Fan said: Old money is top-notchAt a time when the old money style and quiet luxury style are prevalent, if you want to ask the most representative brand, what will you think of?
LP and Colombo, known for their luxurious fabrics, or The Row, the favorite of the fashionable elite, but there's another name that must be mentioned: Brunello Cucinelli.
Fan friends who pay attention to dressing and pursue quality know that Brunello Cucinelli and LP and Colombo are known as the Italian cashmere triumvirate.
A cashmere sweater is often 2W, suits and coats are doubled, and there is no conspicuous logo, so it is destined to be exclusive to rich celebrities and elites.
is like Bezos, whose old house is on fire and burning more and more, and the whole person is rejuvenated and transformed, and he can't do without the blessing of BC's clothes. From cashmere suits to T-shirts and vests, he has bought a lot
I also love to go to BC on a date with Sanchez, and I can't wait to go to the wardrobe twice a month, which is really a rich man's wardrobe.
Xiao Lizi is often worn whether he shoots magazines or usually, and he can see the publication type ironing without a logo, and the material is exquisite, and he is very chic and uninhibited.
Brunello Cucinelli is also a weapon to create a noble son's style, and Dou Sen picked up a burgundy velvet suit at the BC dinner a few days ago, and also collided with Zhou Shouzi.
Xiao Zha is the ancient wild spokesperson of BC, and hundreds of gray T's in the wardrobe over the years are all customized from his family.
In the past two years, with the change of people's consumption concepts, the low-key luxury BC is completely out of the circle, and rich people all over the world love to go to his house to buy and buy, and the performance has taken off like a rocket, and the growth of the Chinese market in Asia is particularly rapid.
At the end of last year, BC salesIt crossed the €1 billion mark for the first time, also performed strongly, with 27% over the last 30 days. That's pretty impressive for a family business that's only been around for 40 years and has been running independently.
Behind this impressive achievement, the brand's founder, Mr. Brunello Cucinelli, is the man behind the scenes. Recently, he also appeared on the cover of the February issue of "Wall Street ** Chinese Edition", talking a lot about his life story and dressing philosophy, and let people see a different side of this brand.
It is also unexpected to say that BC, which can now be called the top of the old money style and the dressing template of the upper class, is actually a "poor boy" born in rural Italy. Mr. Cucinelli, who just celebrated his 70th birthday at the show last year, has become a billionaire in just a few decades, achieving a complete counterattack in life.
So what is Brunello Cucinelli so good at, and what did he rely on to become a legend in the industry from obscurity? I'm going to take a look at it today
The entrepreneurial vision is steady and accurate
Get the old money password
Brunello Cucinelli can be said to be a typical example of playing bad cards well, with outstanding business vision and a sensitive talent for fabrics, the road to entrepreneurship has been steady and ruthless.
The growth conditions are difficult, and choosing the right track will get twice the result with half the effort
Born into an ordinary family in Italy, Brunello Cucinelli had a very difficult early life. There is no water and electricity in his hometown, so he studied surveying in vocational high school and went to the engineering college of the university for further study, but he dropped out of school not long after, and he is really far from Lao Qian.
Brunello Cucinelli as a teenager
Later, he began to study the production of dyed cashmere in a workshop, because his dyeing skills were mature, his wife Federica also ran a small clothing store, and the city had a relatively developed manufacturing industry, Cucinelli came up with the idea of entering the textile industry.
So at the age of 25, he founded his eponymous clothing brand Brunello Cucinelli for $550, which attracted a large number of consumers with its brightly colored cashmere sweaters, especially in German-speaking regions. Gradually, his company's fame became bigger and bigger, and he was also named "the first person in dyeing cashmere technology", and soon accumulated the first pot of gold.
The reason why he chose to make cashmere sweaters is also after careful consideration, because he believes that cashmere is the noblest fiber and one of the materials that can best reflect the dressing style of the wealthy class.
His unique vision and aesthetic flair for cashmere have also helped him in his career, and although he didn't go to art school or paint, he says he has a precise eye: "After I have touched the fabric and tried it on, I can explain exactly what I want." Cucinelli's office is filled with hundreds of cashmere raw materials and a variety of rich colors, which give him a steady stream of inspiration.
His family's requirements for fabrics are generally high, and Cucinelli mentioned that he has traveled to Mongolia and Inner Mongolia to personally shear and select sheep wool. In May this year, BC and Chanel also acquired Italian cashmere manufacturer Cariaggi 24With a 5% stake, the cashmere used is a high-quality luxury fabric.
Aesthetic**
The strength of the interpretation of Italian elegance and casual
Cucinelli not only has business acumen, but also has great taste, so it can be said that he is a hidden boss.
I love to wear a suit and walk **icon
The founder's favorite thing is all kinds of double-breasted suits. He is especially fond of dark blue, and once said: "For us Italians, a dark suit is dark blue, it always makes people look handsome and slim." Regardless of hair color and skin tone, a blue suit will look good on everyone. Of course, the fit is also important.
This dark blue striped double-breasted suit is classic and elegant and not boring, with a dark gray tie, which is very gentlemanly.
Light-colored suits are also a must-have for men, Cucinelli wore a set of light gray for this magazine shoot, and he also covered his face with his hands during the shooting, joking that when a man wears a suit to cover his face, he can't tell whether he is 30 years old, 50 years old or 70 years old
The gun lapel highlights the aura, and the cut is slightly loose and not tight, and the overall elegance is leisurely.
The white color that old money loves, Cucinelli is also often on the body, and the stiff corduroy woolen fabric is more informal for daily wear, with both a sense of luxury and affinity.
In addition to the way to wear the whole suit, he also likes to wear it with white pants. For example, this set of khaki suits, striped shirts and white corduroy trousers is very layered, and this look was also selected for the GQ men's best dress list in 2019.
This way of wearing has become his personal signature, and the ** illustration drawn by artist Rodrigo Saldana for Cucinelli is double-breasted + white pants, which feels like it has captured the essence.
Cucinelli's suits have a distinct personal style, and he once expressed his desire to combine suits with everyday comfort, so there is a double-breasted but no tie, and the shirt collar is casually open, which is very Italian-style relaxed and chic.
The shoe matching is also often unexpected, with a calm, solemn double-breasted suit, mixed with yellow suede boots or sports-style small white shoes, there is immediately a formal mix casual contrast.
Single-button suits are also Cucinelli's favorite, and this relaxed style suits him even more, with an effortless tone. For example, the hem of this white corduroy single west is slightly open, and then paired with a red striped shirt and gray tie, the layered details are in place, exquisite and relaxed.
Cucinelli believes that quality is more important than quantity: "Every suit represents a stage in a man's life, so I personally prefer less to be better." He also likes the red blazer, which is often worn with different light-colored pants, which is more flexible than wearing the same color on the top and bottom.
The winter coat look is also remarkable, layered over the suit, and the collar is deliberately erected to pull the wind effect.
This Cucinelli outfit for walking the dog, with a camel coat paired with a light gray knit, a white shirt and jeans, and sunglasses that no one loves, is a casual fashion guide for walking.
Pay attention to accessories, sophisticated and sophisticated
In addition to wearing a suit, Cucinelli also pays special attention to the matching of accessories. "For men, you don't need a lot of clothes, but you need a scarf and a watch," he said, and he believes that the difference in details is the best way to highlight his personality. For example, different scarves are used to decorate the chest pockets, and this blue checked suit is paired with a red polka dot square scarf, which is playful and very different.
He has all kinds of red, polka dots, and checked pocket towels, and he also noticed the details of about 1cm in the exposed pocket.
In terms of watches, they are basically classic and timeless dress models. For example, this Vacheron Constantin Heritage Moon Phase Retrograde Date watch, which he wore on the cover of magazines, has a unique dial layout that is particularly simple and durable.
He also likes the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master series, and the classic three-pin model has the feel of an old-school gentleman.
Cucinelli also wore a rose gold Jaeger-LeCoultre Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin Masters, a surefire choice for complications.
Occasionally, I also wear a square watch, but this one is a visual Jaeger-LeCoultre flip with a red strap that is chic and vintage.
In addition to the visible and tangible things such as scarves and watches, Cucinelli is also meticulous about personal care. He said that he has used "Azzaro Uomo's perfume for more than 40 years, and it is the closest to my personality". The skincare is also quite sophisticated and stylish, and I will use La Prairie's shower gel and caviar cream.
But when it comes to shaving, Cucinelli goes back to the old tradition: "I shave every day with an old hand razor. This is my father's, I like it very much", the man's "face project" is not sloppy at all
The royal family and nobles all over the world like it, and they can't stop buying it
Not only is I a ** idol, BC's design style also accurately grasps the old money's dressing code, compared with other similar brands, his family is more young and modern on the basis of simple and classic, with soft colors, rich and diverse choices, and at the same time, it will not be dull and boring. Big Ben and JLO both love to wear it very much, soft materials, high-end colors, look at the rich and free.
Under Mr. Cucinelli's leadership, BC's ** and ** have developed very well, such as his family's most distinctive Monili elements, which are often used in **ready-to-wear. The craftsmanship of this element is so elaborate that the metal is cut into different facets and then hand-applied to each piece to create a shimmering effect, and the material is hypoallergenic and perfectly fit.
When you see this shiny cashmere with beads, you know that it is from BC, and you don't need any logo logo.
JLO and Adele are all worn, and they can be held on daily life and on grand occasions such as the red carpet and stage.
* It is the favorite of the top rich, and you can't stop buying it as soon as you enter the pit.
In addition to the aforementioned celebrities, Marc Benioff, the founder of Salesforce with a net worth of tens of billions of dollars, is also one of BC's loyal fans. At the Dreamforce conference held by his company, he proudly pointed to his Brunello Cucinelli vicuña hair suit, not to mention how much he liked it.
Kevin Systrom, the founder of Instagram, once publicly showed his love for BC's sweaters on Wall Street, "I love Brunello Cucinelli's sweaters, you can spend a lot of money on this brand".
Cook used the BC top as a "battle robe" at the press conference, and the subtle splicing design invisibly showed the style.
Zhou Shouzi layered knitwear of the same color, and the "Kochi masculine style" came to his face
Real old money, like the European royal family, is also very fond of Brunello Cucinelli. In the official group photo released by the British royal family, William and Kate appeared in his cashmere sweaters.
Princess Charlene, who has countless expensive big names, is also a loyal fan, not only does she often wear BC suits and dresses to participate in activities
will also pull her daughter to wear it together, and the pink coat of the little princess Gabriella is also from BC, and the fabric looks very textured.
Mr. Cucinelli, who knows how to run a business, also organizes VIP community events, where various top rich and famous people gather to exchange dressing tips.
In 2019, Brunello Cucinelli invited the Silicon Valley fan group to his headquarters in Italy to participate in his "Mind and Economy Seminar", which was attended by Bezos and former Twitter CEO Dick Costolo. Not only did he take a group of tech tycoons to eat pasta and walk in the forest, but he also taught them various fashion scriptures, took them to local BC boutiques to try on clothes, and gave "tailor-made" suggestions according to each person's situation. It is said that Bezos had an in-depth exchange with him for two hours, and since then the door to a new world of dressing has been opened
There is ambition and temperature
The family is warm and happy
In addition to being a successful entrepreneur, Cucinelli has multiple identities, a rich spiritual world and a variety of everyday styles. He likes to study art and philosophy, and is deeply fascinated by China's Confucius culture, and even built a dream fairy tale town, becoming the city owner himself, a proper "slash youth".
Adhere to the people-oriented and build a utopian town
Cucinelli said in the interview that because he was born in a peasant family, he has witnessed the difficulties and hardships of the people around him in his work since he was a child, and the treatment that his father and brother suffered from not being respected by their superiors in the factory are deeply buried in his heart.
Because of these not-so-good pasts, he decided to manage the company in a different way, putting people first everywhere, hoping that the company would be like a warm family, where everyone could work and live happily. With this dream in mind, he single-handedly built the utopian town of Solomeo.
This historic medieval-style town is located on the outskirts of the central Italian city of Perugia and is also the hometown of his wife.
In 1985, Cucinelli and his wife settled in a villa in the town, and then bought an abandoned castle as the company's headquarters, expanding the ideal home, and at the same time paying attention to social responsibility, because he believes in "living in harmony without harming all things in the world", insisting on not causing damage to people, animals and nature in all aspects of production.
Today, there are more than 600 people in the village of Solomeo, most of whom are employees of Cucinelli. BC's haute couture workshops and production factories are also located here, and the working environment is made like a garden, with floor-to-ceiling windows with clean and bright greenery and fountains everywhere, and the restaurant is almost free for employees, with lunch for only 3 euros, many of which are grown in the town itself.
In addition, Cucinelli has opened schools, factories, wine gardens, and more than 1,000 industrial and commercial shops in Solomeo, which is like a self-sufficient paradise where people live carefree, stable and happy.
There are also a variety of buildings full of classical characteristics in the town, all of which reflect Cucinelli's humanistic feelings and aesthetic taste. For example, this semicircular cloister of marble, which is inscribed with the words "Praise of Human Dignity", and the five arches represent the five continents of the world, and the proportions and construction requirements are strictly restored to the ancient buildings.
Cucinelli was an avid wine drinker, and built 15 vineyards in Solomeo, one of which is decorated with a statue of Dionysus, the god of wine.
You can also see stone plaques engraved with famous sayings of ancient philosophers, including Socrates and Confucius. Since dropping out of engineering school as a young man, he has been studying for books on philosophy, and has given Thomas Wall's "Utopia" and Confucius's "Analects" to company employees.
Cucinelli, who pays attention to humanistic care, also has many ambitions and ideas for the development of the company, and he has also considered changing the name of the brand to "Casa Maison", "Casa di Moda Fashion House" and other names, which are intended to compete with big fashion houses such as Hermès and Chanel. BC has even launched jewelry collections before, and now with the performance of the surge, there will be more new moves in the future
The family has love and manages the business together
Cucinelli also has a happy family life, and he says that most of the six members of the family currently play important roles in the family business: "Family has always been a very important concept for us, and we want to reflect it in the process of running the business. ”
His wife, Federica, is currently in charge of the family association, she married Cucinelli when she was 25 years old, and the two have been together for more than 40 years, still in love, giving birth to a pair of daughters, Camilla and Carolina, and the family is enviable.
Cucinelli himself is BC's president and creative director, and his daughter and son-in-law help him with his business.
His youngest daughter, Carolina, is the associate creative director and assists him with creative design matters, while her husband is in charge of the ** part. The eldest daughter Camilla is in charge of the design, and the eldest son-in-law is the co-CEO.
On his 70th birthday last year, his daughter also prepared a celebration ceremony for him, and the huge cake was filled with 70 candles, which felt warm and touching across the screen.
Although he is very loving, according to Cucinelli himself, he does not plan to let the family take over the company directly, but chooses the most capable person among the executives to be the CEO, but he will divide his equity equally among his two daughters, and he is also very thoughtful about his family and career.
Mr. Cucinelli, who endured hardships when he was young and gave back to the public with love when he grew up, adhered to his own values and succeeded step by step. Do you like this kind of BC with a story and temperature? Welcome to discuss in the comment area
*From the Internet, some from Visual China.