Brunello Cucinelli was born into an Italian peasant family in Castel Rigone. In 1978 he set up a small company and captivated the market with his idea of dying cashmere. As a boy, after witnessing his father’s hardships at work, he developed his dream to promote a concept of work that ensured moral and economic dignity This is a key element to understand his personality and the success of his business, which Mr. Cucinelli considers not only as a wealth-generating entity, but also as a framework to develop and nurture his dream of a capitalism that enhances the human being, “Humanistic Capitalism”.
 
In 1982 he moved to Solomeo and established his corporate headquarters. The increasingly international market welcomed his Italian-made products and enabled him to implement his ideals. Mr. Cucinelli set out to create a venue for culture and art in Solomeo, the Forum of the Arts. In addition to building a library, gymnasium, amphitheater, and theater, he established a specialized school to ensure craftsmanship is preserved and passed on to future generations. Feeling a duty to restore the dignity of the land, Mr. Cucinelli also created three large parks at the foot of the Solomeo hill, an initiative supported by the Brunello and Federica Cucinelli Foundation.
 
Mr. Cucinelli has received a number of national and international accolades. The most prestigious honors have been for his humane working environment, including his appointment as Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic and Knight of Industry assigned by the President of the Italian Republic, his honorary degree in philosophy and ethics of human relations from the University of Perugia, and the Kiel Institute Global Economy Prize.