The school of Cucinelli in Solomeo – And inspiration to investing in the local community and “giving back”.
Brunello Cincinelli – Luxury brand with a soul….
Yesterday, Simone and I had good sense to thumb our noses at the rain and the dreary atmosphere outside, and to embark on a local trip to the sweet little town of Solomeo. A forty-minute drive from our little hamlet in Umbria, the town of Solomeo is just southwest of Perugia. The drive, if you choose to forgo speed in the favor of a more leisurely drive, gives you a spectacular view of the countryside.
Brunello Cucinelli luxury Italian goods – made locally in Umbria, while supporting and giving back to the community of Solomeo.
Simone had been telling me about the international luxury brand, Brunello Cucinelli, and how inspiring the owner has been in building his business model of providing exquisitely crafted product in a way that he gives back to and builds the local community. My ears perked up hearing about this, especially after recent news has been loaded with exposès of upscale brands who have gone abroad for cheap labor, and super-high gross margins. Come on…the idea of a product that costs €1,000, but costs only €40 to make seems, to me at least, like price gouging and taking advantage of cheap labor – NOT good healthy business practices. But, Brunello Cincinelli has a different, healthier vision in my estimation. He provides the luxury goods that people want, but he does so by training, supporting and building a local community. In Solomeo, il signor Cucinelli invests in the local resources and rising talent, underwriting their training and building local expertise in the artistry of designing and building clothing with the utmost attention to detail. He believes in the local Umbrian talent and resources. And, the net result is a robust community that continues to grow and thrive.
While strolling through Solomeo, we passed the theatre that il signor Cucinelli built for the village. The chiseled plaque above the entrance reads “Brunello Cucinelli wanted this theater of man, in the presence of nature’s theater, to always remind us of the eternal values of the beauty and the dream.”
I find his dream inspiring, and I hope that other brands will learn from his example….
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We enjoyed a glass of white wine and a plate of meats and cheeses – after touring Solomeo and the artistry of Brunello Cucinelli
