During an interview in Milan to comment on his company’s solid results, Brunello Cucinelli reminded everyone that he was speaking on behalf of a house “firmly positioned at the exclusive level.”

“Too often, desirability has replaced exclusivity. An iPhone may be desirable, but it is not exclusive,” he explained.

French groups, however, see things differently: “Why bother with exclusivity when you can sell tote bags with giant logos to everyone?”

While Cucinelli has repeated for years that there are no shortcuts to true quality, some French champions have invented the concept of fast-luxury: XXL margins, XXL outsourcing… and sometimes S-sized quality.

“Young people are wary of companies reporting excessive profits,” added Cucinelli. On the French side, the motto is closer to: “If they don’t see our astronomical profits, how will they know we’re luxurious?”

After years of absurd prices and explosive growth, Cucinelli speaks of a moment of balance. Across the border, the preference is more for the thrill of quarterly price hikes: “That bag used to cost €3,000? Excellent. Let’s relaunch it at €6,500 it will feel even rarer!”

Finally, Cucinelli was pleased to announce that a new factory had been completed ahead of schedule, guaranteeing “operational serenity until 2035.” Meanwhile, certain French groups are busy inaugurating… a new spaceship-shaped headquarters, where serenity is mostly measured by the number of private jets available for Fashion Week.