Brunello Cucinelli was an early adopter of sustainable practices: From sourcing to production to the company’s environmentally-friendly headquarters in Solomeo, his lifestyle and work ethic have been consistently humanistic. “A fair, healthy, gracious growth” is his mantra—and the company’s balance sheets have been healthy and gracious for quite some time. No surprise, then, that he comes well prepared to the sustainability conversation: “There’s no profit without ethics. Now they’re all bragging about this concept,” he said. It’s nothing new to him.
Cucinelli’s style follows the same principles of fitting into the modern world while respecting (and sustaining) a sense of natural ease, an appreciation for natural high-quality materials and for the human touch of craft. The Fall collection was proof of the attitude of subtle yet confident evolution that drives Cucinelli’s m.o.—as well as it apparently drives conspicuous sales. The classic soft-tailored, formal-informal blazers were kept nipped-waisted and round-shouldered, but were updated just so, slightly longer than usual and paired with loose-fit trousers. The piumini were given a soft finish and cut straight and comfortable in multiple materials, while urban wardrobe staples like carcoats and peacoats were cut with a slightly easier fit for updated comfort.
Cucinelli’s style is made for longevity. “I still wear my beloved cashmere coat from a 1998 collection and another one from 2002”, he said. “Today it’s all about the art of keeping and protecting what we cherish. It’s about repairing, mending and recovering, of reusing what’s old, giving new life to the existing.” At Solomeo there’s a department, established from the beginning, where clients can send their old, well worn Cucinelli coats, shoes and knits to be washed or mended or resuscitated from fashion oblivion. “In our company we do not like disposable,” he said. “Waste does not agree with us.”
