Words by Roxanne Robinson
A duality exists in the bucolic village of Solomeo, Italy, with its medieval charm and castle that stands as model for sustainability and living with nature. Nestled among rolling hills, it’s also the vibrant beating heart of Brunello Cucinelli’s active production and commerce ecosystem for the lifestyle brand synonymous with Quiet Luxury.
Co-creative directors, vice presidents, and sisters Camilla and Carolina Cucinelli oversee the women’s offerings alongside their father and company Executive Chairman and Creative Director, Brunello. Now the pair has launched their first bag style, the BC Duo, which melds contemporary design and artisanal craftsmanship. Further instances of the bag’s dualism are the mirror replication design technique and the duo who created it.
The duality of the women’s lives is expressed in the inverted trapezoid soft-side tote. Both are active professional working mothers with children, and the bag takes them from school drop-off to office to post-work gym time and to an evening event with its removable clutch or the BC Duo mini size.
“It was time to express our taste, mindset with our vision of style that fits into both the Brunello Cucinelli lifestyle as well as ours,” said Carolina, 34, adding, “With four sizes, plus variations in a clutch and a hobo style, and in different materials it’s a cross-functional bag to wear it daily but also at night.” Presumably the two upcoming events to celebrate the bag will demonstrate that.
“We wanted a bag to represent the dynamic women who wear our ready-to-wear designs; our bag needs to be handy, lightweight, useful daily, but with a special touch. It’s the perfect bag for a very busy woman,” Carolina continued.
Growing up in Solomeo instilled the aesthetic of the tailoring the brand and Italy are known for—even the hues of the grainy leather and soft suede recall the topography of Solomeo. “We both like casual wear with a nod to artisanal craftsmanship and tailoring, a distinct feature of the brand. We grew up around this and feel comfortable in a masculine style with a feminine touch,” said Camilla, 42.
The synergy of the two sisters inspired the design, and the style legacy passed down by the women in the family guide their creativity.
“Our mom always had and still maintains a great sense of style. She was our beacon. As we got older, women like Kate Moss, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, and Tilda Swinton’s androgynous look inspired us with their very specific styles,” Carolina added.
The women in their family passed down their professional drive too. “We are a matriarchal family where women prevail. My mother’s grandmother was left alone immediately after WWII, so she became an entrepreneur and started her own business. She would cycle around on her bike wearing trousers and blazer. She was one of a kind, that was unprecedented then,” Camilla offered, adding, “We grew up in a family of emancipated women who thought out of the box. Before she met my father, our mom was into fashion, running her own small clothing boutique. This was passed along to us.”
The sisterhood has helped them become a team at the company too. “We are women in a masculine industry. To have a friend and sister that can help you every day is very important. Also, we have the same vision, exchange ideas daily, share the same friends, live the same life, which is a plus every day. To see our company move into the future together in the same place is a super value,” said Carolina.
Camilla says her father is an attentive listener and the company designs as a team but, “It does help being together as women, especially when we want to submit a new proposal or idea and show our father a different point of view.”
She sums up the new bag: “The BC Duo looks to the future, injects our creative vision, dedicated for the next generation with the same principal brand values—sartorial, handmade, and pure craftsmanship.”
