Corneliani opens Fall Winter 2026 by naming its collection The Gentle Man, a concept that shapes the season before a single garment appears. The idea defines elegance as behavior as much as appearance, with clothing shaped by posture, gesture, and attitude.
The presentation unfolds in the courtyard of the Via Durini palace and adopts the structure of cinema. Conceived as a film in three acts, the show begins with a short film titled The Gentle Man, assembled through Artificial Intelligence as a sequence of memories rather than a linear narrative. Images move between moments both public and private: the flicker of a projector, applause echoing in darkness, signs of achievement, a child’s quiet amazement, small gestures exchanged between friends, a hand resting on a shoulder, a father and son facing the sea, and solitary pauses within nature.
As the film concludes, the boundary between screen and runway dissolves. Models emerge into a space arranged like a cinema, complete with vintage seating. The walk unfolds beneath rolling end credits that list, every individual involved in the brand’s work.
Cinema continues to inform the clothes themselves. Corneliani treats tailoring as a visual language capable of expressing memory, emotion, and masculinity without display. The result reads as a portrait of the contemporary man, composed and attentive, with garments designed to support presence.
Construction favors softness while clean lines preserve definition across oversized proportions and linear cuts. Volume appears with control, allowing pieces to move naturally without excess. The balance between ease and structure shapes the collection’s rhythm from look to look.
Double-breasted coats with raglan shoulders pair with straight-leg or tapered trousers, some finished with triple pleats and higher rises that recall mid-century tailoring. Jackets transition into peacoats suited for outdoor wear and cropped bombers defined by graphic stitching, double collars, and dual closures. A collarless jacket with rounded hems introduces a subtle shift in form, offering a new interpretation of established tailoring codes.
Wool, pure cashmere, cashmere blends, and alpaca yarns provide substance and surface depth. Trench coats in double-twisted cotton reveal bonded Glen Plaid linings, while nubuck and Nappa leathers appear with a firmer hand. Knitwear contributes embossed surfaces and mélange tones that add quiet complexity without visual overload.
Greys, browns, and blues establish a steady foundation, softened by beige and lichen tones that lighten the palette without disrupting its restraint. Accessories extend the same approach. Travel bags, slim-sole boots, square-toed lace-up shoes, and extra-long belts designed to wrap twice complete the wardrobe with clarity and purpose.
