LILA CASTELLANETA, What do you think
has given Zegna so much staying power in
the notoriously fi ckle fashion industry?
ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA, We control
every aspect of the production process
from the best raw materials to creating
our fabrics. I think this has enabled
us to maintain steady growth and
innovation without being subject to
fashion trends.
LC, Your new Tysons Galleria boutique
is the fi rst Zegna shop in the Washington
area. What attracted you
to the region?
GZ, We have had our
eyes on the D.C. area for
a while and we thought that the
development of Tysons Galleria
was the best opportunity.
We are expecting a
very eclectic and
i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y
minded customer.
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LC1 You represent the third generation running
the family business. Does that have a signifi cant
meaning for you?
GZ1 Yes, very much so. My grandfather,
Ermenegildo, started the company in 1910
in Trivero, a small town in the Biella Alps. He
focused on selection of the best raw materials
and innovation in creativity, the production
process, and the promotion of the brand.
My uncle, Aldo, and my father, Angelo,
took over management of the company
in the ’60s, leading the ready-to-wear
business into high-end markets. In the
’80s, our vertical integration process
was completed with the opening of
our fi rst boutique. With today’s
third generation, led by my
cousin, Paolo Zegna, as
chairman and myself,
as CEO, we have over
550 stores worldwide.
We are very proud of
Collections from
Ermenegildo Zegna and
Zegna Sport are both
available at Ermenegildo
Zegna, Tysons Galleria,
Va., 571-730-1900.
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our heritage.
LC1 Where do you envision the brand
in ten years?
GZ1 Starting in 2010, we will celebrate
our 100-year anniversary, and the
current expansion of our retail presence
is a key element to increasing sales and
global brand awareness.
LC1 What is the interplay between
the house of Zegna and your more
adventurous Z Zegna collection?
GZ1 Ermenegildo Zegna is pure sartorial
luxury. Z Zegna and Zegna Sport are
our accessible luxury collection, the
former more fashionable and the latter
more active sportswear oriented.
LC1 Describe the ideally well-dressed man.
GZ1 The Zegna man is always discreet in his
uniqueness and elegance, and he greatly values
high quality product; yet, his confi dence comes
from being comfortable in how he presents
himself. Personality comes fi rst.
LC1 Does history play in the creative process
at Zegna?
GZ1 Yes, it does. We have one of the richest
archival textile collections in all of Italy, and
each season we draw inspiration from different
pieces from within in the archive.
LC1 What are some of the strongest trends in
menswear this spring?
GZ1 Spring/Summer 2008 is all about a clean
silhouette, light and airy fabrics and also
innovation in design. Our company is very
environmentally conscious. It is in that spirit
that we created the Solar Jacket – the world’s
fi rst luxury jacket that can recharge a mobile
phone, iPod or handheld communication
device, by harnessing the sun’s energy
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