Brunello Cucinelli: a philosopher in the world of fashion
Brunello Cucinelli is an extremely interesting figure of Italian fashion: designer, philosopher and philanthropist who created a business worth $ 1 billion.
What I like the most about writing a blog is the opportunity to gain new knowledge about luxury brands, unique places or amazing items. I have known the Brunello Cucinelli brand for some time, but it was only while writing this text for you that I learned a lot of interesting things about the founder.
Brunello Cucinelli: philosopher, philanthropist and designer
Cucinelli is one of those figures in the fashion world with a very interesting history. Born in 1953 in Castel Rigone near Perugia in Umbria, he grew up without electricity and running water. Initially, he associated his future with engineering, but at the age of 24 he left formal education and took up independent study of philosophy – he read a lot and thought even more. His readings at that time included the writings of Kant, Rousseau and Marcus Aurelius. Anyway, when you visit his website, you will immediately come across a quote from Kant: “Beauty is the symbol of the morally good”. It’s quite surprising that a fashion brand is quoting a philosopher, isn’t it?
In one of the interviews, Cucinelli told how he came up with the idea that became the beginning of his fashion career. One day in 1977, while sitting in a bar, he saw Benetton’s brightly coloured cotton sweaters and thought, “Why not cashmere?” He borrowed 20 kilos of cashmere from a friend and promised to pay when he sells the first batch of sweaters. A year later, he founded his own company. When he introduced it to the stock exchange in 2012, his fortune was estimated at over $ 1 billion.
Love for people and philosophy stayed in Cucinelli for good. He has been known for his charitable activities – in 2018 he sold a 6% stake in his company in order to donate $ 100 million to godly causes. It is worth knowing that 20% of the profit from the overall sales of Brunello Cucinelli is donated to various institutions, thanks to which many works of art in his native Umbria have been restored.
High-end luxury fashion
44 years later, Cucinelli is still working with cashmere – every year he personally travels to Mongolia to buy it directly from producers. Of course, the company’s range is much wider. The company’s offer includes clothing, shoes and accessories for men, women and children, as well as home furnishings, travel accessories, candles and home fragrances.
Importantly, although Brunello Cucinelli is a luxury brand, its owner remembers its philosophical roots and believes in “capitalism with a human face”; he willingly shares the money he earns with others. His company is founded on values – respect for his own and someone else’s hard work, ethical behaviour in business and the search for beauty in all its manifestations.
