From €500 to €2.2B—how one Italian visionary built a luxury empire on cashmere, philosophy, and a 6 PM shutdown rule.

Brunello Cucinelli (b. 1953 Castel Rigone, Italy) is the billionaire founder, executive chairman, and creative director of Brunello Cucinelli SpA, a global luxury brand best known for its “Made in Italy” craftsmanship and timeless style. He started the company in 1978 with just €500 and a bold idea: to make cashmere sweaters in bright colors—something unheard of at the time, when the category was dominated by muted tones. That one move helped reshape the knitwear market and laid the groundwork for a brand now celebrated worldwide for elegance and ethics.

After leaving engineering school to dive into philosophy, Cucinelli built his business on ideas from thinkers like Saint Benedict and Immanuel Kant, weaving those values into everything from leadership to day-to-day culture. The company is based in Solomeo, a medieval village he personally restored over the past 20 years. Today, Solomeo serves as both a production hub and cultural center, expressing his deep commitment to craftsmanship, community, and human dignity.

In 2012, the company went public on the Milan Stock Exchange—the only Italian IPO that year. Cucinelli kept a 50.05% stake, ensuring the brand stayed aligned with his founding principles. All garments are made in Italy, mostly in Umbria, by over 700 employees.

And they’re not just employees—they’re part of a carefully crafted workplace culture. No work after 6 PM. Long lunch breaks. Thoughtfully subsidized meals. Libraries full of philosophy books. Phones banned in meetings. And, importantly, they're paid about 20% more than the industry average—by design. It’s all part of Cucinelli’s belief that a company can be both profitable and profoundly human.

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