PRESS RELEASE

MADE IN ITALY: ANTITRUST, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE SPECIAL MARKET PROTECTION UNIT OF THE GUARDIA DI FINANZA (ITALIAN TAX POLICE), ORDERS THE CLOSURE OF TWO WEBSITES THAT SELL COUNTERFEIT GUCCI AND PRADA MERCHANDISE

The website owners will have to 'block themselves out' within two days. In case of failure to comply, the Fiamme Gialle (Italian Tax Police) will intervene to block any viewing of the websites. Measures taken to protect consumers who believe they         are purchasing genuine products. After the opening notice of the proceedings on unfair commercial practices, a similar website that was selling counterfeit Hogan merchandise is no longer accessible.

Two days to suspend the activities of the www.guccioutlet-italy.org and www.pradaborselinea.com websites, which sell counterfeit merchandise under big 'Made in Italy' names: this is the deadline specified by the Antitrust, presided over by Giovanni Pitruzzella, for the two distinct Chinese operators who own these two domains. If they can still be accessed from Italian territory two days from now, the Antitrust Group of the Special Market Protection Unit of the Guardia di Finanza (Italian Tax Police) will block the websites.

In a meeting on January 23^rd, the Authority approved two precautionary measures against Mr. Yu Weixiong (for www.guccioutlet-italy.org) and Mr. Shen Xiu (for www.pradaborselinea.co), ordering the owners of these domain names to cease any and all dissemination of the contents of their websites, which can be accessed via connection requests originating on Italian territory.

The Authority's intervention is necessary to protect the many consumers who make purchases on these websites in the belief that they are choosing original products of these two famous brands at outlet prices. According to a report from the ADOC consumer group, many consumers are being deceived because the visitors' perceptions that these websites are run by official retailers of the advertised products is corroborated by the structure of these sites, with the names, images and photos that are used giving credibility to the offers of 50-70% discounts off the official prices. In essence, these websites use designs and graphics to pose as clones of the original sites.

The sites also fail to supply any information on the product warranty, which obviously is not in effect since the goods are counterfeits, or on the rights of withdrawal or change of mind, for which there is no information whatsoever, just as there is no information about the professionals or the exact contact information for submitting complaints.

In regard to counterfeit goods being sold on-line, the offices have also received reports from INDICAM, a brand-protection association which furnished the Authority with the complaints by the Gucci, Prada and Hogan brand owners who, in response to buyers' complaints, took action independently to study these websites closely to determine whether genuine products were involved.

In relation to the website that was selling counterfeit Hogan merchandise, the Authority acknowledged that Mr. Zhon Shan decided independently to block access to the site from Italian territory after the Antitrust offices initiated proceedings for unfair commercial practices.

Rome, 24^th January 2013