Brunello Cucinelli Belts: Styles, Sizing and How to Wear Them

A Brunello Cucinelli belt is a leather belt made in Italy and sold in letter sizes from XXS to XXL, and this season at Luxury Handbags the range runs from braided leather and soft suede to vachetta and vintage-effect leather finished with monili, the house bead chains. Every style is in our designer belts edit.

Why buy a Brunello Cucinelli belt?

A belt does more work than almost anything else in a wardrobe, and it is the part of an outfit that most often gives away a cheap shortcut. Brunello Cucinelli treats it as seriously as a jacket. The house was founded in 1978 in Umbria and makes its products entirely in Italy, and every belt in this delivery is leather: smooth, braided, carved, hammered, suede and vachetta.

What sets them apart is the finish. Several styles carry monili, the fine chains of shiny metal beads that the house sews along lapels, cuffs, straps, belt loops and buckles. It is a small detail that catches the light without turning into a logo. If you are new to the term, our guide to Brunello Cucinelli jewelry explains monili and the Gemmae silver line together. For the bigger picture of how belts work across designers, read designer belts for women.

The belts in this delivery

All twenty styles are women’s belts sized XXS to XXL. Compositions are from the product labels.

Braided leather belts

A braided belt is the most relaxed shape in the range and the easiest to wear with denim. The Braided leather belt in Brown is all leather, a warm mid brown that sits well with blue jeans, ecru and grey flannel. The Braided leather belt in Light Grey is the quieter choice for a pale palette.

The Braided leather belt in Black is a different build. Its label lists 70% leather with viscose and rubber, which gives it some give, and that makes it comfortable over a knit dress and high-waisted trousers you sit in all day.

Belts with monili

These are the belts people ask for by name. The Vachetta belt with monili in Brown is smooth leather finished with the bead chains, so the shine is small and controlled. It is the belt I would buy first: it goes with tailoring, with jeans and over a long cardigan. The same belt comes in Black.

In suede, the Suede belt with monili in Caramel is softer and warmer in tone. It pairs naturally with the house’s suede boots, such as the Suede Biker Boots with monili in Caramel, if you want shoes and belt to match. For black, the Vintage-effect leather belt with monili in Black has a worn-in surface that keeps it from looking too formal.

Suede and textured leathers

Plain suede belts are the quietest in the edit. The Suede belt in Light Grey almost disappears against grey flannel, which is the point: it finishes a waist without breaking the line. The suede styles with a shiny loop add one small bright detail where the end of the belt tucks in.

The textured leathers give you something closer to a statement. The Lizard-effect calfskin belt in Burgundy brings in the season’s one deeper accent colour, and the Glossy hammered calfskin belt in Brown has a polished, dimpled surface that works with evening tailoring.

Brunello Cucinelli belt size chart

Brunello Cucinelli sells its belts in letter sizes on the same scale it uses for clothing. The simplest rule is to choose the letter that matches the size you take in the house’s trousers. The conversion below follows the house chart in our Brunello Cucinelli size guide.

Two practical notes. If you plan to wear the belt on the hip with low-rise jeans, also over a coat, go one size up. If you are between sizes in a stiff leather, the larger size is easier to live with, since you can always use a tighter hole. A braided belt has no holes at all, so the prong goes through the weave wherever it fits.

How to wear a Brunello Cucinelli belt

• With wide trousers. A slim brown belt at the natural waist of Flannel pleated barrel trousers in Stone Grey gives the pleats a clean starting point. Tuck in a fine knit.
• With jeans. Braided leather, worn through the loops of straight jeans, with a white shirt and loafers.
• Over knitwear. A monili belt over a long cardigan turns it into an outer layer. Look through our cardigans for the right length.
• Over a coat. Suede over a wool coat looks softer than leather and holds the shape of the coat at the waist.

Match the leather to your shoes when you can: brown with brown, black with black, suede with suede. Mixing shades of brown is fine as long as they sit close together. You will find every pair of Brunello Cucinelli shoes we stock in our designer shoes edit.

Looking after a leather belt

Rest a belt between wears so the leather can recover its shape, and store it flat and loosely rolled instead of hanging it from the buckle. Wipe smooth leather with a dry soft cloth. Suede needs a suede brush and should stay away from rain where possible. Keep monili hardware dry and give it a gentle wipe after wearing. For a small leather piece to go with it, see our guide to Brunello Cucinelli wallets and card holders, and for gifting ideas, the Brunello Cucinelli gift guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size belt should I buy in Brunello Cucinelli?

Choose the letter size that matches the size you take in Brunello Cucinelli trousers. An S belt sits with an Italian 40, which is a UK 8. Go one size up if you will wear it on the hip.

What are monili on a Brunello Cucinelli belt?

Monili are the fine chains of shiny metal beads that Brunello Cucinelli sews along lapels, cuffs, straps, belt loops and buckles. On a belt they add a small line of light.

What sizes do Brunello Cucinelli belts come in?

The women’s belts we stock come in letter sizes from XXS to XXL.

Are Brunello Cucinelli belts real leather?

Yes. Every belt in this delivery is leather, including suede, calfskin and vachetta. The stretch braided styles blend leather with viscose and rubber.

Where are Brunello Cucinelli belts made?

In Italy. Brunello Cucinelli makes its products entirely in Italy, mostly in Umbria.