CONVERSATIONS BRUNELLO CUCINELLI WITH A HEART AS SOFT AS THE FINEST ITALIAN FABRICS AND A MIND SHARP FULL OF THE CLASSICS, CASHMERE CONNOISSEUR BRUNELLO CUCINELLI RELEASES HIS MOST FORMAL MEN’S SUITING COLLECTION TO DATE. BY JOSHUA GLASS Brunello Cucinelli first began in 1978 as a small, five-person operation catering to wom- en who valued high-end cashmere. How did the decision to broaden the brand’s vision to menswear come about? Was it difficult adjust- ing your design eye? The expansion of our collection into the mens- wear world was very organic. It started with knit- wear, as that was the beginning of our brand, and soon after evolved into full looks focused on high-quality with a unique neutral color palate. I had a very personal relationship with it, as I found myself wanting to wear the brand and creating pieces that would work for my lifestyle. We have evolved into many different aspects of menswear apparel since, but have kept a lot of the same val- ues we had over 35 years ago. Is cashmere still important to you today? From outerwear to shoe laces, we still incorporate cashmere into many of our pieces. The timeless quality of the elegant yarn is what I have always been attracted to—it creates an emotional con- nection with the person wearing it; [he or she] never wants to part ways. It is a noble fiber and will always represent the root of our business. Men still very much have a learning curve in the scope of fashion, and because of that, menswear is constantly changing. How has Brunello Cucinelli found its male-footing throughout the decades? In the past eight years we have experienced a con- tinuous evolution of the brand. We first entered menswear aiming to provide men with looks they could wear on weekends and out of the office. With our most recent launch of a formal suiting collection and evening wear, we can now dress that man sev- en days a week; from the office to more casual mo- ments, but always maintaining the same aesthet- ic of refined yet relaxed luxury. The beauty of our men’s collections is the consistency of high-quality craftsmanship and distinctive Italian taste. And so this season we see Brunello Cucinelli’s first-ever expanded offering of proper suiting. I listened to my customers, and I saw a general return to the idea of dressing well in menswear, which prompted me to explore this new arena. I always thought that suiting could be an interesting evolution for us, as men want to have a relaxed and elegant feel—even when wearing a suit. Now that you’re dressing him seven days a week, can you tell us a little more about who the Cucinelli man is? He is a man who appreciates quality and simplicity. One who believes in substance, not only surface values. An educated man who cares about the world around him. Someone who believes dignity and integrity are also apparent in the way he dress- es and not just in his behavior. You’ve described your company’s ethos as “a humanist enterprise,” which is perhaps not the most immediate description when one thinks of a global fashion house. Did you start off with the desire to start a fashion revolution or did you just arrive there by chance? When I was a young man, I was very touched by seeing my father come home from his factory job feeling humiliated and mistreated by his boss. It was difficult for him, but a choice he had made to try to give our family a better life. [Because of that], I always knew that anything I would do, I would focus on bringing dignity and respect to those around me. The success of Brunello Cuicinelli is the result of these values. How does this interest in humanity translate directly to the Brunello Cucinelli product? The brand is an expression of the care and atten- tion to detail that goes into the company as a whole, with the people included. When you take CONVERSATIONS IMAGES COURTESY OF BRUNELLO CUCINELLI. PHOTOGRAPHED BY A.P. KIM. STYLED BY TERRY LU. MODEL: NIKOLAI DANIELSEN AT ONE. GROOMING BY DYLAN K HANSON AT ARTISTS AT WILHELMINA USING MAC AND BUMBLE AND BUMBLE. PHOTO ASSISTANT: GABRIEL MONTAGNANI. FASHION ASSISTANT: ELLIE ROGERS. Peak lapel single breasted tuxedo, $4,860, cotton tuxedo shirt, $880, cotton bow tie, $240. 88 | ESSENTIALHOMMEMAG.COM ESSENTIAL HOMME | 89