Because people from Wenzhou living in Europe are a tight-knit group and are willing to share information with each other, it was not long before word spread that Prato had launched new preferential policies to encourage more people to move there. Thus began their new journey.

"This is a very good opportunity for 'Wenzhou-nese', because many of them had gained experience in clothing manufacturing in Wenzhou, a city renowned for its expertise in this field," Zhang said.

"Upon arriving in Prato, they discovered that the local industry was similar to what they had been doing in their hometown or what their relatives were engaged in in places like France."

Wenzhou people were instrumental in the transformation of Prato from a textile-focused industry to a center of fast fashion, Zhang said.

"The Wenzhou model is famous for its specialization in the production of small-scale products for a large market. The people who made the community had a tendency to come together and form industry clusters based on shared interests and expertise," he said.

Drawing from their experience in China, he said, they brought their collective knowledge and skills to Prato. With their extensive background in shoes and clothing, they knew how to effectively transition from traditional textile manufacturing into pronto moda, he added.