If TikTok trends are anything to go by, then cottagecore is certainly one aesthetic that has won the hearts of digital natives. If you’re new to the term, think prairie dresses and chunky knits backdropped against idyllic pastures and, well, cottages. The hashtag #cottagecore has garnered over 818,000 posts on Instagram alone. But behind any Internet trend lies a longtime player who has been way ahead of the curve. Case in point: Brunello Cucinelli’s Opera range of handcrafted sweaters for autumn/winter 2020 tapped into this very idea of rural domesticity, long before it gained traction as a hashtag.
The Italian label is no stranger to comfort and cosiness—it is also behind the uniforms of tech titans: Steve Jobs’ iconic black turtlenecks and Mark Zuckerburg’s grey t-shirts hail from Brunello Cucinelli. But the brand’s Opera knits are where Cucinelli’s love for craft and detail shine. Each sweater takes up to 32 hours to be hand-knitted and crocheted with yarn, hemp, cotton and linen. And in true cottagecore fashion, the pieces resemble the moss and lichen-covered rocks one would find wandering in a lush forest.
Drawing inspiration from the Umbrian countryside—best known as Italy’s green heart and for its foraged truffles and wines—the knitwear range also references Umbria’s history with knitting. The beauty of an Opera knitted piece lies in its texture and blend of natural materials, very much in line with cottagecore’s appreciation of nature and gentle escapism.
Discover Brunello Cucinelli’s full range of Opera knitwear below.
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