Brunello Cucinelli's great dream is to spread belief in humanistic capitalism, which makes the value of the human person paramount, conferring the same moral and economic dignity.

The famous fashion entrepreneur, nicknamed the "King of Cashmere" is one of the most recognized personalities in the world of "Made in Italy."

"The great dream of my life has always been to work for the moral and economic dignity of human beings."

The Beginning of His Dream

Born on September 3, 1953, in Castel Rigone (Perugia), Italy, Brunello Cucinelli, after graduating as a surveyor, enrolled in engineering school but decided to interrupt his studies at the beginning of the course. His dream was different, and he began to realize it in 1978 at just 25 years old.

He decided to found a small company specializing in dyeing cashmere. His desire, in fact, was to develop and expand the dream of a capitalism that valued human beings, and this is a fundamental element of Brunello Cucinelli's personality, which largely determines the success of his business.

As a child, he watched his father work in a difficult environment, and this experience led Brunello to develop the dream of a sustainable concept and impose his activity following a principle: "Moral and Economic Dignity of the Human Being."

Image credit: Brunello Cucinelli

"I still have in my senses the smell, the sounds, and the lights of the peasant life in which I was born. We were a family of thirteen people, living in the countryside in Castel Rigone on a rustic farm surrounded by fields, orchards, and woods. This life was like a small world because it contained within it the germ of all the fundamental things of existence."

Brunello moved to Solomeo (Umbria region) in the early eighties, where he treated it like a blank canvas, within which he could bring to life the first and perhaps one of the most successful examples of the business citadel.

In 1985, he bought the ruined 14th-century castle in the village and made it the heart of his corporate vision. The village became a true laboratory in which Brunello Cucinelli's idea of humanistic capitalism gradually took shape and became the headquarters of his company.

"I believe in a form of contemporary humanistic capitalism where the right profit is achieved by trying to harm creation and humanity as little as possible. I like to think of inclusive sustainability of material and spiritual values, in a concrete place where the environment, economy, culture, technology, spirit, and morality coexist, complementing the concept of Human Sustainability."

Years later, this philosophy even captivated the imagination of major Silicon Valley CEOs and other large corporations, such as Amazon (owned by Jeff Bezos).

The Success of the Brand

Due to its commercial success, the Brunello Cucinelli brand enjoys significant momentum in putting its entrepreneurial vision into practice. Thanks to an increasingly globalized market, its products reach a diverse audience, sparking interest from a growing public.

In 2010, the Brunello and Federica Cucinelli Foundation was founded with the intention of spreading and realizing the ideals that fueled the humanistic aspiration of Solomeo.

Programs born within the organization aim to support all initiatives that improve knowledge, protection of the territory and monuments, the values of tradition, spiritual values, and daily human values.

The values of his peasant family origin are found in this new appreciation of the land, reaffirming its crucial role for humans and a more sustainable conception of the economy.

Awards and Achievements

As proof of the merit of his entrepreneurial concept, Cucinelli was named Knight of Labor by the President of the Republic Giorgio Napolitano in 2010.

Internationally, there are many awards that are significant attestations of esteem, including the Global Economy Prize, awarded by the German government.

Additionally, Brunello Cucinelli was awarded an honorary degree in Philosophy and Ethics from the University of Perugia, also in 2010.

With excellent quality products made in Italy, the name Cucinelli began to go beyond national borders. The company started producing clothing and accessories for the most popular luxury brands on the international scene.

In 2012, the entrepreneur took his business to the Milan Stock Exchange, hoping to spread his belief in humanistic capitalism.

In 2013, Brunello Cucinelli founded the Solomeo School of Arts and Crafts after financing the construction of the Arts Forum, a cultural center that includes a theater, meditative spaces, and the Neohumanistic Academy.

Image credit: Brunello Cucinelli

In 2014, Cucinelli presented the Beauty Project, which allowed the construction of three large parks in the valley at the foot of the village of Solomeo:

The Agricultural Park, The Lay Oratory Park, and The Industrial Park. These green areas, with trees, orchards, and meadows, reclaim part of the land once occupied by old disused factories.

"I love the light mysticism that permeates this my Umbria, that mysticism that belonged to Assisi himself (referring to Saint Francis of Assisi), a lover of beauty and simplicity. I am proud to be Umbrian, proud of my passion for philosophy and restoration and for everything that helps restore beauty and dignity to things buried by human neglect under the dust of time."

Image Credit: Brunello Cucinelli 

When in 2016 an earthquake in central Italy destroyed the monastery of the Church of Norcia, Brunello offered to finance its reconstruction.

He sold 6% of his shares to donate $100 million to charity in 2018. In the same year, the University of Messina awarded Brunello a PhD in Philosophy Honoris Causa.

Forbes ranked Cucinelli in 2018 in 33rd place among the richest men in Italy, estimating his assets at 1.5 billion euros.

Brunello Cucinelli's Private Life

Married to Federica Benda since 1982, a woman he fell in love with when young and destined to be known as the love of his life, they have two daughters, Camila Cucinelli and Carolina Cucinelli.

An avid reader and strongly passionate about Classical philosophy, Brunello reads every day to keep his mind alive and draw inspiration from the great pasts.

To allow his employees to develop their own inclinations and focus on continued education, an accessible library can be found on the company's premises.

Cucinelli makes his passion for books very clear in his biography:

"Every wise man loved books: Emperor Hadrian considered libraries the barns of the soul; Pliny the Elder thought that in libraries spoke the immortal souls of ancestors; Medicine of the Soul was written at the entrance of King Osimandia's library in Egypt."

Brunello believes in the strength of the family and thinks it is important that it stands behind the business, hoping his company will survive for a hundred, two hundred years. Family value is very strong for him, as it conveys love for the future.

By jbanaggia