How Are Italian Brands Coping With The Impact Of COVID-19 And What Are Their Plans?

During the initial lockdown period, the Italian design industry conducted its business as usual. Office workers carried out meetings from home, and the industries produced vast amounts of materials while following the necessary SOP’s. But in a Facebook Live telecast on March 21, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced that all the non-essential business activities would be halted until April 3 to contain the spread of the coronavirus among the workers.

Effects of the halt on production

Most companies and offices are usually closed for most of April, so halting business activities would not have any effect on the production strategies and plans. Because of the same routine every year, the clients of these companies would not need their merchandise delivered to them anytime soon. Some companies have said that they will acquire their production goals in the month-long holidays of August instead.

Adoption of smart working strategies

The adoption of digital working methods such as working from home has benefited employers and the brands too. Most of the companies in Italy have a view that they are saving more money and their company is getting more benefits since their employees started working from home.

Nonetheless, companies that didn’t adopt the virtual ways of communication and did not use digital strategies have found out that working with digital channels doesn’t have an impact on their workflow—even when the companies are closed, and there is no production.

The evolution of sales

Businesses all over the world are slower than ever as they are following protocols against the coronavirus. And although the markets in Asia are opening slowly, this doesn’t mean that the situation is controlled.

Today, panic buying isn’t just limited to toilet papers and sanitation products. Some Italian customers have either bought too much stock or are holding on to their money. Still, the majority of the brands aren’t panicked and are conducting business as usual as if nothing happened.

Going forward

Brands have emphasized the need for solidarity in these times and hoped to discover a collective solution to exhibit their work in place of design week. Within the community itself, there is still a dedication to optimism, even with the dire conditions.

The industry has also gone through a significant crisis in 2008, yet it was able to endure and survive. Clearly, the Italian design industry is founded on solid roots. People in this industry are hard workers, so it isn’t impossible for them to make it through this crisis.