What: Brunello Cucinelli calls on multi-brand retailers to maintain a consistent identity across physical stores and e-commerce, highlighting their vital role in luxury fashion.

Why it is important: Cucinelli’s remarks reflect a broader industry push for multi-brand retailers to differentiate through both digital and physical experiences, as highlighted in recent market analyses.

Brunello Cucinelli, speaking at the NE(x)T Retail conference, praised multi-brand retailers for their enduring influence and inspirational role in luxury fashion, noting that 40% of his brand’s sales still come from the wholesale channel. He emphasized the unique cultural and architectural value of these retailers, describing them as guardians of brand identity and sources of creative inspiration for single-brand stores. However, Cucinelli also expressed concern about the risk of losing this identity online, urging multi-brand retailers to ensure their e-commerce platforms reflect the same prestige and individuality as their physical boutiques. He acknowledged the importance of digital turnover but questioned its profitability and warned against sacrificing the distinctive character that defines the best physical stores. Cucinelli’s call for greater consistency across channels highlights the need for retailers to leverage their deep customer knowledge and heritage, ensuring that their digital presence is as compelling and authentic as their in-store experience.

IADS Notes: The renewed focus on multi-brand retailers in luxury fashion is mirrored by a broader industry transformation documented throughout 2025. In September 2025, BoF highlighted how independent boutiques and curated department stores are thriving by emphasizing curation, service, and community engagement, even as large-scale players face instability and reduced wholesale exposure. This shift is reinforced by the continued relevance of department stores as tastemakers, particularly when they champion emerging brands and foster innovation, as noted by Monocle in May 2025. The importance of brand identity consistency across physical and digital channels is underscored by the evolving omnichannel strategies of luxury brands, which now blend cultural engagement, experiential retail, and unwavering values to build loyalty and resilience, as seen in ESG Dive in October 2025. Meanwhile, the wholesale channel remains a vital sales driver for luxury brands, with strategic partnerships and ecosystem approaches—such as those pursued by Saks Global and Authentic, reported by Forbes and Inside Retail in May 2025—reshaping the balance of power in the sector. The challenges of e-commerce profitability are evident in the restructuring of players like LuisaViaRoma (WWD, August 2025) and the rise of alternative models like Italist (Forbes, January 2025), which prioritize transparency and customer trust. Finally, the relationship between brands and retailers is evolving into a collaborative feedback loop, with both sides co-creating product relevance and customer experience through loyalty programs, community-building, and authentic engagement, as discussed in Fashion Network in May 2025 and Inside Retail in September 2025.

Brunello Cuccinelli’s lessons for Italian luxury Multibrands retailers