Ponzano, September 6^th, 2011 – The emotions each colour gives, the cosiness of wool, a warm embrace: these are all feelings that unite the human kind and are expressed in a new art form in line with its time.  The Lana Sutra isa series of 15 installations conceived as a homage to love and dedicated to the desire for an equal and sharing society. The show will be unveiled by Benetton to the international media and the fashion community on September 6^th, opening in three cities simultaneously – Istanbul, Milan, and Munich. It will also be on display in the company’s digital shop-window at Benetton Live Windows, with web streaming all over the world.

According to Alessandro Benetton, Executive Deputy Chairman of the Group: “We have conceived a project which would combine both traditional and new values of Benetton, such as the uniqueness and authenticity of our fashions, our love of art, the constantly evolving nature of our retail business, our interest in the web and in the new geography of our world. These are metaphorically held together by wool threads in bright colours: two key element of Benetton’s DNA, which are blended together in these art pieces to become a true expression of our brand’s essence.  With this project, which has been conceived and developed in harmony with our new Fall-Winter 2011 collection, we are highlighting  the uniqueness and global values associated with United Colors of Benetton: an all-encompassing brand whose fashion, unites, with a truthful voice, people, points of view and themes that touch the whole of humanity.”  

Following the acclamation obtained with the first installation, the “Position of the Tiger”, displayed at the Italian Pavilion during the 54th International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale, the other 14 art pieces, created by the young Cuban artist, Erik Ravelo of “Fabrica”, will be on display for a week in the Benetton concept store in Bagdat Street, Istanbul, in the megastore in Corso Vittorio Emanuele, in Milan, as well as in the Munich store, situated at 15 Kaufingerstrasse. These will convert into art galleries, highlighting, once again the traditional affinity between Benetton and the world of artistic expression. In Istanbul, in particular, the Lana Sutra will be part of the calendar of events for the Art Biennale. Subsequently, the exhibition of Ravelo’s work will later travel to various Benetton stores throughout the world.

The Lana Sutra is the result of Ravelo’s reflections on the meaning of Kamasutra (kama, pleasure;sutra, a thread which unites). Each installation is made of two plaster sculptures: two bodies embracing and covered in woollen threads in various colours, chosen from the key tonalities present in the United Colors of Benetton Fall-Winter collection, currently available in the stores.  The points where the two entities meet and where the colours merge into each other, is yet again a way to symbolise how love can cancel differences and bind humanity as one.

The Lana Sutra will also have its own special soundtrack: a theme created and composed especially for the occasion by Francesco Novara, a musician working at “Fabrica”. The music can be downloaded from the internet, and will form part of the innovative Benetton C.D. series for Autumn/Winter 2011.

Lana Sutra will be visible on the Benetton pages of Facebook and Twitter, by means of specially created applications. The blogging community will be able to contribute by creating original posts dedicated to the theme of the event.

Starting from the Lana Sutra, a special edition of Colors Magazine is in the works, entitled COLORS LOVE, an issue totally dedicated to those differences which are overcome in the name of love. There will also be a special online project, where couples can narrate their personal stories and experiences.