Brunello Cucinelli Corduroy Jacket
Brunello Cucinelli’s double-breasted blazer with metal buttons. The colour is black rather than navy, crafted from exceptionally soft corduroy. Featuring a one-and-a-half breast design, this unstructured formal jacket embodies Brunello Cucinelli’s signature double-breasted style. Its exquisite silhouette prevents excessive gaping even when unbuttoned. With minimal interlining for relaxed comfort, it excels as a versatile jacket suitable for both formal and casual occasions.
This blazer reinterprets the American blazer style with Brunello Cucinelli’s signature playful yet refined design, allowing versatile styling. The core look pairs the black soft corduroy jacket with white trousers in the same soft corduroy, complemented by a Western shirt crafted from Brunello Cucinelli’s premium, soft cotton. For footwear, we favour suede penny loafers over sneakers for their soft comfort and easy wear. This embodies Brunello Cucinelli’s proposed world of relaxed yet refined, effortlessly playful style.
While enjoying Brunello Cucinelli’s proposed set-ups as a base, when I wish to style things a little more casually, I pair them with vintage 501XX jeans or slim-fit beige cotton five-pocket trousers made from German corduroy fabric.
Introduction.
The Brunello Cucinelli corduroy jacket featured here is a so-called blazer style featuring metal buttons. It was the first piece of Brunello Cucinelli clothing I ever purchased, and it was this jacket that inspired me to start pairing jackets with jeans – something I hadn’t done before. Consequently, I hold it in high regard.
Smart casual
About three years ago, I was asked to help out at a commemorative ceremony for the club I belonged to. The dress code for the ceremony was smart casual, but as I rarely wear suits these days, I didn’t own a recent one. I thought I’d attend in a suit I’d bought at Tie-Your-Tie twenty years prior. Amidst this, a plan suddenly arose to produce button-down shirts as promotional items and have members purchase them for charity.
A friend asked me to handle the button-down shirt sales at the ceremony reception. For the sales role, I needed to wear one myself, and to serve as a display example, I required a blazer rather than a suit.
Initially, I thought buying a navy blazer and grey trousers from Brooks Brothers would suffice. However, navy blazers had become quite trendy that year, and my size was sold out.Given this situation, I urgently began searching for a blazer, but struggled to find one that suited my taste.
It was during this search for a suitable blazer that I discovered the corduroy jacket by Brunello Cucinelli featured here. The primary reason for choosing this jacket was that it perfectly matched the smart casual dress code for the commemorative ceremony of the club I was attending, and it would showcase the novelty button-down shirt in the best possible light.
Personally, I adore the combination of a navy blazer and grey trousers. Though I rarely have occasion to wear it, a piece of advice from a stylish senior colleague in my youth has stayed with me: ‘A blazer is a rather interesting jacket. When worn by a young person, it lends a composed air and makes one appear more mature; when worn later in life, it makes one look younger. It’s a rather useful garment, so it’s good to own one.’
Brunello Cucinelli
This is a brand I’ve featured several times on this blog. Naturally, the quality of materials and craftsmanship is exceptional, but what truly impresses me is their approach beyond mere fashion – proposing a high-quality lifestyle based on clothing that transcends mere fashion. I adore their stance: while their garments possess a distinct presence, they maintain a restrained, understated style; their shop staff offer a friendly, approachable service; and they demonstrate an exceptionally high level of professionalism in styling and how the clothes are worn.
The price point is considerably high, so it’s not something I personally purchase lightly. Another characteristic is that the price range naturally attracts a correspondingly older demographic. Despite the high price point, it is beloved worldwide and boasts many devoted repeat customers. This is Brunello Cucinelli. A phrase that came up in conversation with a staff member I know well perfectly encapsulates the brand’s stance, so I’ll share it here.
Though extremely expensive and a renowned brand, Mr Brunello Cucinelli – who frequently appears in press to shape the brand image – is just an ordinary chap. His style or looks aren’t particularly striking, His remarkable social activism and the dignity encompassing his lifestyle, coupled with the fact that even as he ages and no longer possesses the physique of his youth, he remains an exemplar of wearing clothes elegantly and stylishly, perfectly encapsulates the essence of Brunello Cucinelli’s garments.
It’s not merely about being high-quality clothing that an ordinary chap can wear. Even when worn by someone with great style, it remains stylish yet somehow restrained, exuding dignity and intelligence.
This very dignity and intellect are the essence of Brunello Cucinelli. Ultimately, it is clothing that expresses the wearer’s identity and maximises that identity. When worn by the young, it conveys fresh youthfulness and coolness; when worn by those of a certain age, it expresses the dignity and intellect born of life experience.
Clothing, one of the three fundamental elements of human life alongside food and shelter, is something one must wear to live. Reading deeper, this clothing also serves to define the individual’s existence within society.
The apparel industry, a colossal sector, could be said to be fiercely competing over how to express this individual existence within society. However, in the internet age, attitudes towards clothing have shifted. Certain words and keywords have become paramount, and traditions built over many years, the optimal solutions for clothing, and even individuality itself, are now consumed as short-lived trends.
Brunello Cucinelli stands as the brand furthest removed from these fleeting trends. Its premium pricing stems from the finest materials and the quality crafted by Italy’s most skilled artisans. It embodies a commitment to human dignity, ensuring fair returns for all workers and stakeholders. It demonstrates social responsibility and purpose by revitalising its declining hometown village, wishing happiness for all involved. It extends the same treatment to its sales staff in distant Japan. and by staffing each store with personnel possessing skills equivalent to Italian artisans, providing high-level care for sold garments. This practice encourages customers to cherish and use their fine purchases for a long time.
All this takes considerable time. This creates a temporal flow distinct from the current one, an elegant passage of time that becomes more palpable the deeper one understands Brunello Cucinelli’s garments.
By persistently creating intrinsic value rather than superficial, easily visible or audible values, the company elevates both its own worth and that of the products it handles. This establishes Brunello Cucinelli as an established enterprise with a distinct creative ethos, differing from contemporary mass-market and marketing values. Its garments embody quality and fashionability while remaining understated, yet are meticulously designed to enhance the wearer’s individuality. One can also sense a unified philosophy stemming from the production process and underlying concept.
This may sound somewhat formal, but I personally hold Brunello Cucinelli in high regard for its overall corporate stance. This is why I am such a great fan of Brunello Cucinelli and why I consider it worth making a little extra effort to wear their garments.
Brunello Cucinelli’s style
Whilst I have previously featured Brunello Cucinelli’s spring/summer items on this blog, I had yet to showcase their autumn/winter pieces. Although I introduced jackets in the spring/summer styles, I did not own any trousers, so this time I am presenting a style where the jacket and trousers are worn as a set.
When considering Brunello Cucinelli’s product range, their cashmere knitwear immediately springs to mind. I own several pieces myself; the quality is exceptionally high. Being lightweight and warm is a given, but their remarkable durability is particularly noteworthy. This durability becomes apparent when wearing them in the car with a seatbelt fastened. Other cashmere knits inevitably develop pilling where the seatbelt presses against the fabric. After wearing them, meticulous care with a stone brush is required to remove this pilling.
Brunello Cucinelli’s cashmere knitwear possesses a durability that resists pilling in these seatbelt-contact areas far better than other cashmere knits. While the exact reason for this resistance to pilling is unclear, it is likely due to techniques such as the twisting of the yarn. One might understand this if the cashmere knit were slightly stiffer, but Brunello Cucinelli’s cashmere knit is soft yet possesses this durability that resists pilling.
The brand also offers suits and coats crafted from cashmere and premium wool, all featuring exceptionally high-level tailoring. Depending on your preferred pattern and intended occasion, you can select the fabric pattern, thickness, and whether to wear it as a set or individually. Each piece delivers a high-quality, comfortable, and stylish look.
For autumn/winter seasons, Brunello Cucinelli frequently employs corduroy, offering several styles where both top and bottom are coordinated in corduroy. The hallmark of Brunello Cucinelli’s corduroy is its exceptionally soft and lightweight fabric; wearing it with the typical expectations of corduroy, one is surprised by its remarkable comfort.
Brunello Cucinelli also pays particular attention to the colours of his garments, drawing inspiration from the natural world for his colour palettes. The black corduroy I purchased is a distinctive shade of black from Brunello Cucinelli; you won’t find another black jacket quite like it.
While dark navy is the standard for blazers, pairing this one with matching trousers in a similar fabric creates a black-and-white ensemble that avoids excessive formality, achieving a relaxed yet polished style. Shooting by the sea made me realise it also lends itself to a nautical aesthetic.
I’ve paired this suit with a suitably faded Brunello Cucinelli Western shirt. This Western shirt isn’t made from denim fabric either; like a regular shirt, it’s crafted from a slightly thicker, exceptionally soft cotton twill fabric. Looking at photos of myself wearing this combination, it feels entirely natural. While one wouldn’t typically pair a black jacket with a blue shirt, this combination is remarkably cohesive and refined.
Thus, even before considering my own personal opinion, the style proposed by Brunello Cucinelli is exceptionally refined. The tolerance of each individual item to be combined in any manner means that even when building a collection of Brunello Cucinelli garments, there are no pieces that become unwearable. This, I believe, is precisely why the brand enjoys such a devoted following of repeat customers.
How to wear Brunello Cucinelli
As I favour vintage and Americana-style casual wear, I often combine Brunello Cucinelli pieces with my everyday vintage items. For slightly less formal occasions, this style suits me perfectly.My approach to clothing involves considering where and with whom I’ll be meeting. For instance, I wouldn’t wear the Brunello Cucinelli pieces featured here for a stroll around the neighbourhood (it would be a bit too much, frankly).
While Brunello Cucinelli is often called resort wear, in Japan, few people have a resort lifestyle like wealthy foreigners. Most wear it as urban attire, wouldn’t you agree?
For slightly formal occasions where a playful touch is acceptable – ceremonies, parties, or slightly upmarket dining – I adopt the style proposed by Brunello Cucinelli as mentioned above. (Such occasions are infrequent in daily life, so I do feel a touch self-conscious.)
For slightly more casual outings—such as shopping or a relaxed meal with my wife in bustling areas like Ginza or Omotesando—I won’t wear head-to-toe Brunello Cucinelli. Instead, I’ll pair the bottom with jeans like Levi’s or different innerwear. Brunello Cucinelli garments possess a remarkable tolerance that allows them to maintain their composure even in such relaxed combinations.
Below are a few photos showing how it can be worn. I’m afraid I’m no model, so they may not be very helpful, but I hope they give you a sense of the style.
Wearing example.
Details.
- Metal six-button closure
- Peaked lapel
- Slit pocket
- Ticket pocket and chest pocket
- Cuffs with true buttonholes and four metal buttons
- Cupro lining throughout
- Two buttoned inner pockets and pen pocket
- Side vents at back Drop 7
- 100% cotton
Combinations.
- Jacket: Brunello Cucinelli
- Western Shirt: Brunello Cucinelli
- 50s Corduroy Shirt
- Corduroy Trousers: Brunello Cucinelli
- Denim: Levi’s 501XX 1954
- 5-Pocket Cotton Trousers: Visvim
- Hat (Red): Brunello Cucinelli
- Hat (Grey): LEUCHTFEUE
- Watch: Rolex Day Date (1803 1969)
- Sunglasses: Oakley
- Belt: Brunello Cucinelli
- Shoes: Brunello Cucinelli Suede Penny Loafers
Conclusion.
The corduroy jacket introduced here became the catalyst for me wearing Brunello Cucinelli garments. This jacket served as a turning point, prompting me to rethink my previous approach to clothing.
It was the first time I had not only gone through the standard process of buying and wearing clothes, but also considered and resonated with the philosophy and ideas behind them. While I’d had a few intuitive understandings when wearing other brands in the past, Brunello Cucinelli was the first where I consciously thought about the reasons and felt convinced. This feeling stems more from the comfort and ease of movement than the styling, and is largely due to the high-quality materials and excellent craftsmanship.
Brunello Cucinelli’s stance – where the creators, without sparing effort or expense, prioritise the customer who will wear the product, yet deliberately refrain from flaunting this act, leaving evaluation to the product and service itself – embodies the truth of the once-trendy term “hospitality=Omote-Nashi”. I feel this philosophy is the very embodiment of true luxury.
Shop
My Brunello Cucinelli items are purchased at the Brunello Cucinelli Ginza store.
As I mentioned in my article on field jackets, it is a wonderful store not only for its products and stores, but also for the people involved.
For more information about the store, please refer to article on Field Jacket.
