AN AUDIENCE WITH THE CASHMERE KING

Brunello Cucinelli says his company's ethics are as high-falutin' as its fabled standards in cashmere. The philosopher-tailor who dresses the Dolce Vita set at play in the winter (think perfect sweaters, offset scarves, December in Cortina d'Ampezzo) talks to LUX about the fabrics of clothing and life. Caroline Davies reports

The duchies of the 15th century left their seal on Italy. Crumbling duomos in rural town squares, ornate frescos in countryside villas and the imposing facades of municipios in Florence and Rome bear the insignia of powerful Italian families who once divided and ruled Italy. Yet perhaps it is not only the architecture that still bears the imprint of these dynasties.

In the hills of Umbria, lies the small hamlet of Solomeo. While other villages have become museums, this community has flourished under the eye of Brunello Cucinelli. His clothing business success has fuelled its rebirth as an industrial hub and with Cucinelli as the town's benevolent patron.

He started his cashmere business in 1978, when he drove jumpers from Italy to Germany in the back of his car. From its modest roots, the brand has established itself as one of the most exclusive - Prince William selected a camel v-neck from its collection for the iconic Mario Testino engagement shoot - but remains based in and inspired by this rural idyll.

"High quality craftsmanship and uniqueness, these are qualities that belong to our products and our people" Cucinelli says of the region. "I love our culture of Umbrian knitwear and the tradition of leather in the region of Marche."

Muted colours and loose cuts give the Cucinelli range a smart weekend wear appeal. For women, its long low-slung cardigans over cotton vest tops suit a nonchalant style of dress.

The male collection shares this slightly deconstructed feel, pairing round shouldered jackets with rolled up trousers be they jeans or a suit. Its cords are well known (Cucinelli apparently wears nothing else for eight months of the year), but the brand's signature cashmere jumper is also very popular.

"I'm always thinking of a comfortable but detailed look as I'm creating an outfit" he says. "The most important principle is the combination of well done pieces and accessories which can be adapted to many occasions throughout the day by changing accessories."

For men, jackets without bulky linings allow outfits to transfer from season to season with the addition of a cashmere jumper or scarf. For women, cashmere leggings to a mid-weight skirt or a fur collar to an autumn coat do the same trick.

He is concise in his own advice for stylish dressing. "We believe everyone should have a sartorial piece, better if accompanied with detailed accessories." he says "For example, men should have a well-tailored jacket and pay attention to details such as fine sewing and the buttons, then complete the look with a pochette."

Cucinelli accessories share a similar colour palette to the clothing range excluding some stronger colours in its men's pocket squares; cotton and linen for summer, cashmere and wool blends in the winter. Heavy boots for winter months come in dusty mauve threaded with silk laces for women and darker tones for men. Leather is used to accent an outfit with bags and wallets in walnut shades or alternatively lavender grey suede for a softer finish.

"Brunello Cucinelli style is embodied by people who love high quality and well-done hand-made collections" Brunello says, simply, of his customers. "The style and quality is in the selection of the finest fabrics and materials and in the decision to produce our products within Italy." It could be an empty boast but it is borne out by a glimpse around Milan or any Italian or French ski resort in winter: male luxury industry leaders are clad in Cucinelli.

He says he would be nowhere without his artisans. "The craftsmen are somehow a brother of the artist" he states, quoting from Lorenzo il Magnifico "I would like to transmit greater values to the young generation in terms of approaching work."

If anyone is well placed to pursue this ambition in Solomeo, it is Brunello Cucinelli. Employing 436 of the 500 village residents, his influence in the hamlet is overwhelming. An advocate of the arts and education, he has invested in rebuilding the local theatre and donated a copy of Barack Obama's ("the new Marcus Aurelius") autobiography to every member of his workforce. In recent years he has also donated grounds to the village football team, for which he makes the occasional appearance.

"From starting the restoration of Solomeo up to today, I have been thinking of a humanistic enterprise in the world of industry." He says of his enterprise "I don't see myself as a leader or an owner, but I rather think of myself as a pro-tempore custodian of our company."

"If you are the custodian of something for a limited amount of time, you are not preoccupied with only profits, but you are able to see farther ahead and plan projects for the future."

So what does the future hold for Cucinelli? A further 20 stores are planned worldwide to add to their existing 50 stores and 1000 concessions. And an IPO in Milan is in the offing. Cucinelli, however, says he has his sights set on a higher goal. "I hope that I can sell a lot of our products because this results in a great thing for humanity". Hubristic? Perhaps, but you would expect nothing else from the king of cashmere.