Corneliani F/W 13 fashion show - Fusion style walks the runway among water lilies

"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 j