Nagisa: Look here? Hi, I’m Nagisa. I’m twentry-four years old.

Interviewer: When did you arrive in Italy and what were the circumstances of your arrival? 

N: The first time was in 2023, school trip. University, fashion University. Then I decided to work here. I live here in Italy for fashion, yes.

I: But, why Italy?

N: Because, fashion. Italy. The best.

I: Yes, me too. I agree. So, what city did you arrive in first? Florence or another city?

N: First was Florence. I visited Florence, then Rome, Milan. So first was Florence.

I: Why did you choose Florence? Why not Rome or Milan?

N: Because Milan is like Tokyo a little. I wanted to change […] about job, of course. And because I didn’t want to work in Japan and especially I didn’t want to do work sewing in a factory. And in Tokyo, it’s a bit bad [to do this type of work]. But here there are more artisans, workshops, everything made by hand. And especially Florence for leather, Italian leather. Yes, so I thought Italy is best, and Florence was the best [city].

I: How did you get the apprenticeship?

N: Apprenticeship? I have a language school […] I go to language school, I was only going to language school and I was searching for where I could do an apprenticeship. Then I found a paper looking for an apprentice at the language school, on a posting board.

I: So it’s a workshop where you work?

N: Yes, a workshop. 

I: So, this workshop is close to your language school?

N: Yes, it’s close […] the language school is in piazzale Michelangelo, and the workshop is in Santa spirito, so everything is near the center.

I: Because these interviews are to understand the experiences of people working in different parts of the fashion supply chain. People who work for fashion brands and to understand the experiences of people in large and small factories. Of people who experience abuse, exploitation; but I also want to understand the positive experiences, but I don’t know yours yet, so I want to hear from you and your story.

N: So you want to understand different things in fashion manufacturing and factories.

I: Yes, to understand the situations within different companies and factories within the fashion industry.

N: Ah, okay. I understand.

I: how long have you been working for the company (apprenticeship)? 

N: A year and a half with him, more or less. Without money (pay).  

I: And how much more time do you plan to keep working for him? 

N: This is difficult. Now I work in this workshop, then I work another job until midnight […] I have done a year and a half but I can’t continue like this […] three, four years.

I: It’s difficult?  

N: Yes. But her told me three, four years later he can pay. At most three years.

I: So, what is the other job you do at night? 

N: I work in a restaurant, a Japanese restaurant.

I: just for this time or for how long? 

N: Just to live here. So I work in the restaurant only so I can make the bags [in the workshop], to do fashion.

I: So, when you are tired of this situation where you work a lot, when you have more experience you could go to a workshop, or a bigger company to work and earn more money?

N: Yes, maybe. But I like this workshop, and also he is very good, very particular […] precise, and so it would be better or the best if this workshop paid me. Perfect.

I: Okay, so maybe there is a possibility, with more time to earn money at this workshop?

N: Or […] if I can sew well, I learned everything, or when I learn everything I can go to see a larger company. But the problem with large companies is that you can do only one [detail] […] only one part of the process.

N: So now it’s only me and him and we do everything from design until […] the very end. Everything and it’s better [like this], I like it.

I: So, I think that you said this part, but what is your role at the workshop? 

N: So still not everything, I haven’t learned everything. But I do what he instructs me to do. I cut the leather, then I color the sides and then I have to continue with three or four bags with the machine. And then I colored a lot of times and then new with the machine and also by hand. Then, at the end I must do some tying.

N: So, there are a lot of parts and also [inside the bags] …. maybe I have learned almost everything now that we talk about it. Yes, I think so. Still I haven’t done every part of the process from start to finish, but I can do almost everything.

I: So you do work in the morning, the evening or are the hours unpredictable? 

N: Yes, when I have language school, I go to the worship at 1 or 2 until 6. But sometimes there is a lot of work even in the morning, also Saturday, Sunday […] it depends.

I: and how much time do you spend at the restaurant? 

N: alle sei mezzo dalle mezzonotte.

R: I hope with the two jobs your treatment is good? Or how could it be better? 

N: Per me? Non e perfetto, certo. 

R: be honest, because this is only for [...] your bosses in these jobs won’t know what you say. 

N: non e perfetto per niente. Soldi e minimo, pero per fare ce que velevo fare io, moda, borse, cucire, quindi sii magari voglio fare tanti soldi, solo moda, con solo moda, questa e mio sogno, pero ancora sto provando. 

[...] 

R: allora, solo in la bottega, come tuo trattamento? In questo spazio di lavoro? Would you recommend it to other people? 

17:49

N: other people… this job? No, I can’t. Lui e molto gentile, bravo, persona bravo. Pero our job is diverso perche si perche tipo chiamo in la mattina, “viene ora, subito” tipo cosi. Devo essere flexible, anche sabato domenica. 

Si, mi chiede puoi venire? Anche sabato. Quindi, [...] sempre. Per questo forse non posso consillio per tutti, se piace posso fare, perche mi paice questo lavoro. Pero seconda me, se non piacano, difficile. 

R: so for you, who do you like it? Is it better, or maybe you are very story or maybe because it is something you love? So if you if you love more than most people, maybe you can deal with the situation? 

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This interview could not have been possible without Seren’s willingness to share his story or the help of our translator, Athick Ahamed. Thank you to all those who helped bring his story to light.