La Perla Allegedly Failed to Pay Italian Employees in August

Martino Carrera
·2 min read

MILAN — A month after resolving winding-up petitions filed by a pool of U.K.-based creditors, luxury lingerie brand La Perla has allegedly failed to pay its Italian staffers this month, according to a note issued by local trade unions.

The Filctem-Cgil and Uiltec-Uil unions said in a joint statement that the company, now owned by German businessman Lars Windhorst’s private equity firm Tennor, and based in London, did not pay wages to its Bologna, Italy-based employees this month. They unpaid workers reportedly total 350.

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“We consider this as an act of utmost seriousness which confirms the caliber of the management’s commitment to the La Perla Group,” the unions said. “In consideration of this umpteenth act of disdain from La Perla’s management team we urge [parties] to gather at a round table at the ministry [of Enterprises and Made in Italy],” they added.

Unions claim the ministry has yet to summon the parties to find a way forward for the company’s operations in Italy although the Emilia-Romagna region and the city of Bologna have both urged it to do so.

La Perla representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday.

In the U.K. the brand had been served winding-up notices in past months by Purple PR; the accountancy firm Mazars; the design agency Edge Retail, and the consultancy firm HSO Enterprise Solutions. Petitions have since been withdrawn after La Perla paid its debts, as reported last month, except for the latter, as the company still owes HSO Enterprise Solutions more than 701,129 pounds, and a winding-up petition was still pending last month.

The troubled innerwear brand has been searching for new revenue streams and has expanded into beauty and swimwear. It became one of the first brands to join Amazon Luxury Stores. The company also invested $50 million into the now-shuttered British couture house Ralph & Russo.

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