MILAN — For Brunello Cucinelli, personal relationships are the foundation of any business.

He believes that being selected as the recipient of the Neiman Marcus Award for Distinguished Service in the Field of Fashion is a consequence of the years of “human contact” with the store’s buyers.

In an interview at his Milan showroom, Cucinelli attributed the recognition to his commitment to making a yearly trip to Dallas as well as his steadfast support of Neiman Marcus Group through its financial troubles.

“Neiman Marcus helped me grow my business in the U.S and in the rest of the world, it’s a beautiful collaboration spanning more than two decades — I should be giving an award to them,” quipped Cucinelli, wearing his signature white corduroy pants, white shirt and blue blazer.

Cucinelli is being recognized by Neiman Marcus for his influence on luxury fashion and his social and environmental initiatives. The award will be given on March 4 in Paris during the city’s fashion week. Additional events are planned in Dallas in April and in Los Angeles in October.

This is the first award bestowed by Neiman Marcus since 2016, when the recipient was Carolina Herrera, preceded by Karl Lagerfeld in 2013. Before them, other awardees include Coco Chanel, Grace Kelly, Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior and Estée Lauder, among others.  

It is inspired by the cultural heritage of Carrie Marcus Neiman and Stanley Marcus and by the…