Pomellato's 2026 Campaign Tackles Invisible Scars of Economic Abuse

Highlighting Financial Control as a Form of Gender-Based Violence

Pomellato has launched its ninth annual International Women’s Day (IWD) campaign, titled ‘The Price of Freedom,’ this year focusing on the pervasive and often invisible issue of economic abuse. The Kering-owned brand’s campaign features a powerful video starring a diverse group of international figures who lend their voices to confront financial control as a significant form of gender-based violence. This form of abuse, while leaving no physical marks, can profoundly strip women of their choice, dignity, and autonomy.

‘Economic violence is invisible, but its impact is devastating,’ stated Sabina Belli, CEO of Pomellato. ‘When a woman loses her economic freedom, she loses the power to choose her own life. Financial independence is dignity. It is the foundation of true freedom.’ The campaign emphasizes that financial independence is not merely about money, but a fundamental human right that benefits everyone when achieved.

Understanding and Identifying Economic Abuse

The campaign aims to shed light on economic abuse, defined as a systematic pattern of behavior that restricts a woman’s ability to acquire, use, and maintain economic resources. This control can often begin subtly, disguised as care or protection, but can escalate into confinement that undermines self-determination.

Research commissioned by Pomellato and conducted by the SDA Bocconi School of Management in Milan, based on a study involving 2,500 respondents in Italy, highlights three primary ways economic violence manifests:

• Restriction: Limiting or monitoring access to finances, bank accounts, and financial decisions.
• Sabotage: Undermining opportunities for education, work, or personal development to prevent independence.
• Exploitation: Using a woman’s resources, income, or labor to maintain an unequal balance of power.

Pomellato notes that these dynamics are rarely isolated incidents but often sustained patterns that normalize dependence and make it increasingly difficult for women to leave abusive situations. The campaign stresses that these behaviors are often minimized or misunderstood, and it advocates for recognizing and naming them.

A Collective Call to Action

‘The Price of Freedom’ video serves as a call to action, encouraging global awareness and conversation around economic abuse. The campaign advocates for financial autonomy as both a social responsibility and a fundamental right, urging people to speak up, listen, and observe behaviors that are often overlooked.

‘Addressing economic abuse is not a war between genders, but a necessary path toward shared prosperity, dignity, and a more equal society for everyone,’ Pomellato stated. The campaign features an international ensemble of notable figures, including:

• Jane Fonda – Academy Award-winning actress and activist
• Kerry Washington – Actress, producer, director, author, and activist
• Michelle Monaghan – Actress
• Benedetta Porcaroli – Italian actress
• Isabella Ferrari – Italian actress and ambassador for Save the Children
• Amelia Gray – Model and mental health advocate
• Sara Nuru – German model, entrepreneur, and social advocate
• Angélique Gérard – French tech leader and author
• Mayu Ishikawa – Captain of Japan’s women’s national volleyball team
• Paco León – Spanish actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
• Andy Díaz – Cuban-born Italian triple jump champion
• Sabina Belli – CEO of Pomellato

These voices unite to dismantle the silence surrounding economic abuse, emphasizing that financial independence is key to dignity and the freedom to choose one’s own life. As Washington noted, financial autonomy is about more than money; it’s about dignity. Gérard defined it as the power to act according to one's will, and Monaghan highlighted its ultimate goal: the right to begin again.

Commitment Beyond the Campaign

Pomellato’s commitment extends beyond its awareness campaign. The brand has renewed its support for CADMI (Casa di Accoglienza delle Donne Maltrattate), Milan’s first anti-violence center for women. Additionally, Pomellato continues its partnership with the Kering Foundation’s Los Angeles-based organization, FreeFrom, which focuses on providing long-term financial security for survivors of domestic violence.