Four months ago, Brunello Cucinelli launched an AI-powered e-commerce platform to give its users an interactive way of discovering the brand. Described as an intuitive experience that doesn’t require collecting personal data, it stands as one of the few brands in its league, taking a proud and unabashed stance towards a notorious form of technology, especially given the mainstream sentiment that regards AI as the ender of all things human. It also comes as a surprise, given that much of the brand’s appeal stems from its elusiveness, attributed to its rarity across digital and brick-and-mortar retailers. 

When its SS27 collection was unveiled at Milan Fashion Week, the initial impression was that it was impossibly laidback — so much so that it can only be attained by someone who is not afraid to put their finest linens to ride horses in a muddy field or traipse around in a foreign land. Materials like cotton, linen and suede are treated and distressed to appear weathered by constant wear and time. Compared to the sterile, non-human impression of AI, does the collection feel like a stark juxtaposition to the brand’s recent marketing effort? 

Seen through the plush, sun-soaked cable knits and leather that is lacquered with patina, it is impossible to ignore how much these designs bear the trace of the human touch, perhaps laced with memories, as well. But the question lies: why is there a need for Brunello Cucinelli to showcase their impeccably crafted garments in a way that already feels well-loved and worn? Is it a creative exercise to demonstrate the limits of the fabrications, or to demonstrate a seasoned state that its wearers can automatically achieve upon acquiring the piece? 

If the latter feels true, then it merely reflects the shifting idea of luxury. Right now, luxury is having the time that so many do not have access to. The time to accumulate experiences and letting them marinate to the point where they tint and shape our values. Buying a piece that already looks worn feels like a cop-out — performative, almost. Distressing is not new in fashion, but contextualised within a brand that champions craftsmanship and, by extension, the longevity of its pieces, one cannot help but wonder if these are more of a reaction rather than an outward statement.

This is not to say that Brunello Cucinelli has decided to forgo its core values of artisanship. In fact, given the impatience of wearers who are looking to venture beyond just a beautiful, immaculately crafted piece, but instead look to embody a seasoned wearer with an excess of time and resources, it has had to recontextualise what it is good at. Whether it is the near-instant responses given by an AI chatbot helping to build a summer suit or a pre-distressed leather jacket presented to evoke a well-travelled elite, impatience seems to be a common thread that weaves us together as we seek out experiences that put us two steps ahead of everyone else.

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