Brunello Cucinelli

A New Podcast: Me & Brunello Cucinelli

Over eight years ago, I was visiting Italy — Perugia, Umbria to be precise — for a journalism conference. Michael Williams, a menswear blogger and a good friend, saw one of my photos on Instagram and pinged me about Brunello Cucinelli, the founder of the luxury cashmere empire. Michael and I had a discussion about the design thinking behind Cuccinelli, the brand, and its stores. Williams wondered if I wanted to meet Brunello. Long story short — I ended up in Brunello’s offices and spent time in Solomeo. The visit was a red-letter day, for I instantly clicked with Brunello. 

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Me In Media
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My conversation with the King of Cashmere

Brunello Cucinelli wants you to learn the art of doing nothing. He’ll tell you this idea goes back to the Latin word otium and the Romans, who used to lay around and stare, and then he’ll probably quote a few ancient philosophers.

Why? “If individuals rest properly,” he says, they’ll be more productive. Beyond that, they’ll be more soulful. Cucinelli, who is known for his luxury cashmere sweaters, is part businessman, part philosopher and part monk. Though his eponymously named fashion house had more than 355 million euros in revenues in 2014, he focuses on the individual and Italian craftsman traditions. The King of Cashmere rushes for no one, and he doesn’t check his text messages before 6 PM. He would rather be known as “citizen cashmere.”

At his company, “You start at 8 AM, and at 5:30 PM you are forbidden to work any further. No emails can be

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Musings
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10 Productivity Tips From the King of Cashmere, Brunello Cucinelli

Dubbed the “king of cashmere” by The New Yorker, Brunello Cucinelli is the founder of the eponymously named fashion house that is well-known for making luxury cashmere sweaters and over $450 million a year in revenues. But he runs a different kind of business, slowing down to spend time on Italian craftsman traditions while still growing tremendously. Cucinelli has figured out how to overcome the constant need to check overloaded email inboxes, work around the clock and be a slave to the machine. His business-place practices are a sharp contrast to the notification-mad world of Silicon Valley, and there is a lot to learn from a man whose business keeps growing at a healthy clip. In a 24/7 world that moves constantly and quickly, here’s how he does it.

Work hard during the day, and then rest. “Here in the company, you start at 8 AM, and at 5:30 PM you are

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Brunello Cucinelli

Dubbed the “king of cashmere” by The New Yorker, Brunello Cucinelli is the founder of the eponymously named fashion house that is well-known for making luxury cashmere sweaters (and more than $450 million a year in revenues). He started his company in 1978, and, now 61, he lives in Solemeo, Italy, with his wife and two children.


Introduction


In all candidness, I shouldn’t have been in Solomeo. I don’t write for a big fashion magazine. I have no credibility in Brunello Cucinelli’s world. But after a friend heard me wax eloquent about well-made cashmere sweaters for nearly an hour, he suggested that I should perhaps meet this guy in Italy. An email introduction led to an open invitation to come visit his hamlet whenever I was in Italy. Last April, I found myself in Perugia for the Journalism Festival and chanced on a visit. Brunello’s response? Come right over.

The

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