Since September 2016, Stefano Gaudioso Tramonte has been playing a crucial role at the helm of Corneliani. That said, he hasn’t had his hands on the tiller in the way one might assume. He’s not the creative director or the art director, nor is he the managing director or even the C.E.O. Instead, he resides as the Italian heritage brand’s Style Director, though his position goes far beyond shaping the house style. It’s an unusual role in the sense that it demands both sides of the psyche. For many of us, the ability to utilise both sides of the brain — the creative and the analytical — and perform at a high level is a function that’s simply not possible. Still, Tramonte’s new role is providing dividends, and it could become the blueprint for other luxury houses to copy.
The last few seasons at Corneliani have seen dramatic yet cautious changes, to critical acclaim. They launched an impressive new e-commerce site with an emphasis on storytelling and an engaging consumer experience, something The Rake admires. They also rebranded the look of their merchandise and retail stores, and even restructured the spine of the company to be as efficient as possible. Corneliani comes from a classical menswear background, whereby it originally produced sartorial rainwear and jacketing. However, times have changed, and it’s now more than fit for the modern world in terms of aesthetic and style, and this can be ascribed to Tramonte’s vigour.
I joined Corneliani in September 2016, with the C.E.O. Paolo Roviera. I worked with him at Ermenegildo Zegna for many years. At the time, my position didn’t exist in the market. It’s a strange combination because it’s kind of like a general manager role as well as being the style director. I’m not a creative director, though, as I have a design studio working with me.
