HOW THE LAUDED KING OF CASHMERE BUILT AN EMPIRE WITH A HUMANISTIC APPROACH TO LUXURY

BY RHIANNA JONES

Few industries epitomize capitalism more than fashion, with its meteoric trend cycles, barrage of #buyitnow culture, and eternal championing of the latest thing. As one of the world’s most lucrative businesses, the $2.5 trillion industry puts profits over people by default. Luxury houses usually sit pretty at the top of this machine, but Brunello Cucinelli’s vision dreamed of a new capitalism, one that magnifies the human being.

Contrary to his Italian aristocratic counterparts, Cucinelli grew up in the Italian countryside, born to a farmer family with modest means. His pastoral upbringing, marked by working with the land and animals, instilled in him a great respect for the earth that has inspired his entire entrepreneurial career. At 25 years old, Cucinelli had a vision to dye cashmere beyond the standard industry shades in a small atelier and slowly built his nickname as the King of Cashmere, earned for his impeccable luxury knits. While his top-tier materials and unparalleled craftsmanship embody elegance, his commitment to sustainability and society is equally interwoven in the brand ethos.

The opening site of Cucinelli’s website reads, “Beauty is a symbol of the morally good,” a quote by enlightenment philosopher Immanuel Kant, and sets the tone for the designer’s widely published principle of “humanistic capitalism and human sustainability.” While the fashion industry is generally rife with incredibly wasteful environmental practices and harmful labor conditions, Cucinelli’s mission is to “balance profit and giving back, and assert that all human beings be granted moral and economic dignity.” As such, his goal is for not only the wearers of his divinely supple knits to enjoy the fruits of artisanal labor, but for the workers to reap the benefits too. He holds his artisans in the highest regard, as penned in his gratitude to his workers during the pandemic, “Through our hard work performed in respect for the planet, we show our love for our community every day.”

Upholding the Italian heritage for manual work and craftsmanship, his artisans inspire his renewed creativity, from the immaculately tailored wool driving jackets and famous cashmere knits to hand-crafted leather goods. His hometown pride extends beyond his atelier, though, and he strives to serve as a leading voice in making Italy a more conscious and compassionate place. He made this intention global by speaking to the G20 Summit about the theme of “People. Planet. Prosperity.” Here he openly spoke of his company’s choice to build not in the fashion capitals of Milan, Florence, or Rome, but in the 14th century medieval village Solomeo. He called this initiative “Project for Beauty” to breath new life into old factories, and reclaim abandoned parkland to plant vineyards, orchards, and trees. Human enlightenment is another passion of his, supported by his vision to build a “universal library” to promote education and expansion for future generations. According to Cucinelli, the great theme of life is “the balance between profit and giving back.” In the Amazoni cation age of never-fast-enough fashion and assembly line aesthetics, his success is a uniquely refreshing reminder to slow down, appreciate the simple pleasures, and seek a life of quality over quantity.

Brunello Cucinelli
brunellocucinelli.com