First off, let’s get this straight: yes, Gucci *totally* makes stuff in China. Like, *a lot* of stuff. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. You see it yourself, even Gucci kinda admits it – they’re like, “Oh yeah, China’s one of our biggest suppliers, no biggie.” Which, okay, *technically* doesn’t mean *everything* is made there, but come on, you know how it is. Think about it: labor is cheaper there, resources are probably more readily available (shrug emoji), and well… everyone’s doing it, right?
Now, some folks get all huffy about this, like it automatically makes the product “fake” or “cheap.” And that’s where things get kinda… sticky. Just because something’s made in China doesn’t mean it’s automatically a knock-off. They *can* make good stuff there, I mean, look at Apple! It all boils down to quality control, I reckon.
And see, here’s where Gucci’s tryin’ to pull a fast one (maybe). They’re all about “bringing more manufacturing in-house,” and cutting down on the independent suppliers. They say it’s to make things faster – like, cut production time in half, which, *woah*, ambitious! But I kinda think (this is just my opinion, mind you) it’s also about keeping a tighter leash on quality and, let’s be real, maybe a little bit about image control. They don’t want people thinking all their stuff is churned out in some dodgy sweatshop, even if some of it probably is, y’know?
Plus, China is becoming a huge market for luxury goods, especially after… well, *you know*. So it makes sense that Gucci would want to, like, really establish itself there. Hence the whole Tmall thing with Alibaba. Smart move, Gucci, smart move. Gotta tap into that post-pandemic spending spree.
But here’s the thing that gets me. You can buy “Gucci wholesale clothing from China.” *Wholesale*. That sends up a red flag for me because I am thinking, “is that authentic stuff? Or is it a really good knock off?” And if it is authentic, why are they able to sell it wholesale? I guess it is because of labor cost.
