Solomeo: The Hamlet of Harmony

“Love of knowledge echoes in our hearts and nourishes great thoughts.” (Socrates)

The sun was already at its peak against a blue sky, interspersed with a few scattered clouds, as I drove along the small road that leads to one of the many small villages on the many charming hills that are woven into the beautiful landscape that is Umbria. The road to Solomeo is as unpretentious as one could imagine, given the role this village plays in the creation of a company that today sells over a billion euros worth of products. As an ardent follower of Mr. Cucinelli's journey, I was expecting signs, logos or just some kind of indication that there was more to this sign marking the departure for Solomeo than foreign travelers might see at first glance — but there was none of that. Nevertheless, filled with excitement over seeing the hamlet on the hill, we continued on the tiny passage, soon passing the small Cimitero di Solomeo, and finally arriving on the hilltop of Solomeo, nearby the ancient church of San Bartolomeo.

By now it was past midday, but on this regular Tuesday the village felt almost empty as we walked through the narrow streets of beautifully restored houses. I was fascinated by all the details and especially by the busts of ancient philosophers that had been placed on various walls to guard and oversee the daily life of Solomeo's inhabitants. Then, the investor’s heart in me leapt as I found the first “branded” object, confirming my hope that I was really in Solomeo, the place I had heard so much about in every article or interview devoting to Brunello Cucinelli. The banner, which reads “GENTLE LUXURY, A SYMBOL OF TAILORED BEAUTY” shows images of “great ladies in the history”, as Cucinelli told analysts in late August this year. In general, every endeavor he undertook since founding the company in 1978 has been in the spirit of combining business acumen and a philosophical humanism — Humanistic Capitalism as he titled his vision later. I felt deeply inspired, experiencing this life’s work myself and seeing how it impacts the daily life of the people in Solomeo — even on a regular Tuesday afternoon. I mean, analyzing and understanding businesses as a private investor is most of the time a very disconnected activity, while the fundamental work happens behind closed doors.

Reflecting on the impressions I made in Solomeo, I now feel differently about this particular company. Brunello Cucinelli is no business of short-term trendiness, nor any phantasm of empire-building business men. It’s a steadily growing manufacturer of fine garments and apparel, a guardian of Made in Italy, and a true brand of the luxury Olympus.

Continuing down the hill, past the houses of Solomeo's small population, you'll soon notice an increasing collection of industrial buildings in the valley, testimony to Brunello Cucinelli's significant expansion. Despite this, the company continues to make all its apparel in Italy, with around eighty percent still produced in Umbria.

The decision not to outsource parts of the manufacturing process to countries with lower labor costs limits the company's ability to rapidly increase its profitability - and yet I would argue that it's certainly the success factor for Brunello Cucinelli, as it preserves the key value for any luxury brand: authenticity. The cherished and nurtured village of Solomeo embodies this feeling perfectly, reinforcing the consumer's sense that with each product they're buying a piece of this extraordinary Umbrian dream.

And visitors can do so, as Solomeo, of course, entails a store right in its center—guarded by Platon and Confucius. I'm not kidding, I actually had to use a map to find the place, because the entrance to the store was so inconspicuous that we missed it the first time. And again, neither a logo or sign beckoned tourists to end their journey by buying a souvenir of this beautiful place.

This is the kind of “quiet luxury” that has made “quiet luxury” the overly successful trend it has become in recent years. Any brand could easily produce similar-looking sweaters, even in a desirable quality, yet people are buying more and more goods from the Solomeo-based philosopher. And while I was already aware of these qualitative nuances before my trip, I’m even more impressed now that I’ve experienced them myself (without actually buying anything, unfortunately).

Thank you!