The Truth Behind Employment For Philipp Plein

Dear Nik,

During my time working for Philipp Plein, I experienced what I can only describe as an extremely toxic and deeply unhealthy working environment.

When I was based in the Milan office, it was normal for staff to be expected to work until 2 or 3am, often waiting for Mr. Plein to return from dinner before collection reviews could even begin. Long hours and constant availability were treated as the norm, with very little respect for employees’ personal time, wellbeing, or boundaries.

The company culture also created constant instability and anxiety amongst staff. Employees were frequently fired and rehired, often suddenly and unpredictably, which placed the wider team under enormous stress and created a climate of fear and insecurity.

Later, when I was transferred to Lugano, I found myself in a very serious and distressing situation regarding my visa and work authorization. My understanding at the time was that the company had properly managed and arranged the necessary documentation for me to work legally in Switzerland. However, it later became apparent that this had not been handled correctly, and I discovered that I had been working without the proper authorization, entirely without my knowledge.

As a result, I was temporarily suspended from work and required to attend the police station regarding my employment status in Switzerland. It was an extremely frightening and destabilising experience, particularly as I had relied on the company’s assurances that everything had been arranged correctly. I later returned to work and continued my employment with the company.

I also personally knew another employee, whose identity I wish to keep anonymous, who relocated to the United States under the impression that his work authorization had been properly arranged. According to what he later shared, he was detained at the border, arrested, deported, and issued a 10-year travel ban after authorities determined he did not have the correct visa documentation. He had already left behind his previous life and career opportunities in order to pursue this role.

The culture within the company was, in my experience, deeply appearance-focused and degrading, particularly towards women. Diet culture was constant. Girls were always expected to be dieting, and people frequently commented on what others were eating at lunch or on their bodies and appearance in general.

Senior leadership also regularly made inappropriate comments about women’s bodies in a way that felt normalised within the environment. I personally experienced comments suggesting I should get breast augmentation surgery “to be more proportioned.” Conversations about women’s bodies, breasts and buttocks were commonplace and openly discussed in a professional setting, creating an atmosphere that felt uncomfortable, objectifying and humiliating.

Employees were regularly subjected to degrading comments about their appearance. I witnessed people being called “fat,” and I recall one young woman being publicly told to “go take a shower” because colleagues claimed she smelled bad. The overall atmosphere was cruel, hostile and psychologically exhausting.

There was also, in my experience, a deeply blurred line between professional and personal conduct within the company culture. Cosmetic procedures and enhancements were openly normalized and encouraged. I witnessed what were described as Botox parties taking place inside the Milan showroom kitchen, and cosmetic treatments such as breast augmentation were at times discussed as incentives or “bonuses.”

Additionally, during frequent travel between Italy and Switzerland, company vehicles were repeatedly stopped and searched at the border for extended periods of time. Staff were often left waiting for hours while customs officers inspected the cars. I cannot personally speak to the legal specifics of these situations, only that it became a recurring and stressful experience for employees traveling with the company.

Overall, my experience was one of fear, exhaustion, instability and emotional toxicity. Looking back, many things that were normalized within that environment now seem deeply inappropriate and concerning.

I also want to add further context regarding the culture and working conditions I experienced during my time there.

Work trips, particularly to places such as Cannes and Monaco during the festival periods, were often presented externally as glamorous opportunities, but internally many employees referred to them as a “golden prison” because staff were effectively expected to remain constantly available for work and social obligations with very little rest or personal freedom.

There was also, in my experience, significant pressure placed on employees to stay out late at clubs, dinners and nightlife events as part of the working culture, regardless of exhaustion or personal comfort. The boundaries between professional obligations and private life were extremely blurred.

I also experienced inappropriate and degrading interactions in social settings linked to the company. On one occasion, during a show dinner, an older man who was introduced as a friend of Mr. Plein approached me and asked me whether I was “a hooker.” I found the comment deeply humiliating and reflective of the broader environment surrounding the company and its social circles.

In my experience, there was very little real meritocracy within the organization. Professional advancement often appeared linked more to wealth, image, personal proximity and social status than to competence or hard work. Certain individuals were placed into positions of responsibility despite limited experience, while other employees worked extremely hard for little recognition or progression.

I also witnessed what appeared to be discriminatory treatment towards non-Swiss workers in relation to salaries and working conditions in Switzerland. Many foreign employees felt they were being paid significantly below fair Swiss market standards despite carrying out demanding roles and working excessive hours. This created a strong sense of inequality and exploitation within the teams.