement of Feminism rallied outside the Tsim Sha Tsui branch of Prada, calling on the Hong Kong exchange to veto the brand’s initial public offering (IPO).

Association Chairwoman Sally Choi Wing-sze, said in a letter addressed to the Hong Kong stock exchange: “Since the Hong Kong stock exchange is vested with the power to assess the suitability of potential IPOs, it should also have the authority to prevent companies which are suspected of sex discrimination from filing.”

She has also sent a letter to Patrizio Bertelli, the Prada CEO, who is married to Miuccia Prada, but so far the brand has declined to comment.

Choi said the association is concerned over the discriminatory practices and sexual harassment standards of companies listed or to be listed in Hong Kong.

“We believe these standards must be considered as a part of company governance, [as] important as the financial policies because we think the value of individuals’ dignity should not be subsumed under the value of money,” she said.

The Association has said it will stage further protests if the exchange ignores its stance. Although its position is unlikely to damage Prada’s current run of recordbreaking sales, it is an embarrassment for the design house at a significant time.

Prada’s assault on the Asian market has intensified this year with a major catwalk show in Beijing, the first time the Milanese-based brand had shown outside Italy.

A recent report by McKinsey predicted that within four years China will become the world’s largest luxury market, worth $27bn (£16bn), and although the Italian label’s most recent collection is being snapped up there, Prada will be hoping that this brush with Chinese feminists will not tarnish its reputation.

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