Brunello Cucinelli’s designer daughter Carolina knows style: the fashion heiress reveals her top sources of inspo, from Chanel nail varnish and Jackie Kennedy, to Milan museums and Hollywood holidays

May 30 , 2024

Designer Brunello Cucinelli’s daughter Carolina, co-president and co-creative director of the company, picks her favourite brands, icons and places. Photos: Handout

As co-president and co-creative director, Carolina Cucinelli has added a feminine touch to the Italian family brand, drawing celebrity fans such as Kristen Stewart and Kim Kardashian

Her favourite film directors are Hayao Miyazaki and Tim Burton – which may explain her love of tattoos and black nail polish – while Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis is her absolute icon

The daughter of designer Brunello Cucinelli, known as the “king of cashmere”, Carolina is the co-president and co-creative director of the fashion label her father founded in the Italian region of Umbria in 1978. Since getting more involved in the design side of the business, she has injected a dose of femininity into the label, which for years had been more popular among stylish men. That’s no longer the case, with female celebrities such as Kristen Stewart and Kim Kardashian embracing the timeless creations of Brunello Cucinelli.

Here, the fashion heiress shares a few key sources of inspo and places close to her heart, in Italy and beyond.

My ultimate style icon …

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in New York, circa 1970. Photo: Getty Images

The absolute icon for me is Jackie Kennedy, she was perfect on every occasion, with a timeless elegance.

The books, films and shows I adore …

Artwork from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas at The World

I like podcasts, those that tell stories that really happened and listening to music. I am also passionate about animated films, my favourites being those of Miyazaki and Tim Burton. I like reading poetry, such as that by Patrizia Cavalli. In particular, her latest collection of poems Vita Meravigliosa really struck me; she has a vision that fascinates me.

The Instagram accounts I follow most closely …

I follow a lot of stylists’ accounts: I like to see how others interpret and express trends. Then there are the lifestyle ones which help you discover unknown places. I really like @italysegreta and @the_globbers – they tell interesting stories, from different but engaging points of view. I follow everything to do with art, cinema, fashion, music … also the accounts of tattoo artists, a great passion of mine. I recently started tattooing myself, attending a course and drawing inspiration (and courage!) from the Instagram account of a dear friend and excellent tattoo artist.

My top beauty hacks …