Given the fashion world’s current love affair with food, any label worth its salt knows that its cultural standing depends on more than just the runway. Italian heritage brand Trussardi anticipated the trend for style on a plate, a movement that’s recently prompted designers including Ralph Lauren and Marc Jacobs to pursue their own culinary projects. And so it was fitting that the label's 100-year anniversary culminated with a lavish five-course meal by chef Andrea Berton, director of the house's gastronomic temple Trussardi alla Scala. NOWNESS was among the 250 fashion world VIPs invited to partake in the feast, which followed a presentation of head designer Milan Vukmirovic’s autumn/winter 2011-12 men’s line, staged at Florence’s historic train station, Stazione Leopolda. Berton created the menu to reflect the brand’s core values, with up-to-date reworkings of classics: sphere of aubergine "alla parmigiana," risotto alla Milanese with Osso Buco medallions, and tiramisu finished with a cocoa-coffee slide. Over dinner, Trussardi Group President and CEO Beatrice Trussardi articulated the company's holistic aspirations: “Through excellence it is possible to produce culture in any field––from fashion to design, from art to food.” To see the full menu, click here.

To read an interview with chef Andrea Berton talking about dishes with memories, visit our Facebook page.