Brunello Cucinelli had every reason to be in an upbeat mood at the preview of his Spring collection today. Dapper and cheerful, he disclosed that in the first semester of 2014 the company (public, after an IPO in 2012) had posted revenues of a healthy 12 percent over last year. It's been a long journey from the small Umbrian town of Solomeo to the airy showroom in the center of Milan where he showed clothes that tapped into the current activewear trend, resulting in a collection with a sporty, fluid, and relaxed feel.
Cucinelli is known for innovative techniques, and they were on display in pieces like a gray mink cropped jacket, laser-cut in diamond patterns using a method that ensures the heat of the laser doesn't burn the fur, instead making it fluffier and softer. The jacket was smartly paired with roomy off-white cashmere track pants, a loose silk tee, and silvery sneakers for a cool, easy look.
Decoration was exotic. Ostrich feathers were waxed and knitted into mesh macramé; python appeared in tender, dusty shades of antique pink on bombers with rounded, engineered sleeves; raffia and lasered silks formed corrugated, fragmented layers and fringes. A section of romantic evening dresses and separates in tulle and organza injected some light, feminine flair into the sporty theme.
