Fashion was law in medieval Italy. What you wore really did identify who you were in the hierarchy. How those signals were combined and transformed into modern Italian design is one of the subjects of this exhibition at the Cleveland Museum of Art. The show also draws parallels between Italy’s houses of ancient patronage—Medici, Borgia, Sforza—and contemporary Italian fashion houses such as Versace, Valentino, and Ferragamo. With over 100 modern Italian garments and accessories placed in dialogue with Italian decorative arts and textiles from the 15th to 17th centuries, “Renaissance to Runway” celebrates the rich creativity of Italian civilization. —Frankie Budworth