CORNELIANI MEN’S COLLECTION FALL WINTER 2013 – MILANO FASHION WEEK

Fusion style
“What is contemporary style if not a fusion of feelings, places and memories? Corneliani was founded in Mantua over 50 years ago, and this town steeped in art and culture has been a source of inspiration for the whole collection,” explains Sergio Corneliani, the company’s creative director. “Not least the staging by Marzia Migliora, an extraordinary artist who has brought a contemporary twist to the misty landscapes and leaden skies of our autumn seasons. The landscape appears in the background of Andrea Mantegna’s 1462 painting, now on display in the Prado. In the painting one can make out the San Giorgio bridge, which crosses the lagoon around Mantua; to the sides there is an expanse of water lilies, which the artist has reinterpreted with an installation of over 400 leaves made from lead sheet. Her staging symbolises perfectly the link between the past and the present both in art and fashion. After all, today we simply cannot do without the tailored cut of elegant Italian style, the comfort of sportswear, technological fabrics and that touch of flamboyance which makes each look individual. To me, this is fashion fusion.”
And now to the collection: shapes are pared down to the max in the tailored suits, with tapered trousers and soft, light, longer jackets. Colours range from anthracite grey to camel and neutrals to garnet red, a homage to Renaissance decoration. The coats in soft, snug alpaca are decidedly over- sized. Comfortable sportswear is the inspiration for the pea jackets, which feature a double revers in contrasting materials: leather and suede, nappa and bouclé jersey.
Even the classic biker jacket is reworked with a stylish twist and finished off with suede trimming.
In the panel-structured jackets there are plays on inserts and contrasting fabrics.
The strength of the collection lies in knitwear, a symbol of tradition and technological innovation. It is decorated with an interlinked rings motif inspired by the frescoes of the “Bridal Chamber” in Mantua’s Ducal Palace, hand-embroidered, coloured or embellished with ultra-light leather laces. High-tech performance is the byword for the needle-felted pullovers, which blend wool and nappa to create sophisticated geometrical inlays.
The collection’s must-have item is a knitted jacket for both daytime and the evening, cinched at the waist and inspired by a cosy smoking jacket, redesigned here with a sophisticated new look.
For evenings, a black nappa and alpaca blazer is perfect for dandies who never take themselves too seriously!