FASHION Umbria and fashion

UMBRIA AND FASHION

A REGION AND AN INDUSTRIAL REALITY STRONGLY LINKED

by Valentino Odorico

The textile industry has been one of the flagships of Umbria since ancient times. There exist symbolic characters such as St. Francis of Assisi who are linked to fabrics: his father, Pietro di Bernardone, was a famous cloth merchant; and the saint undressed in the Foligno square when he decided to abandon all wealth to embrace “sister poverty”. Today, success comes from some Umbrian companies, especially in the knitwear segment, that over time have been able to enhance their work and increase their output. Brands like Fabiana Filippi and Luisa Spagnoli are international names today. Local artisans have been producing work for brands such as Dior, Hermés and Vuitton: a web of workshops that in 30 years have given life to a real industry.

Brunello Cucinelli

Brunello Cucinelli Castelluccio di Norcia

Recently, the region has created training programs, which put companies looking to hire in contact with the local schools. Near Perugia, in Castel Rigone, a peasant family created what today is a brand recognized all over the world: Brunello Cucinelli. The entrepreneur, who initially began his studies as a surveyor and then enrolled in the engineering department, left the university in 1974 to begin a business in fashion. He founded the Brunello Cucinelli company in 1978 and focused on the mastering of colored cashmere. The constant growth led him in 2012 to list the company on the stock exchange. Cucinelli was also awarded an honorary degree in philosophy and ethics in human relations by the University of Perugia. Philanthropic activity is important. Following the earthquake of October 26, 2016, which seriously damaged Central Italy, Cucinelli said he was ready to rebuild - through his foundation - the monastery annexed to the collapsed church of Norcia. The entrepreneur declared, “After this catastrophe, even the Benedictine rule will find new impetus.” He also regarded Norcia as “the city of the soul”,

© ITA AIRWAYS

Brunello Cucinelli the designer of the new uniforms of ITA AIRWAYS identifying it as his city of spiritual reference. In 2018, he sold 6% of his shares for a sum of over 100 million euros, donating it entirely to charity. For these actions and for his attention to the human capital available in the company, Cucinelli is an entrepreneur who wants to be close to an entrepreneurial system that respects the “moral and economic dignity of man”, valuing humanity and society. Brunello Cucinelli was also president of the Teatro Stabile of Umbria and director of the Cassa di Risparmio di Perugia Foundation. Also a lover of sports and football, he was president of the Castel Rigone team. Near Solomeo he financed the construction of the Forum of the Arts, a cultural center that includes a theater, meditative spaces, and the Neohumanistic Academy. His Brunello and Federica Cucinelli Foundation in 2014 financed three parks at the foot of the village of Solomeo: the Agricultural Park, the Oratory Park, and the Industrial Park. In October 2021 he announced the project for a 2,000 square meter “Universal Library” located in Solomeo, whose construction should be completed in 2024. Cucinelli is a model fashion entrepreneur who demonstrates how the textile industry and the profits deriving from it can also become economic support for environmental projects. Recently he was also the designer of the new uniforms of ITA AIRWAYS, the national airline.