A billionaire fashion mogul is facing some serious questions about where he puts his hands.
Brunello Cucinelli, whose name is synonymous with luxury Italian cashmere, was slammed for his interaction with Chinese actress Liu Tao.
“Why can’t they keep their hands to themselves?” one asked after a video of their interaction went viral.
Billionaire Brunello Cucinelli was accused of inappropriate touching during a Shanghai premiere
The alleged incident took place at the premiere of Brunello: The Gracious Visionary, a biographical film about the 73-year-old designer’s life and career.
The event was held in Shanghai on October 22.
Actress Liu Tao, 48, was seen wearing a sleeveless dress as she stood beside the fashion billionaire.
While Cucinelli posed for photographs with Liu, he firmly held the inside of her arm before pulling her closer to him.
He then placed his hand near the center of her chest, prompting criticism that the physical contact was unnecessary.
Many believed the move made the actress extremely uncomfortable.
The actress maintained a smile throughout the photo session.
However, reports claimed she was later seen leaving the venue with a tense expression.
A video capturing the interaction went viral on Chinese social media, including Weibo (regarded as the Asian country’s equivalent of Twitter).
Chinese social media users were furious, saying the billionaire crossed the line with Liu Tao
Chinese social media users were furious, saying the billionaire had crossed a line.
“Liu Tao was brutally grop*d on the chest. This foreigner’s hand went straight for a grab at her breast,” one commented online. “With so many cameras on site, why didn’t Liu Tao fight back? Because this foreigner is the founder of Brunello Cucinelli, and she couldn’t afford to offend him.”
Another wrote, “This is suspected s**ual harassment and completely inappropriate. Cultural differences are no excuse. Please respond publicly.”
“Seems like there’s a deeper story there regarding him and this type of behavior,” said another.
Selvaggia Lucarelli, an Italian television personality, writer and blogger, also tweeted about the interaction on X.
“To promote his brand in Shanghai, Brunello Cucinelli has ended up at the center of heated controversies on social media and in the press over his physical contacts with Eastern actresses and athletes, deemed inappropriate,” read the translation of her tweet, originally written in Italian. “In China, the criticisms are very, very harsh, and the videos are going viral. In Italy, of course, all is silent.”
Responses to her tweet seemed problematic, with one user writing in Italian, “And thank goodness everything’s quiet! What the f*** should we care about it?”
Another seemed to agree, asking: “But why in Italy should we talk about this thing?”
“Hahahaha, what did you think, that we were respectful?” read another comment written in Italian.
Liu Tao wasn’t the only celebrity to have an awkward encounter with Cucinelli at the same event
At the same Shanghai premiere, Cucinelli drew attention for his interaction with Chinese actress Chen Duling as well.
Images and clips shared online showed him with an arm around her waist, appearing to touch her as he adjusted her dress.
The incident brought renewed attention to the fashion designer’s previous interactions with women in recent months.
The Shanghai incident wasn’t the first time Cucinelli’s interactions with female stars raised eyebrows
Cucinelli was criticized after meeting with South Korean actress Kim You-jung during the Hong Kong premiere of his documentary in September.
At the time, the designer was photographed standing close to the 26-year-old actress with his arm around her waist.
The footage attracted criticism online, with viewers questioning whether the gesture was appropriate.
His encounter with Olympic freestyle skiing champion Eileen Gu also came under scrutiny.
During Milan Fashion Week in February, Cucinelli was seen holding Gu’s arm as they stood together for photographs.
He then took the Olympic champion’s left hand in both of his hands and raised it in the air.
The athlete appeared to pull her hand away.
The Italian designer’s documentary is meant to be a “message of hope,” his daughter said
The Brunello: The Gracious Visionary documentary was directed by Giuseppe Tornatore, who also made the Oscar-winning film Cinema Paradiso.
Not only does the film narrate Cucinelli’s story but also that of his daughters, Carolina, vice president and co-creative director of the brand, and Camilla, the vice president and co-head women’s creative director.
The film also captures the pivotal role his wife Federica played in building the brand.
“Our father wanted the movie because although he had written a book, he felt the movie would reach a wider, younger audience,” Camilla told Elle in March.
“He wanted to convey this message about the philosophy that our company is rooted in.…It is a message of hope, of believing in one’s dreams.”
“It’s a superiority complex that leads to obviously inappropriate actions,” one commented online
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