MILAN – Kering said Saturday it’s making an undisclosed donation to Italy’s Emilia Romagna region, which has been hit by widespread flooding that caused no less than 14 deaths and left hundreds of individuals homeless.

Kering follows within the footsteps of automotive giant Ferrari, headquartered in Maranello, also within the region, which donated 1 million euros to the regional civil protection agency.

Kering said it’s making the donation on behalf of its maisons, which include Gucci, Saint Laurent, Pomellato and Brioni, amongst others. In a press release the luxurious conglomerate expressed its closeness to people hit by the floods. The group counts over 13,000 employees in Italy.

Occurring 11 years after the Emilia Romagna region was struck by back-to-back earthquakes in 2012, last week’s exceptional rainfall is believed to have equaled half the annual average, resulting in the deadly flooding.

In consequence, a whole lot of roads and bridges became unusable, with some towns cut off completely, and no less than 36,000 people were left homeless.

Emergency staff, including local volunteers, are clearing streets of mud and although rainfall over the weekend just isn’t expected to top levels of the past few days, the region stays in emergency mode.

The Italian government, which has earmarked 30 million euros in response to the event, is predicted to declare a state of emergency within the region next week.

Emilia Romagna plays a central role in Italy’s fashion and sweetness supply chain, because it’s scattered with manufacturing hubs across different product categories.

For instance, the Modena area, which was only partially hit by flooding, is home to a renowned knitwear hub and the hometown of latest fashion brand Liu Jo. Over within the San Mauro Pascoli area, a storied footwear district, brands including Sergio Rossi, Giuseppe Zanotti and Zasadei have established their headquarters, while Parma is home to Italian beauty company Davines Group. The Max Mara Fashion Group is headquartered in Reggio Emilia.

Alberta Ferretti and Moschino parent company Aeffe can be based within the region, outside Rimini, one of the crucial famous seaside destinations on the coasts of Emilia Romagna. The town was also hit by the exceptional rainfall with the railroad service currently interrupted.

Alberta Ferretti is planning to carry her resort 2024 show in Rimini next Friday to pay tribute to legendary director Federico Fellini and the Italian region, where the designer was born. The show, to be staged on the Fellini museum at Castel Sismondo in the town’s historic center, was confirmed at press time.

Fellow citizen Massimo Giorgetti, founder and inventive director of MSGM, took to social media Friday to precise his sorrow for the deadly event, posting an image of a house submerged by water and dirt.

“That is my land, it’s coping with water and dirt. There’s uncles, cousins and friends, that’s why what’s happening is especially hurtful,” he wrote. “Ever more ceaselessly and violently hundreds of thousands of individuals from all around the world face the implications of the climate crisis some are turning a blind side on,” he continued, urging his followers, over 220,000, to donate and help with the response.

In his Instagram Stories he also shared along with his audience an existing fundraiser to assist a neighborhood tailor – among the many MSGM suppliers – rebuild his atelier.