It was since February 2020 that Giorgio Armani, one of the symbols of the Milanese fashion weeks, had not paraded live, with buyers, press and international guests seated and serene. Monday will happen again, with the usual double parade, necessary to accommodate everyone, even more so wanting to keep the right distance. A double fashion show in the historic Armani headquarters in via Borgonuovo which will close the Milan men’s fashion edition that began yesterday and which marks the return to the events in attendance, albeit in still limited numbers: fashion shows (five in total), but above all physical set-ups in the showroom (over 40). There are still many brands that choose the digital formula (tomorrow the Prada streaming event stands out), but the era of the new normal has begun. Waiting for arrivals from the United States and Asia for Milan women’s fashion in September, there are buyers, press and European guests at this round and the city finds part of the related activities linked to fashion weeks.
According to Brunello Cucinelli, however, the most beautiful surprise is to be able to talk to people again and show the collections (in this case the spring-summer 2022) without the mediation of technology: the entrepreneur will do it today in Milan, welcoming everyone in the showroom a stone’s throw from the Arena, which overlooks a courtyard with one of the most spectacular wisteria in the city, fascinating even now that it is no longer in bloom. It will then move to Florence for Pitti Uomo (June 30-July 2) and will be the only men’s fashion brand in both cities in this round. «The last physical edition of Pitti was that of January 2020, in June of last year and January 2021 we all used only the digital platform – he underlines -. Technology has given us a great hand during the pandemic, but even more so now that we can, we must go back to looking each other in the eye ». Brunello Cucinelli, a company listed in Milan, closed the first quarter with revenues of € 164.6 million, up by 5.1% on the same period of 2020 and by 2.6% on the first quarter of 2019. go back to pre Covid levels. Indeed, they have improved.
Loading…
«The recovery for us and for many high-end brands had already begun in the second half of 2020 and is now confirmed – explains Cucinelli -. For the full year we expect an increase in revenues between 15 and 20% and a profitability in line with previous years, while for 2022 and 2023 we expect a healthy + 10%. With these numbers we have only revised the 2019-2028 ten-year plan, conceived in the pre-Covid era, and we maintain the goal of doubling turnover “. In seven years, revenues could therefore exceed one billion, but Cucinelli is not obsessed with growth, neither by seemingly symbolic figures nor by the goal of becoming a billion euro (O dollar) company.
«The pandemic has brought immense suffering, but it has also given us extraordinary opportunities: to rediscover ourselves and the value of what we do with and for others. It is valid for private life and for work », adds Cucinelli, who since March 2020 chose to help all the people who work in the group in Italy and abroad, giving up short-term profitability to think about medium and long-term ones. “Preserving economic security and guaranteeing the health of all employees in the months of great fear was a duty but also an investment – he explains -. We were able to work together, even remotely, finding new creative energies, with greater confidence in ourselves and in teamwork. Perhaps this is why the women’s and men’s collections presented at the beginning of the year, and even more so, are among the best I can remember. It wouldn’t be for me to say, but there’s a time to show some healthy pride. ‘ Pride and satisfaction supported by the numbers: Cucinelli and many other brands present in Milan in recent days have been launching sales campaigns for the spring-summer 2022 collections for weeks and the results are very good.
“It is not true that we have become accustomed to dressing informally or, worse, unkempt. We were forced not to go out and to change habits – concludes Brunello Cucinelli -. But now more than ever there is a desire to choose carefully what to wear to go out and perhaps more than ever we want to use clothes and accessories to communicate something about ourselves to others. A rediscovered serenity and hope for the future ».