Going upmarket

Made in Italy — these are more than just three words on a manufacturing label. They have come to represent quality. What makes "Made in Italy" so special that consumers are willing to pay a premium price?

Cologna from the University of Insubria said it is the combination of beauty, rich historical heritage and a certain form of elegance tied to a job well done by a fine Italian hand.

"But now, of course, we also have a fine Chinese hand working at it," he added.

Italians take the "Made in Italy" label seriously — so seriously that they even passed a law in 2009 saying companies can claim a "Made in Italy" tag only if products are designed, planned, processed and packaged on Italian territory. But the law did not put any restrictions on the workers who make the products. Workers did not have to be Italian, or even European.

For more than two decades, Chinese fast fashion factories in Prato have been operating, initially catering to the lower end of the Italian fashion market and providing affordable clothing to the masses across Europe. However, some Chinese factories are now breaking into the high-end market, manufacturing for reputed fashion houses such as Armani, Gucci and Prada.

Fu Fanghui, a first-generation Chinese immigrant, has made a name for himself as a producer of bags for prestigious Italian high-fashion brands. He emphasized the utmost importance of embracing a mindset that places the brand's quality above any short-term gains.

"You must prioritize quality as if it were your own life," he said. "Once you possess such a spirit, there is nothing you cannot achieve. Over time, these esteemed fashion houses have become increasingly convinced that we Chinese possess this remarkable spirit.

"It is not only our dedication to product quality that impresses them, but also our ability to seamlessly integrate their culture and concepts. This is particularly evident among the Chinese people, particularly those hailing from Zhejiang province, who readily assimilate these values with great enthusiasm."

Six out of 10 factories in Florence producing products for big Italian high-fashion brands are owned by Chinese entrepreneurs, Fu said.