Italian fashion designer and businessman Brunello Cucinelli faced criticism from social media users after a video uploaded on 29 October showed him touching Chinese actress Liu Tao while the two posed for photographs at a Shanghai event.
The appearance took place on Oct. 22, 2026, in Shanghai during an event associated with the premiere of Brunello: The Gracious Visionary, a film about Cucinelli's life. Footage of the photo opportunity prompted viewers to question how the designer positioned his hands while standing beside the actress.
The video shows Cucinelli standing close to Liu and touching her shoulders and arms during the photographs. Some viewers alleged that his hand moved towards Liu's chest and waist. Those descriptions reflect interpretations of the footage, which does not establish his intentions or whether Liu considered any contact unwelcome.
Luxury brand founder Brunello Cucinelli faces backlash over alleged inappropriate touching of actress Liu Tao at a #Shanghai event. #LiuTao #EntertainmentNews
Posted by Stomp on Thursday, October 29, 2026
Shanghai Footage Sparks Criticism
Liu was photographed alongside Cucinelli as cameras captured the pair at the Shanghai event. In the clips being discussed online, she smiles and appears to adjust her position during the photographs, and walked away from Cucinelli when the alleged inapproriate touching happened..
Social media users questioned the designer's physical contact with Liu, with some characterising the gestures as inappropriate. Other commenters urged caution about drawing conclusions from short recordings of a public appearance. The criticism was discussed on Chinese social media, including Weibo, as well as in posts shared beyond China.
The material circulating online includes excerpts of a posed encounter. It does not provide a complete account of what the two said to each other before, during or after the photographs. Liu has not been shown in the available reporting to have publicly described the interaction as harassment.
Posts discussing the footage also drew attention to the way Cucinelli stood beside other guests at the same Shanghai event. The separate photographs do not establish that those guests experienced the contact in the same way.
Chen Duling And Kim Yoo-jung Appear In Separate Footage
Meanwhile, Chinese actress Chen Duling also appeared in photographs with Cucinelli at the Shanghai event. Social media users questioned his physical contact with Chen after viewing images in which he appeared to stand with an arm around her waist.
Separate video featuring South Korean actress Kim Yoo-jung was also discussed online following a Hong Kong appearance on Oct. 24, 2026, associated with the premiere of Brunello: The Gracious Visionary. The footage appeared to show Cucinelli placing a hand on Kim's back or waist as they posed for photographs.
The Shanghai and Hong Kong material shows different public appearances involving different guests. Neither the still images nor the short videos establishes a pattern of misconduct, and Cucinelli does not have any history of inappropriate behavior with women in the past.
Olympic skier Eileen Gu was also mentioned in some online discussion of the designer's appearances. Such references should not be taken to mean that she made an allegation, or that photographs involving her establish the same conduct described by critics of the Liu footage.
The videos show portions of the encounters, but do not reveal the participants' private conversations or intentions. Any description of the contact as harassment or inappropriate touching is an allegation made by commenters, rather than a conclusion supported by a statement from the actresses or a formal investigation.
Film Premieres Put Designer In The Spotlight
Cucinelli founded his fashion house in 1978, initially building the business around cashmere garments. The Italian label later expanded into luxury clothing and accessories and became associated with understated tailoring and knitwear.
The controversy emerged during a series of Asian premiere events for Brunello: The Gracious Visionary, directed by Giuseppe Tornatore. The film traces the businessman's life and career, while the accompanying appearances brought the designer together with figures from fashion and entertainment.
As of 30 October, none of the three actresses had publicly accused Cucinelli of misconduct in connection with the circulating footage, based on the reports reviewed for this article. Their views on the interactions have not been independently established, and the available footage did not establish whether they considered the contact unwelcome.
Neither Cucinelli nor his company had issued a publicly-reported response addressing the specific criticism as of 30 October.
