Corti by Manuel Canovas: A New Vision for Outdoor Living
Outdoor spaces are no longer considered merely an extension of the home, but true living environments to be designed and enjoyed with the same care devoted to interiors. With Corti, Manuel Canovas’ new indoor/outdoor collection, this transformation finds one of its most vibrant and sophisticated expressions.
Presented among the brand’s new releases for 2026, Corti brings together technical performance, decorative richness and the unmistakable sensitivity to colour that has always defined the French maison. Motifs inspired by distant cultures sit alongside geometric patterns, stripes and more understated textures, creating an exceptionally versatile collection that can be incorporated into a wide range of projects.
Ness is perhaps the collection’s most dramatic design. Mythological aquatic creatures, inspired by antique East Asian textiles, emerge through rich, highly textured weaves. Panama, meanwhile, transforms vegetation into an expansive botanical narrative, animated by luxuriant foliage and multicoloured blooms. These fabrics are capable of becoming the focal point of a veranda, conservatory or living room overlooking the garden.
More graphic and playful, Corti features an irregular, sinuous line that flows across the surface, creating rhythm and movement. Zila, on the other hand, draws inspiration from the geometry of Moroccan tiles, translating it into a structured yet dynamic pattern that is ideal for seating, cushions and smaller upholstered pieces.
The collection is completed by fabrics designed to create balance. Roya recalls the woven seats of traditional Parisian café chairs, while Ortigia features a small-scale geometric pattern with a subtly ribbed surface. The broad stripe of Piana introduces a relaxed, sun-filled elegance, perfect for loungers, sofas and outdoor curtains. Finally, the soft and fluid plain fabric Malo provides a link between the more expressive designs through a broad and natural colour palette.
The most compelling aspect of Corti is its ability to move beyond the traditional distinction between technical and decorative fabrics. High-performance fibres take on a natural appearance, offering a pleasant feel and remarkable depth while retaining durability, lightfastness and the qualities required for even the most frequently used spaces. Many of the fabrics also achieve abrasion-resistance ratings suitable for intensive and contract use.
Corti therefore invites us to design terraces, poolside areas and gardens using the same visual language as interiors, creating a sense of continuity between inside and out. At the same time, it opens up the opposite possibility: bringing outdoor fabrics into the home for sofas, armchairs and everyday seating, particularly when the aim is to find a solution that is refined, durable and easy to live with.
With this collection, Manuel Canovas demonstrates that performance does not need to be immediately visible: it can remain concealed within a soft weave, a luminous colour or an unexpected motif. The result is an outdoor aesthetic that feels elegant, free-spirited and distinctly contemporary.
