From the fashion-conscious Medici family who sported extravagant velvet, ribbons and jewels to 20th century icons like Jackie Kennedy and Audrey Hepburn who donned ensembles by Valentino, Italy and fashion have been nearly synonymous. The Villanova University Italian Studies program in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, directed by Luca Cottini, PhD, presents its fifth annual Italian lecture series, “Italian Fashion and the Pursuit of Beauty,” evaluating the intersection of art, fashion and beauty.