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A vision draped in cashmere
A recently-released movie about the life of Italian entrepreneur Brunello Cucinelli is aptly called, “The Gracious Visionary” (Il Visionario Garbato). It is directed by Oscar-winning director Giuseppe Tornatore and describes how a poor engineering school dropout from Perugia, in Italy’s Umbria region, created a billion-dollar enterprise in a tiny village about 14 kilometers (roughly 10.5 miles) southwest of Perugia.
The roots of that village, Solomeo, can be traced back to Etruscan times and are documented from around 700 BCE. Etruscan relics have been found in the area, and the Etruscan deity “Lumm” was apparently honoured by the inhabitants, so the name is believed to be a derivation of “San Lume”.
An excellent time to visit is the 10-day period between late July and early August for the annual Renaissance Fair. This is when Solomeo brings history to life. For ten days, the handful of streets in this dollhouse village (population: 500) are crowded with more than 15,000 visitors from elsewhere in Italy and from abroad. Street performers in costume animate every angle, craftspeople ply local wares ranging from edibles to wearables, and every evening a banquet is served outdoors on rough-hewn wooden tables by locals in Renaissance attire. Almost every visitor to the fair winds up enjoying at least one evening meal. The food and wine are rigorously Umbrian, with the…
