A visit to the Brunello Cucinelli factory in the Umbrian countryside in the heart of Italy is an unusual introduction to the world of high-end fashion manufacturing.
Pulling up to the complex right outside the city of Perugia feels more like visiting a modern monastery, rather than a facility that makes some of the country’s most finely crafted clothes.
And, much like in a monastery, I see how at a regular point in the early evening, work stops and silence descends. The company has a strict no-work policy after 5.30pm.
The impressive atmosphere of the place is the result of the sprawling intellectual ambition of Brunello Cucinelli, 69, who, despite growing up in rural poverty, is now firmly entrenched in the most elite circles of Italian industry. Although, interviewing him, I quickly get the sense he is prouder of being in more humble ones.
Cucinelli enters his office pondering out loud the afterlife and the friends that will help him get there. It very much sets the tone for the next hour and a half.
“If I don’t get even a tiny spot in paradise I’m going to be very upset. I have all these friends, friars and monks, whom I help out. They say they are praying for me in return,” he says with a laugh. His service to them is in large part helping with the upkeep of the historic places in which they reside and worship.
“I have this passion for guardianship and safekeeping, you see. They have always been my guiding principles. When you restore something and know that it’s going to be there for the coming centuries, you have not spent or squandered your money. It means you are guarding something for the future,” Cucinelli says.
I fear that my opening questions about the brand’s autumn/winter 2022 collection may fall a little flat after an introduction like that. But there is no need to worry. The answers to my questions do not interrupt his grand train of thought.
“Our collections have always been contemporary,” he says, turning to observations on history to support his point. “If you look at style after the trauma of Spanish flu at the beginning of the 20th century, there was a decade when people wanted to dress elegantly. After two years of the pandemic, we feel similarly, wanting to feel sleek, refined, elegant, polished.” His autumn/winter collection is just that.
Labelled In The Elements, the approach, in typical Brunello Cucinelli style, is to focus first on comfort and quality. From there, a Nordic style emerges, a slight diversion for the very Italian company.
Cucinelli stresses, however, that the core principles of his collections never change. “Our company still cherishes the feeling that when we buy something, we truly appreciate it, we don’t ever want to throw it away.” Or, in other words: “John Ruskin stated that when you build, always remember to build for eternity. Beautiful isn’t it?”
His clothes are designed to be enjoyed, restored and reworn. The lightweight blue suit jacket he is wearing perfectly exemplifies this. It was made in 2014 and he has been pictured in it many times before. It is this approach that distinguishes Brunello Cucinelli collections from the more radical season-by-season aesthetic shifts seen from other designer labels.
This flexibility also means that the brand works in all corners of the globe. Until this point our conversation has focused on European tailoring and tradition. But when I switch to questions about the Middle East, he does not skip a beat.
“I’ve been studying Islamic culture for two decades now,” Cucinelli tells me, expounding his love for the medieval Arab philosopher and historian Ibn Khaldun and the Persian polymath Avicenna, among many others. One year, his Christmas gift to his staff was a copy of the Quran.
When it comes to the Middle East, he sees a particularly interesting business opportunity because Italian and Arab culture, in his mind, are similar. One of the 10 principles in his manifesto on Humanistic Capitalism, which he presented to the G20 Summit last year, is respect for forefathers, because “they taught us to respect the law, and our story is written in their words”. In our conversation, he calls family one of the three great ideals, something to which many in Middle Eastern societies would relate.
Aesthetics are similar, too. The traditional clothes of the Gulf focus on understated style and comfort. “I like this comparison very much. We are a no-logo brand, and after a five-year cycle when fashion has been on the flashier side, I think the next few years will see a focus on simple, linear elegance. Chic, but not too much.”
Most of all, he recognises in the Gulf a similar optimistic energy to the one that has driven his success. “There is something brewing in that part of the world,” he says at one point.
Cucinelli’s plans to consolidate his brand’s presence abroad are clearly getting the same intellectual treatment as his European operation, then. But however global his label might become, it will always be rooted in Italy.
For all the talk of a global future, the way our conversation goes implies that his vocation remains guarding the best of Italy’s humanistic past, in a modern market that all too often decimates the traditional way of doing things. It is a battle that needs to be fought. Twenty-first century economics has not been kind to rural Italy. An increasing number of young people are leaving countryside villages for the cities, a trend seen all over western Europe. In Spain, France and Italy, it is now possible to buy abandoned villages for tiny prices.
Cucinelli has used his commercial success to keep one of these hamlets not just alive, but thriving. The village of Solomeo, which is perched on a hill just above the factory, is now the spiritual home of the company, with a Renaissance-style theatre and amphitheatre, as well as a vast humanities library that is currently under construction.
Perhaps most importantly of all, I am shown an old stone studio in which five young tailors are being paid by the designer to learn the difficult art of suit-making. It could hardly have been a more successful example of keeping a proud tradition going in modern Italy, by using the best of sustainable capitalism.
The impression of the visit is that Cucinelli’s brand has been built up around strong ideals, not in spite of them. Fashion is obviously an industry that knows how to put on a show, and it is the case that the company’s philosophical message serves as a form of branding. But there is proof enough in our conversation and tour of something deeper. Quite simply, he treats his staff, culture and environment well.
“I am basically here to help take care of creation,” Cucinelli says. Whether that’s nurturing the next generation of artisans or an increasingly global business, there is a strong sense that this part of the world, which might otherwise be scarred by less sustainable industry at best, desolated at worst, is now thriving and full of life.
His final line at the end of this remarkable presentation? “Don’t be afraid.” He might mean many things. For my part, I feel less afraid that modern fashion and industry must necessarily harm the planet and human dignity.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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Overview
Cricket World Cup League Two: Nepal, Oman, United States tri-series, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu
Fixtures
Wednesday February 5, Oman v Nepal
Thursday, February 6, Oman v United States
Saturday, February 8, United States v Nepal
Sunday, February 9, Oman v Nepal
Tuesday, February 11, Oman v United States
Wednesday, February 12, United States v Nepal
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
Countries offering golden visas
UK
Innovator Founder Visa is aimed at those who can demonstrate relevant experience in business and sufficient investment funds to set up and scale up a new business in the UK. It offers permanent residence after three years.
Germany
Investing or establishing a business in Germany offers you a residence permit, which eventually leads to citizenship. The investment must meet an economic need and you have to have lived in Germany for five years to become a citizen.
Italy
The scheme is designed for foreign investors committed to making a significant contribution to the economy. Requires a minimum investment of €250,000 which can rise to €2 million.
Switzerland
Residence Programme offers residence to applicants and their families through economic contributions. The applicant must agree to pay an annual lump sum in tax.
Canada
Start-Up Visa Programme allows foreign entrepreneurs the opportunity to create a business in Canada and apply for permanent residence.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
MATCH INFO
Barcelona 5 (Lenglet 2', Vidal 29', Messi 34', 75', Suarez 77')
Valladolid 1 (Kiko 15')
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
LIVERPOOL%20TOP%20SCORERS
%3Cp%3E(Premier%20League%20only)%3Cbr%3EMohamed%20Salah%20129%3Cbr%3ERobbie%20Fowler%20128%3Cbr%3ESteven%20Gerrard%20120%3Cbr%3EMichael%20Owen%20118%3Cbr%3ESadio%20Mane%2090%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
BIRD%20BOX%20BARCELONA
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20David%20and%20Alex%20Pastor%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EGeorgina%20Campbell%2C%20Mario%20Casas%2C%20Diego%20Calva%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Enterprise-grade%20security%20and%20privacy%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Unlimited%20higher-speed%20GPT-4%20access%20with%20no%20caps%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Longer%20context%20windows%20for%20processing%20longer%20inputs%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Advanced%20data%20analysis%20capabilities%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Customisation%20options%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Shareable%20chat%20templates%20that%20companies%20can%20use%20to%20collaborate%20and%20build%20common%20workflows%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Analytics%20dashboard%20for%20usage%20insights%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Free%20credits%20to%20use%20OpenAI%20APIs%20to%20extend%20OpenAI%20into%20a%20fully-custom%20solution%20for%20enterprises%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
More coverage from the Future Forum
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Key recommendations
- Fewer criminals put behind bars and more to serve sentences in the community, with short sentences scrapped and many inmates released earlier.
- Greater use of curfews and exclusion zones to deliver tougher supervision than ever on criminals.
- Explore wider powers for judges to punish offenders by blocking them from attending football matches, banning them from driving or travelling abroad through an expansion of ‘ancillary orders’.
- More Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the root causes of crime such as alcohol and drug abuse – forcing repeat offenders to take part in tough treatment programmes or face prison.
Signs%20of%20%20%20%20%20%20%20heat%20stroke
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EThe%20loss%20of%20sodium%20chloride%20in%20our%20sweat%20can%20lead%20to%20confusion%20and%20an%20altered%20mental%20status%20and%20slurred%20speech%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EBody%20temperature%20above%2039%C2%B0C%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EHot%2C%20dry%20and%20red%20or%20damp%20skin%20can%20indicate%20heatstroke%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EA%20faster%20pulse%20than%20usual%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EDizziness%2C%20nausea%20and%20headaches%20are%20also%20signs%20of%20overheating%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EIn%20extreme%20cases%2C%20victims%20can%20lose%20consciousness%20and%20require%20immediate%20medical%20attention%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The biog
Name: Younis Al Balooshi
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Doctorate degree in forensic medicine at the University of Bonn
Hobbies: Drawing and reading books about graphic design
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
The Africa Institute 101
Housed on the same site as the original Africa Hall, which first hosted an Arab-African Symposium in 1976, the newly renovated building will be home to a think tank and postgraduate studies hub (it will offer master’s and PhD programmes). The centre will focus on both the historical and contemporary links between Africa and the Gulf, and will serve as a meeting place for conferences, symposia, lectures, film screenings, plays, musical performances and more. In fact, today it is hosting a symposium – 5-plus-1: Rethinking Abstraction that will look at the six decades of Frank Bowling’s career, as well as those of his contemporaries that invested social, cultural and personal meaning into abstraction.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Fixtures
Opening day Premier League fixtures for August 9-11
August 9
Liverpool v Norwich 11pm
August 10
West Ham v Man City 3.30pm
Bournemouth v Sheffield Utd 6pm
Burnley v Southampton 6pm
C Palace v Everton 6pm
Leicester v Wolves 6pm
Watford v Brighton 6pm
Tottenham v Aston Villa 8.30pm
August 11
Newcastle v Arsenal 5pm
Man United v Chelsea 7.30pm
