Carolina Cucinelli, together with Alessio Piastrelli of the Brunello Cucinelli Men's Style Team, tells L'OFFICIEL about new projects dedicated to the world of tailoring and the launch of 'The Magic of Suits,' an artistic video revealing the magic of the Made in Solomeo suit.

L'OFFICIEL: How was the "The Magic of Suits" born?
CAROLINA CUCINELLI: We liked the idea of ​​combining craftsmanship and digital, and we hope this video can convey our way of seeing clothes. The Magic of Suits is the story of a tailor who is not only &ldquo;the tailor,&rdquo; but becomes a trusted advisor who can guide you in choosing how to wear the suit in a contemporary way. He understands what best suits our physicality and how to alter the suit to always wear it in a different way. Director<a href="https://www.instagram.com/virgiliovilloresi/?hl=it"> Virgilio Villoresi</a> interpreted this key figure for <a href="https://ad.doubleclick.net/ddm/trackclk/N708420.3944352LOFFICIEL/B25553759.304900632;dc_trk_aid=497473835;dc_trk_cid=148191752;dc_lat=;dc_rdid=;tag_for_child_directed_treatment=;tfua=;ltd=">&nbsp;Brunello Cucinelli</a>, imagining him as a magician who creates clothes through the spell of his dexterity. I met Virgilio three years ago. I had been following him for some time and I liked his work for its ability to switch from one style to another and to interpret the stories and brands with which he interacted. Last Christmas, we created a project with him that told the story of our company through his eyes and now we wanted to focus on a very important theme for us&mdash;the men's suit in all its forms. Villoresi makes digital videos but with artisanal techniques, he creates frame by frame, sketch by sketch. In this sense he is an artist who reflects our artisan way of working.
 L'O: After the pandemic and an increase in people wearing loungewear, do you think men and women want to go back to wearing suits?
CC: I really think so, I am convinced there is a great desire to get back to dressing well after almost a year living in a sort of pain for the body and soul. There is the desire to go out, to express oneself, and at the same time to feel good with the garments that are worn. I am also convinced that the new generations are more attentive to what they buy, taking an interest in where it is produced, how it is produced, if production causes environmental damage. New generations are favoring garments that perhaps you never throw away, but rather keep them almost as if it were an inheritance.

L'O: What makes a <a href="https://ad.doubleclick.net/ddm/trackclk/N708420.3944352LOFFICIEL/B25553759.304900632;dc_trk_aid=497473835;dc_trk_cid=148191752;dc_lat=;dc_rdid=;tag_for_child_directed_treatment=;tfua=;ltd=">Cucinelli </a>tailored suit so special? What are the steps for its realization?&nbsp;
ALESSIO PIASTRELLI: <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">From a stylistic point of view, what makes a suit an integral part of the collection should be its contemporaneity.<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">For years we have undertaken suit design with an internal training process that we call the Academy of Menswear. This trains our team in fitting, in the choice of fabric, in the combinations of colors, and choosing materials of great quality.<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">We think these details in the <a href="https://ad.doubleclick.net/ddm/trackclk/N708420.3944352LOFFICIEL/B25553759.304900632;dc_trk_aid=497473835;dc_trk_cid=148191752;dc_lat=;dc_rdid=;tag_for_child_directed_treatment=;tfua=;ltd=">Cucinelli </a>man are instantly recognizable.<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">Don't be afraid to go back to what is called a "beautiful classic" in the literal sense.<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">Our offices are covered with black and white photos, elegant men of the past and present. These photos are not meant to be nostalgic, but rather to serve as a creative inspiration that achieves a contemporary product.
 L'O: Who is elegant today? What is the meaning of elegant in the modern world?
CC: As with everything in life, there have been transformations in classical elegance. The aesthetic canons have slightly changed and taste has become a mirror of everyday life and of the moment in which we live. However, the word has not lost its original meaning.&nbsp;
AP: I often use the very elegant Prince Charles of England as inspiration. I think of him and his way of wearing classic clothes is a great representation of respecting the canons of English elegance while also playing with small twists.
CC: We believe in a refined, polite, and balanced elegance. As far as feminine taste is concerned, it is being able to feel well-dressed with clothes suitable for the various moments of the day but also without having to totally change outfits. Perhaps the outfit is reinterpreted with some accessories. We think that the garment you wear represents your personality, the expression of style, and your taste for beauty.
AP: I share this thought. Before the pandemic there was a photo of Barack Obama visiting a school. He was wearing beige cotton trousers, Stan Smith sneakers, and a blue polo shirt. The first thing I thought was that he had come out of the formal canons of the President of the United States, but also maintained its elegance by coordination, fit, and color. The elegant man is always there, regardless of everything. There is no doubt that there is also an elegance of the soul.

Brunello Cucinelli Fall/Winter 2021

L'O: Artisan techniques and know-how are a value to be preserved. What is your commitment to these techniques?&nbsp;
CC: We have always supported the great value of craftsmanship and technical skills. We have founded an Academy in Borgo di Solomeo which aims to train young artisans of the future. We have young seamstresses and tailors who are accompanying us on this beautiful journey. The courses are taught by &ldquo;masters&rdquo; who work with us and who transmit their knowledge, our business philosophy, our vision, and our experience as a brand. We hope that these schools will return to restore moral and economic dignity to students while also restoring prestige to forgotten professions. We would like to convey to our students the values ​​of craftsmanship, of the handmade. Both of which we think are the beating heart of our industry. 
 L'O: How many steps are there in making a men's or women's suit? 
CC: Each garment must be made with the right care and have the right time dedicated to it. We start by taking the measurements and then move on to try on the first toile that is corrected on the person's body. Then the suit is made in the chosen fabric, buttons and lining are applied, and finally the garment is measured for the latest changes.&nbsp;
 AP: We have a shoe in the collection that is made of cordovan, which is a fine leather. The more you wear the shoe, it becomes even more aesthetically beautiful. Brunello himself, who has four pairs of them, always uses the same ones, resoling them periodically. We have always had a repair team in the company that works on these shoes and garments. So sometimes a customer may send us a cashmere pullover solely to revitalize it. We believe in the great value of repairing, restoring, and revitalizing. 
 CC: It is important for a customer to know that they can rely on us to take care of these garments. We think that all of this is part of sustainability that we define as &ldquo;living in harmony with creation.&rdquo;

Bruno Cucinelli Fall/Winter 2021

L'O: How do you choose the right suit for both her and him?
 CC: Understanding the personality and physicality of the customer is the first step. The aspect of comfort is essential. For women, this concept is even more important. It is essential to enhance the physical shape which is achieved by the silhouette, materials, colors, and accessories that will complete the look. 
 AP: We like to imagine that our salesman or tailor represents a kind of dressing advisor. 
 L'O: Is the Cucinelli customer attentive to issues of sustainability? 
CC: I don't think that only the <a href="https://ad.doubleclick.net/ddm/trackclk/N708420.3944352LOFFICIEL/B25553759.304900632;dc_trk_aid=497473835;dc_trk_cid=148191752;dc_lat=;dc_rdid=;tag_for_child_directed_treatment=;tfua=;ltd=">Cucinelli</a> customer is very attentive, as this is important for everyone, especially in this new contemporary world. In particular, the new generations pay great attention to sustainability, or rather to what we call "living in harmony with creation." I think it forces us to imagine a new relationship with the earth, water, air, animals, people, and consequently, with creation itself. One of the latest launches on our social channels was the Be Your Change project. It is an initiative that we want to carry out with people who share our values ​​through their voices, their passions, and touches on themes such as humility, courage, creativity, and seriousness. The first episode was made together with Sarah Harris who tells us about her way of seeing fashion in her life, a sentiment I see with myself. Sometimes it is a question of buying the product not only to wear it one season because it is fashionable, but also thinking about how it can be reinterpreted in the times to come. We hope this project will be appreciated. The name comes from a song by Alessandro Mannarino that says "with different shoes you can change your way, by changing your way you can change your mind, and with ideas you can change the world, but the world doesn't change often, then the real revolution will be to change yourself."&nbsp;

Face to Face With Carolina Cucinelli

L'OFFICIEL USA December 2024 - Julianne Moore Cover

Face to Face With Carolina Cucinelli

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