CAROLINA CUCINELLI
AT HOME IN THE VILLAGE HER FAMILY RESTORED
TELLS HOW THEIR CASHMERE EMPIRE WAS FASHIONED BY THIS CLOSE-KNIT COMMUNITY
We are family (from left): Carolina, her father Brunello, founder of the family’s eponymous label; her mum
Federica; sister Camilla with husband Riccardo Stefanelli and their daughters Vittoria and Penelope; and Carolina’s husband Alessio Piastrelli, holding their son Brando, pose on the terrace of Camilla’s home
Perched on a hilltop in Italy’s picturesque Umbria region, the village of Solomeo is known for its medieval buildings, its vines, olives, sunflowers – and fashion.
This out-of-the-way spot makes an unlikely style capital, but then the clothes that hail from here are unusual too. Solomeo is the heart of the Cucinelli family’s cashmere empire – both their home and where they produce the covetable yet entirely eco-friendly creations that make their label one of Italy’s most successful.
The village, like their collections, is a labour of love. Back in the 1980s it was in a state of decline; that’s when Brunello Cucinelli, whose wife Federica was born here, realised that by building his brand in Solomeo, he could restore the place itself. Today, its beautiful villas, churches and theatre draw visitors from around the world.
Brunello also built a dynasty here, with his daughters Camilla and Carolina growing up to join him in the business, where they share his mantra of care for the community and the environment.