MILAN — Exclusivity and “sound and gracious growth” remain key to Brunello Cucinelli’s narrative.

During an interview with WWD to comment on his namesake company’s gains in sales and profits in the first half of 2025, Cucinelli reiterated that he was speaking in the context of a brand that is firmly positioned at the exclusive level. “Too often has desirability replaced exclusivity. An iPhone may be highly desirable but it is not exclusive,” he explained.

Cucinelli has repeatedly said over the years that there are no shortcuts to achieving the highest quality possible, emphasizing the importance of Italian craftsmanship and aiming to support the pipeline, necessary to reach this level of exclusivity. Aligned with this concept, Cucinelli believes his company’s profitability is not misaligned with that of the supply chain, “dignifying manual work,” hence the growth he describes as “gracious. People now, especially the younger generations, are wary of those companies reporting profits that are too high,” he contended.

“After years of excessive prices and explosive growth at some companies, this is a moment of rebalance,” he claimed.

In the six months ended June 30, his company’s net profit climbed 16 percent to 76.7 million euros and operating profit rose 8.8 percent to 113.8 million euros.

In the first half, revenues rose 10.2 percent to 684.1 million euros, compared with 620.6 million euros in the same period last year.

“The fall–winter sales season has begun very well, as has the order intake for the men’s and women’s spring 2026 collections, which leads us to confirm our guidance of a 10 percent sales growth for both 2025 and 2026,” Cucinelli said.

He proudly added that the 2024-2026 plan to double the Solomeo factory and to build a new menswear manufacturing site in Penne, in Italy’s central Abruzzo region, was completed one year in advance. This will “allow us to ensure operational serenity and solidity until 2035,” said Cucinelli. The Penne site will be inaugurated in early September, and Solomeo in November.

As of June 30, total company investments amounted to 63.5 million euros, compared with 44.8 million euros in the same period in 2024. In 2026, investments will again represent around 7 percent of sales compared to 10.5 percent as per the manufacturing projects, Cucinelli observed.

In the first half, at constant exchange rates, sales in Europe grew 10 percent to 243.2 million euros while the Americas grew 8.7 percent to 245.2 million euros. Asia was up 12.5 percent to 195.6 million euros.

Asked about the performance in the different geographic markets, Cucinelli said he sees “a very, very interesting future in China, but we have no intention to push the brand, which has to remain exclusive.”

Chief executive officer Luca Lisandroni concurred. “We have chosen not to accelerate in China despite the offer of new spaces that we had never seen before.”

As for the U.S., Cucinelli was not worried about President Trump’s tariffs, which, he said, had been “on hold for 30 years, so a rebalancing was inevitable.”

Lisandroni said that after the first wave of tariffs came into effect,  “we saw no impact on sales or the willingness to buy in July and August with the new prices.”

The retail channel, which represents 63.7 percent of the total, rose 10.3 percent at constant exchange rate to 435.8 million euros, while wholesale was up 10.1 percent to 248.3 million euros.

As of June 30, there were 130 boutiques, compared to 126 at the end of June last year, with key expansions and relocations that took place over the past 12 months, such as those in Sloane Street in London and in Vienna.

Lisandroni said that four stores will be opened in the second half, “in the very important IFC mall” in Shanghai’s Pudong district; at Galaxy Macau; at Carmel-by-the-Sea, Calif., and in Abu Dhabi, which is “very important for the future. The Middle East is boosted by local and tourist spending.”

Close to the end of the year, there will also be two key expansions and relocations in Paris on Rue St. Honoré and in Geneva.

Cucinelli will receive the British Fashion Council’s Outstanding Achievement Award at The Fashion Awards 2025, which will be held on Dec. 1 at the Royal Albert Hall in London and that will coincide with a total takeover of Harrods, said Lisandroni.

In October, the executive is expected to travel with Cucinelli to Korea and Japan to meet consumers, events that “generate confidence and a deep connection with the brand. We should never underestimate the importance of saying thank you,” said Lisandroni.

He added that “after the exceptional results in Japan last year, boosted by the arrival of Chinese shoppers given the favorable exchange rate, the country is returning to being lifted by domestic spending.”

Europe is “very solid, boosted by both domestic and tourist spending,” he noted.

As of June 30, net debt stood at 197.2 million euros compared to 102.3 million euros at the end of June last year, in light of the investments made and the payment of dividends for a total of 68.8 million euros during 2025.

As reported, the documentary film “Brunello” will premiere on Dec. 4 in Cinecittà, and Cucinelli said it will inaugurate a new theater in the storied movie district.  The film was directed by Academy Award winner Giuseppe Tornatore, with music by Academy Award winner Nicola Piovani.