Brunello Cucinelli’s Post

From 23 to 25 May this year, Brunello Cucinelli hosted the second edition of the "Universal Symposium on Soul and Economics in Solomeo", in continuity with the first edition held in May 2019, also in the Umbrian hamlet. The symposium involved a large group of leading international experts in Artificial Intelligence and other fields such as humanism, art, science, and nature and was attended by, among others, Nicholas Thompson (CEO of The Atlantic) who gave invaluable help in organising the Symposium, Laurene Powell Jobs (American philanthropist, founder and president of Emerson Collective), James Manyika (SVP Google Technology and Society), Fei-Fei Li (scientist heading Stanford's Human-Centred Artificial Intelligence Institute), Refik Anadol (world-famous artist), Michael Evans (president of Alibaba), Arvind Krishna (CEO of IBM), Uzodinma Iweala (prominent African writer), Kevin Scott (CTO of Microsoft), Pieter Van der Does (CEO of Adyen), Jacqueline Novogratz (prominent American philanthropist, CEO of Acumen). The guests also included Reid Hoffman, US entrepreneur and investor who on 24 May was awarded an honorary PhD in Human Sciences from the University of Perugia. The three days of the Symposium, which focused once again on deeply exploring the relationship between ethics and Artificial Intelligence, have thus made Solomeo and Perugia the centres of an enlightened system of thought on the positive future that awaits us. This is Brunello Cucinelli's comment: 'The three-day "Second Universal Symposium on Soul and Economics in Solomeo" was a memorable experience. Our beloved hamlet hosted some of the top international experts in AI and other fields such as humanism, art, science and nature, such as Laurene Powell Jobs, who we welcomed as a kind of godmother of the Symposium, and many other esteemed friends including Nicholas Thompson, Reid Hoffman, James Manyika, Fei-Fei Li, Refik Anadol, Michael Evans, Arvind Krishna, Uzodinma Iweala, Kevin Scott, Pieter van der Does and Jacqueline Novogratz. I believe that these days will be remembered forever by all attendees as an experience fostering their human and spiritual growth; and I hope that this Symposium will enlighten those who will read the Charter summarising its contributions. As often reiterated, technological innovation is a blessing from Creation, and if we know how to combine it with humanistic values, I think it will help us to increase the fruitfulness of the expressions of human creative genius.'

In the city that symbolises Italian art and craftsmanship throughout the world, the new Venice Boutique was inaugurated on 14 May with an event attended by numerous guests and friends of the brand. The store is located in the historic Palazzo della Borsa e della Camera di Commercio, on Calle Larga XXII Marzo, one of the most important streets in the city, directly leading to the unique panorama of St Mark's Square and just a few steps away from La Fenice Theatre. The exterior of the building preserves its refined combination of majesty and elegance, with monumental facades richly decorated, while the interior celebrates the Liberty style with frescoes and stuccoes. The materials used in the renovation of the rooms reflect the constant search for simplicity and symmetry, with the aim of creating an effective dialogue between past and present, an extension of the concept of contemporary elegance that inspires the Brunello Cucinelli collections.

Yesterday, in the splendid setting of the Eternal City, Brunello Cucinelli and EssilorLuxottica presented the new designs born from a fruitful and positive collaboration in the pursuit of high and exclusive creativity. The first Brunello Cucinelli Eyewear Collection is the outcome of the ten-year licence agreement signed in 2022, aimed at fostering the culture of beauty as a meeting ground between taste and the highest Italian craftsmanship. The creative teams of Solomeo and Agordo have carried out significant work that strengthens the gracious and fruitful understanding between the two companies, born from the esteem and affinity that bound Brunello Cucinelli and Leonardo Del Vecchio; an amiable and kind friendship, prompting a great and careful research and development work, carried out in complete harmony. Brunello Cucinelli, thanking Francesco Milleri and the entire EssilorLuxottica team, commented as follows: 'Leonardo del Vecchio once confided to me: "Dear Brunello, I don't know if our eyewear is beautiful, although I certainly like it, but rest assured that it is made in the best way in the world"! Yesterday, at the presentation of our new Eyewear Collection, whilst admiring the outcome of such formidable work and harmony with EssilorLuxottica, I was reminded of those words. Leonardo knew how to pass on his enthusiasm to his co-workers, like the highly esteemed friend Francesco Milleri; with his special humanity, Francesco knows how to forge a relationship of mutual respect and amiability between our teams. Plato once said: "Beauty is the splendour of truth", and this is why I hope that the eyewear born from such a heartfelt collaboration will be appreciated for the values of truth and beauty that inspired them; and it fascinates me to think that these values are yet another interpretation of the universal concept of "Gentle Luxury, a symbol of beauty within measure", which pertains to an elegance within boundaries that expresses its conscious and respectful genuineness'. #BrunelloCucinelli #BrunelloCucinelliEyewear

A universal letter to women “For a long time I have wanted to write a letter to women, and I remember that this desire arose on the day my first granddaughter was born. That's when I realised that women have something that we men lack, as we are so entangled in an often vain logic. I write this letter to you, feeling slightly bashful and aware of your very special gift: you women live in deep harmony with nature, and that sublime thing that is love shines in you like the brightest star. I think that it is important and necessary for you to begin to enter history no longer as individuals, but all together, thanks to an intelligence that – besides logics and intuition – is rich in the intelligence of the heart. This is something charming that you share with poets, it is that genius that men can usually only experience in dreams, whereas poets and you women can access it more easily and turn it to creativity. Nature has filled you with gifts, and they are golden gifts that allow you to enter history as you deserve.” Extract from the last thought written by Brunello Cucinelli: “A universal letter to women”. Read the full text: https://lnkd.in/dB3aiK_Q

Starting this spring, the Solomeo Talent Academy is a course designed to train passionate people who are eager to cultivate their professional knowledge and personal qualities. The project is born from the core values of the Brunello Cucinelli company, which is always looking to create new opportunities for future talents yearning for growth. During the course, participants will have the opportunity to learn about different areas of interest: from visual displays to product knowledge and customer relations, while immersing themselves in the history and values of the brand in the idyllic setting of the hamlet of Solomeo in Umbria. We invite you to delve into the details of our programme by clicking on the following link. Should it resonate with you, we encourage you to apply and potentially join our journey: https://lnkd.in/dUdwMuZd

A magical allegory comes to life in Solomeo. Suspended between dream and reality, the video "A Wondrous Tale", created for this special time of year, tells a "story in miniature" set in a Solomeo wrapped in the purity of the festive atmosphere. The visionary imagination of the artist and filmmaker Virgilio Villoresi gives life to a small but great adventure of timeless friendship. The dreamlike setting, a characteristic feature of Virgilio's work, is recreated with handmade materials, and animated using the stop-motion technique. Each frame is the result of a meticulous process and represents a point of contact with the philosophy of craftsmanship that has always inspired the brand's identity. “What are fables? They come from the experience of ancient peoples, they are rooted in the East, and from there they went to Greece with the tradition of the aoidoi; then they reached Rome and spread throughout Europe. As it happens, Aesop, the greatest writer of fables, came from Asia Minor. If philosophy is the tool that improves life through the intellect, fables speak to the soul because they represent all human feelings, destinies and hopes. A few examples: The Sun and the Wind by Aesop, or Love and Psyche by Apuleius; more recently, there have been poetic storytellers such as James Barrie, who invented the dreamy fable of Peter Pan, or Oscar Wilde, who taught us love for the needy with The Happy Prince. Let us read fables: they are the good part of our folly, the useful wisdom of mankind, and the finest form of life. Special thanks to our friend Virgilio Villoresi for bringing to life a new "mini" fable set in Solomeo”, commented Brunello Cucinelli.

On 7th December in Puyuan, in the Zhejiang province, Brunello Cucinelli received the prestigious 2023 “Designer of the Year” award from the renowned men's fashion magazine GQ China. Brunello Cucinelli was presented with the award by famous Chinese model He Cong and Roger Lynch, Global Chief Executive Officer of Condé Nast, for "standing out as a trendsetter in fashion and lifestyle". After receiving the prestigious Neiman Marcus Fashion Award in Paris in March, Brunello Cucinelli has now gained another very important recognition for the values of high craftsmanship and the dignity of manual labour, in the name of Italian genius and the values of Humanistic Capitalism and Human Sustainability. Brunello Cucinelli commented as follows: ‘I am deeply honoured by the “Men of the Year 2023” award presented to me by the prestigious men's fashion magazine GQ China in the fascinating setting of Puyuan and it is with delight that I thank the entire GQ team, starting from Roger Lynch, Will Welch, Gill Zhou to Rocco Liu. The past two years have been very special for the life of our Casa di Moda, years brightened by moving events – such as the invitation to speak at the G20 summit in Rome – as well as by prestigious awards, such as the one presented in London by British GQ and the “Neiman Marcus Fashion Award” received in Paris. I dedicate this accolade to all the youth of mankind, and to them I say: act as sentinels of Creation, do not turn your backs on poverty, seek harmony between profit and giving back, balance your time between soul, mind and body, and smile at life! When your soul is heavy, when something fails you, when someone humiliates you, go out into the open, raise your eyes to the sky and you will find serenity again’.

Yesterday, in Penne, Brunello Cucinelli officially presented an important project developed by the Solomeo-based Casa di Moda, whose aim is the establishment of a new, "beautiful factory" to manufacture men's suits. The new plant will see the light of day in spring 2025 and will employ between 300 and 350 highly qualified artisan workers. In the presence of the Mayor Gilberto Petrucci and the President of the Abruzzo Region, Marco Marsilio, the Umbrian company thus formalised a commitment that had been discussed for some time in Penne, a town in Abruzzo whose reputation as a district of excellence in men's tailoring is recognised throughout the world. The project, in line with the ideals that have always inspired the Solomeo-based company, has the ambition of promoting this district through a long-term business vision in terms of both employment and the environment. Brunello Cucinelli commented as follows: "Penne is a special place, where the tradition of the finest Italian craftsmanship is best expressed in the production and manufacture of men's suits; this is why we would like to contribute to a bright future for this fine heritage, combining the excellent craftsmanship skills from Abruzzo and Umbria. We would like the new enterprise to always bestow economic and moral dignity on noble manual labour, and to become a symbolic place where we can train the youth to be entrusted with our future. We will strive to provide all the right conditions so that our craftsmen of today and tomorrow can renew the most fascinating Italian sartorial creativity, so greatly admired throughout the world".

On October 17, Saks Fifth Avenue in New York unveiled a special window display to celebrate 25 years of collaboration between the Brunello Cucinelli brand and the historic luxury department store. The ‘Solomeo Express’ train cars created a highly effective backdrop through the windows overlooking the iconic street in the heart of Manhattan. The train scenography represents the ideal link between Solomeo and New York, symbolizing the friendship and shared values that underpin the long partnership. Brunello Cucinelli, who attended the event along with Saks CEO Marc Metrick and Chief Merchandising Officer Tracy Margolies, commented: “To celebrate the delightful collaboration that has bound us to Saks, our highly esteemed American partner, for twenty-five years, we wanted to create an ‘imaginary train’ connecting New York – a city full of charm, always soaring towards the future – to our beloved Solomeo. Besides the wonder for the scenic, engaging and realistic effect conveyed by the windows overlooking Fifth Avenue, I see this representation as a symbol of the deep sharing of values and the great friendship that binds us to them. Heartfelt thanks to all the guests who honoured us with their presence in a friendly, celebratory evening. And thanks to our dearest friends Richard Baker, Marc Metrick, Tracy Margolies and all the people at Saks who make this collaboration so special.”