Brunello Cucinelli founded the company in 1978, focusing on artisanal women's knitwear in coloured cashmere—unusual at the time. In 1985 he acquired the 14th-century castle of Solomeo, a small medieval village on the outskirts of
Perugia; after a two-year restoration, the company's headquarters were moved there in 1987. In 2001, following the redevelopment of several disused factories, the main offices were relocated to the valley at the foot of the village. The regeneration of the surrounding area continued and, after several years of work, the Park of Beauty was inaugurated in 2014. The company was listed on the Italian Stock Exchange (
Borsa Italiana) in 2012, and in 2023 it joined the
FTSE MIB index with a market capitalisation of about €5.7 billion. Production is carried out entirely in Italy, primarily in the Umbria region, and the manufacturing process retains an artisanal component. In line with this approach, the School of Crafts in Solomeo was established to pass on manufacturing skills to new generations. In June 2014, owner Brunello Cucinelli, transferred the ownership of Fedone S.r.l. (which owned 61.56% of the fashion brand) to a new trust, Esperia Trust Company S.r.l., in a move to benefit his daughters and pursue his philanthropic work. In 2017, Brunello Cucinelli recorded 500 million euro in sales, 35% of which in
North America. The company owns 94 of its 124 branded stores worldwide. In January 2017, the company launched an
ecommerce website. In January 2018, the founder, Brunello Cucinelli, sold 4 million shares of his company (owned through his holding Fedone S.r.l.), and brought his participation down to 51% of the company's capital. Through this move, 6% of the company (worth 100 million euros) was invested in his family's charitable fund. In 2022, Brunello Cucinelli joined
Chanel in investing in cashmere supplier Cariaggi Lanificio and bought a 43 percent stake in the company. Brunello Cucinelli acquired 43% of Cariaggi for €15.05 million. In 2023, the brand increased its sales by 24% compared to 2022, to 1.14 billion euros. The last quarter of the year recorded the highest results, with sales up +15.6% to 321 million euros. A year later in 2024, Brunello Cucinelli strengthened its production line in Italy with the acquisition of the Sartoria Eugubina sewing workshop and the construction of a new factory to meet the increasing consumer demand. The firm earns 36% of its revenues from the wholesale channel and around 64% from its own retail stores. ==Other activities==