Brunello Cucinelli is one of fashion's most expensive labels, well known in discerning circles for top-end knitwear and sharp suits favoured by the likes of Bradley Cooper, Matthew McConaughey and Leonardo DiCaprio. What it had never done, however, was release an eyewear collection. That is because, before it could, the house first had to do something it had never done before: form a partnership.
That it chose to do so with Oliver Peoples makes perfect sense. Like Cucinelli, Oliver Peoples is a heritage style brand that has never wanted to draw attention with a logo, and that has always believed the product should speak for itself.
"Oliver Peoples could guarantee the attention to handmade details that are so important to our brand and infused the creative process with an innate ease and modern approach that is so characteristic of their Los Angeles-based culture," says Carolina Cucinelli, Brunello's daughter and co-creative director of the brand her father founded in 1978.
"As our company has grown, we have stayed true to our roots, always keeping our headquarters in Solomeo, where the company was originally founded by Brunello. Oliver Peoples has done the same, keeping its team in Los Angeles even as it grew with Luxottica through the years. This was an important theme for us."
The collaboration has resulted in five references that all manage to feel totally honest to both brands. Two stand out. The Artemio is a rounded optical model that transforms into a pair of sunglasses thanks to a vintage-inspired clip-on, while the Filu channels old Hollywood with a cat-eye wayfarer featuring an unusual double-peaked brow. Both display a mastery of detail and an unmistakeable style.
Seeing is believing, though, and you will only truly understand what makes this collaboration so special if you can admire the details for yourself. Once you do, you will appreciate how this Italian-American partnership should never be stereotyped.
