Solomei AI and the new site are, in a way, the result of that. The site was created by a group of dedicated researchers in the fields of mathematics, engineering, art and philosophy, with Hoffman providing feedback. “He was actually the first to see it,” says Francesco Bottiliello, head of humanistic technologies at Brunello Cucinelli, who took over in April 2023. “He told us two things: 'First, it's very new. We've never seen anything like this. Second, move fast.' That's why we said we'd launch it in mid-July, even if it was 95% ready, even if it was in beta.”
Brunello Cucinelli, a brand that specializes in high-touch luxury goods like fine cashmere, lambskin and wool, emphasizes the human element of its AI products. The company describes AI as “humanoid artificial intelligence” and announced that the project “brings out the best qualities of both.” The sophisticated approach to AI is fitting, as customers who buy its $4,000 blazers and $10,000 shearling ponchos are looking for something tactile. The brand is resonating amid a quiet luxury boom; it hit its 1 billion euro goal in January and is a favorite among Silicon Valley techies, who have integrated Brunello Cucinelli into their uniforms.
“The idea is to combine human talent with the power of artificial intelligence,” Bottigliello says. “We envisioned a new generation of websites that ditch the page and offer visitors a live experience.” Cucinelli led a demo onstage, asking questions like, “What is humane capitalism? What does human sustainability mean to Brunello?” (The AI-generated answer to the latter question read, in part, “His philosophy is rooted in a deep respect for creation and human dignity, and he believes that sustainability should go beyond just environmental issues and include cultural, spiritual and moral dimensions.”)
Fashion brands such as Zegna are already experimenting with AI-powered shopping recommendations. Brunello Cucinelli's team plans to blend AI tools with e-commerce within a year. AI can help generate outfit combination ideas, for example. Bottigliello presents potential customers with a prompt like this: “I have an important business meeting. I have a blue blazer from Brunello Cucinelli. What shirt should I wear with it?”
“In that case, we'll switch over to the e-commerce site and provide advice and create a product listing page,” he said, noting that an AI-generated look doesn't mean an AI-generated image: “We like real photos.”
So why bet on AI? “The first reason is to make sure that everyone I work with is not afraid of AI,” Cucinelli says. “People for the next 500 years will remember this century because of AI.”
“[The site] “It's a starting point,” said Carolina Cucinelli, Brunello's daughter and the company's executive director and vice president. Vogue Business After the meeting.
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