Brunello: The Gracious Visionary

Known today as “The King of Cashmere”, Brunello Cucinelli is a billionaire fashion mogul who began life growing up penniless on a farm. His story is brought to the screen by Oscar-winning director Giuseppe Tornatore (Cinema Paradiso), chronicling fond childhood memories, a lifelong love of philosophy, and the rise of his fashion empire as an ensemble of associates and celebrities sing his praises. While Tornatore fills the first part of this documentary hybrid (which was commissioned by Cucinelli himself) with nostalgic charm, the latter half devolves into a list of self-congratulatory accomplishments that paint Cucinelli as an infallible genius.

After an introduction that shows the fashion icon celebrating a lavish birthday party, the feature jumps back to the designer’s childhood on a remote farm. Saul Nanni portrays a young Brunello, with memories framed as vignettes observed by the real Cucinelli. There’s a genuine sense of whimsy seeing the subject walk through his past. Strong performances from the cast alongside a marvellous score from Nicola Piovani likewise sell the nostalgia and stop this narrative device from becoming overly sentimental. There’s also a wonderful sense of humour in these early scenes, with interactions between a teenage Cucinelli and friends in the smoky backroom of a bar capturing the spirit of camaraderie.

It’s when Cucinelli approaches adulthood that the magic begins to fade away to be replaced by something closer to self-promotion. He’s shown to be someone with a deep knowledge of philosophy, a selfless friend to a character who never appears onscreen again, and a deeply religious individual with an unwavering sense of morality. Without any moments of self-reflection or acknowledgement of darker moments in his life, the flattery is only layered on thicker whenever his business is mentioned. Not only do celebrities from around the world fawn over him and his clothes, but he’s portrayed as a benevolent entrepreneur who’s worshipped by dedicated employees. By the time the documentary reaches its final third, it slips into a list of accolades and accomplishments, ending with a self-serving shot of Cucinelli sitting down for dinner at a comically large table with his “family” of employees.

Although Brunello: The Gracious Visionary is essentially a vanity project designed to frame its subject in the best light possible, Tornatore and Piovani nevertheless succeed in bringing a nostalgic warmth to the feature’s exploration of childhood and memory.

Andrew Murray

Brunello: The Gracious Visionary is released in select cinemas on 24^th July 2026.

Watch the trailer for Brunello: The Gracious Visionary here: