INTERVIEW: ‘KING OF CASHMERE’ BRUNELLO CUCINELLI OPENS A STORE IN DUBAI. HE TALKS ABOUT LIGHTWEIGHT FABRICS FOR THE GULF, THE MEANING OF ELEGANCE AND LIVING BY THE TEACHINGS OF MARCUS AURELIUS
Prince William wears his brand. So does James Bond — or rather, Daniel Craig. Speaking to Brunello Cucinelli on the ethics and dignity behind his business
True to the tenets of St Benedict, an Italian billionaire is translating the motto “Ora et Labora et Lege” — pray, work and learn — into action in the mountainous Umbria region north of Rome by making cashmere sweaters and other luxury sportswear in a very special way. Brunello Cucinelli’s sporty chic clothes are artistic indulgences produced in an enlightened work environment where the Benedictine motto forms the core values used in production.
St Benedict is one of his greater teachers, but the philosophy behind Cucinelli’s business also draws inspiration from classics in ethics by influential thinkers ranging from Socrates and Plato to Seneca, Dante and Kant.
“King of Cashmere” Cucinelli likes to engage in philosophical discussions, but his real passion is shown for his workers in Solomeo, a medieval hilltop village about 90 miles from Norcia, the ancestral home of St Benedict. There, a castle with walls of honey-coloured stone has been converted into a large, modern Cucinelli factory that serves as one of his production hubs.
He is able to make a profit using ethics, dignity and morals, paying his employees a higher wage than the market and infusing pleasure in the process of making clothes. Workers are offered education and cultural events that feed their soul with beauty. His employees are welcome at a Cucinelli theatre and library nearby, where art, spirituality and culture mingle.
More than any other figure among contemporary Italian entrepreneurs, he embodies the Renaissance humanist ideal combined with Benedictine rigour and Senecan stoicism.
The son of a farmer, Cucinelli grew up in abject poverty. His life is a real rags-to-riches story, and in person he is gentle, soft-spoken and thoughtful.
He has boutiques around the world, and now also in Dubai (at Mall of the Emirates). The latest collection, refined and innovative, “fully embodies the DNA of our brand,” he says. Meet the man behind the brand. Mr Cucinelli, how do you adapt the use of cashmere to the emirates where the temperatures are different from most western countries? We use lightweight fabrics and lightweight cashmeres as well. How do you view the recent opening of the new boutique in Dubai? It is a stunning boutique. With suavity, it represents our brand in your splendid land. Do you design special collections for the Gulf? Seasonal collections are all alike, everywhere you go in the world. We simply select garments that are suitable to your people in their fit, style, cut and fabric. What is your definition of elegance? Elegance is innate: it does not depend on economic status. Many people have a natural flair for style. The combination of colours and fit is very important. Your childhood was fraught with poverty and hardship. Your father was exploited in the workplace. Each human being needs to be treated with dignity. I haven’t done anything extraordinary — just looking for a profit that would bring ethics with it. We like to produce clothes that try to do no harm to humanity. Both Prince William of Britain and Bond actor Daniel Craig wear Cucinelli. We are glad when internationally recognised public figures wear our garments, it is as if Italian creativity were exported even more all over the world. We’re honoured that Prince William wore Cucinelli when posing for his engagement photos. What’s the secret of your success? To be credible, you must always be authentic under changeable circumstances.
I envision a sort of contemporary capitalism that is capable of answering the great human dilemma of how to balance profit and solidarity. I am trying to make the great dream of my life come true, creating more work for people, and giving my employees moral and economic dignity. You are supporting the restoration of the Benedictine monastery adjacent to a 13th-century basilica reduced to rubble by earthquakes. Our beloved Norcia is the city of the soul: it
I try to live as if it were the very last day of my life, but I plan as though I will live for eternity. I was taught this by another great teacher of mine, Emperor Marcus Aurelius.
embodies the motherland of Benedictine culture with layers of history that date back to the Roman Empire. It is a place where you can literally feel your ability to breathe beauty, simplicity, tolerance, besides the important quality of eating and living well (Norcia is known around the world for its black truffles). Our great Latin authors have already written extensively. Is there a thinker of today who stimulates you? I like to look attentively at contemporary thought from different cultural perspectives. Many public figures are a constant subject of my admiration: above all, Pope Francis and Ahmed al-Tayyeb, the current Grand Imam of al-Azhar, who expressed the necessity to focus on the concepts of human dignity, democracy and human rights. Is there a book on Islamic culture that is particularly meaningful to you? I am mesmerised by the work of Ibn Khaldun, a medieval Islamic philosopher who pioneered the scientific understanding of history. His Universal History is a masterpiece. Is there a Western poet that you hold in high regard because it represents your personal way of being human? Dante is the one poet who has affected me the most during my lifetime. It was when he was searching for supreme happiness that he really found God. Future projects? I try to live as if it were the very last day of my life, but I plan as though I will live for eternity. I was taught this by another great teacher of mine, Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Mariella co-founded news agency Luminosity Italia. She writes for Italian as well as international dailies