Zegna

Summary

Founded in 1910 and based in Trivero, Italy, Ermenegildo Zegna N.V. designs, manufactures, markets and distributes luxury menswear, footwear, leather goods and fashion accessories. Ermenegildo Zegna N.V. is a subsidiary of Monterubello Societa Semplice.

History

“Our road from sheep to shop,  has always been woven with enduring style. With over 110 years of innovation we remain rooted in tomorrow.” This pretty much describes luxury menswear brand Zegna’s ethos which remains rooted in Italian heritage while adapting to current trends to remain relevant today.

The brand history is quite fascinating. In 1889 Angelo Zegna– a watchmaker- went into the wool trade with just four looms. It remained for his tenth child Ermenegildo to take the reins of the business and transform the poor, isolated town of Trivero, at the base of the Alps, into a thriving industrial center in 1910. There was no looking back. From these humble beginnings, the eighteen year old boy began using the looms to create quality fabrics that he would often describe as “the most beautiful in the world”. In 1915 the company was renamed Fratelli Zegna di Angelo.

Zegna’s vision was to create high-quality fabrics so he began to source wool directly from Mongolia, Australia and South Africa, and also bought modern machinery from England. It was a win:win strategy. In the late Twenties, the Lanificio wool mill employed more than seven hundred workers. In 1938, the company began to export fabrics to the US through its subsidiary “Zegna Woollens Corporation” in New York City.

In 1942 Ermenegildo’s sons Aldo and Angelo joined the company which was then renamed Ermenegildo Zegna and Sons. The boys took over the reins in the mid-Sixties and under their guidance, the brand expanded its business to ready-made suits and also established new plants and distribution networks overseas. In 1968 the first factory producing sleeve-units and trousers opened in Novara, followed by openings in Spain, Greece, and Switzerland. Sales and marketing departments were also established in France, Germany, the U.K., and the U.S. In 1972, Zegna launched its made-to-measure service: Su Misura.

“The DNA is surely high-quality products with strong ingredients of innovation in what it represents in terms of performance, in terms of style, and a capacity to put the pieces together. You can tell a Zegna wardrobe by the look and that is what Italian style is about. And we go from sheep to shop and shop to screen, in which we control the entire process from industry to product to store management and to the online future that we’ve brought around the world” Ermenegildo Zegna told Forbes.

Zegna’s attention to wool quality continued through the decades as the company established “The Wool Awards” in Australia in 1963 and “Mohair Trophy” in South Africa in 1970.  The international development strategy run by the brothers led to the opening of the first boutique in Paris in 1980 followed by Milan in 1985. In 1991 Zegna became the first luxury label to open a store in China. During the Nineties Angelo’s son- and namesake of the company’s founder- Ermenegildo “Gildo” Zegna became CEO and his cousin Paolo was appointed Chairman. Under them, the company began a strategy of brand extension and verticalization. In 1991 Zegna was the first luxury fashion brand to enter China with a flagship in Beijing and one of the first to access the Indian market. In 2008, the Group established its new headquarters in Milan.

Zegna has always stayed ahead of the curve to remain relevant. Per BoF Creative Director “Alessandro Sartori sustains his vision of fusing the performance and speed of sports with refinement, attention to detail and precious fabrications of couture tailoring. Turning his atelier into a lab yet keeping the humanity and warmth of craft, he made a effort to devise a new species of clothing: sartorial breeds stemming from the seamless morphing of opposite worlds..”

Moreover, a large number of acquisitions and partnerships were signed since the late Nineties till date. When Zegna started looking beyond its traditional area of textiles, ready-to-wear and made-to-measure suits.. it took over the luxury leather maker Longhi and set up a joint venture with Salvatore Ferragamo to make shoes and other leather goods. Its accessories portfolio has since expanded to include fragrances, eyewear, underwear, sneakers, watches (in collaboration with Girard-Perregaux) and pens (in partnership with Omas). In 2003 it launched the trendier Z Zegna line targeted at a younger set of customers. Lately, it partnered with Maserati to produce a hundred custom made Quattroporte sedans with the interiors reflecting the brand’s signature designs and motifs.

In 2014 Zegna acquired the majority of Achill- an Australian wool farm with about 12,500 sheep in its flock. In 2016 the Group acquired a majority stake in Bonotto- a high-end textile manufacturer based in Molvena, Vicenza, Italy. Two years later Zegna – through its subsidiary ZECA company – took Cappellificio Cervo hat-maker. In 2018 Ermenegildo Zegna Group acquired a stake in Indian fashion designer Raghavendra Rathore’s fashion label. The same year Zegna purchased 85 per cent of Thom Browne. In 2019 Zegna bought a 65 per cent stake of Italian quality jersey fabrics manufacturer Dondi, increasing its control over the textile supply chain. In June 2021, the Zegna Group bought a 60 per cent majority stake in Tessitura Ubertino- a high-end fabric maker based in Piedmont, Italy. A few weeks later, Zegna also bought a 40 per cent share in Tessitura Biagioli Modesto- an Italian spinning mill specialised in cashmere production.

In 2021 Ermenegildo Zegna Group went public in a special purpose acquisition deal with Investindustrial Acquisition Corp. Per Forbes: “Shares started trading at $10.30 with a valuation of $3.1 billion. At 1:30 p.m. EST today, shares were $11.55 and its market cap was $2.6 billion.”  The company accelerated its multi-pronged push to revamp its marketing, product assortment, supply chain and retail stores to get in sync with the public listing. “The brand is betting it can defend its position in men’s wardrobes by making casual items the focus, reducing its historic trade in suits and suiting fabrics.”

It was the first Italian fashion company to be listed in New York. The luxury fashion brand remains steadfast to its growth trajectory. Per Vanity Fair, “Ermenegildo’s legacy as one of Italy’s visionaries is being honored by his family with the reproduction of the first fabric he designed- Tessuto Numero Uno- painstakingly re-created from the founder’s own records.”

Sustainability is one of the brand pillars. During the Thirties- founder Ermenegildo Zegna planted thousands of trees. In 1993, Ermenegildo Zegna Group created the Oasi Zegna- a protected natural area of 100 km2 in the mountains surrounding Trivero. In 2014 the Oasi was granted the patronage of FAI Fondo Ambiente Italiano- the National Trust of Italy. Moreover The Zegna Group is one of the signatories of the Fashion Pact- a plan signed by thirty-two fashion brands to reduce their environmental impact. The Pact was presented at the 45th G7 summit in Biarritz on August 26, 2019.

“At the Zegna Group we have taken care of the world we live in from the beginning.. following in the footsteps of our founder. Our company mission is based on a constantly-evolving thought – looking at the future with the belief that our actions today will shape our tomorrow. Social and environmental responsibility have been the roots of our Group for over a hundred and ten years. The environment is at the core of our efforts – we believe the very best garments can only come from the best natural resources and that these resources need to be cared for.” Gildo Zegna

Vision

The vision of Ermenegildo Zegna is to continue to be an innovator in menswear and to continue to bring the highest quality of fabrics, super style and craftsmanship to the world’s most stylish men.

Mission Statement

The luxury men’s brand’s mission is to create high-quality products and innovate in the areas of performance, style and a capacity to put the pieces together. Per the founder: You can tell a Zegna wardrobe by the look and that is what Italian style is about. And we go from sheep to shop and shop to screen in which we control the entire process from industry to product to store management and to the online future that we’ve brought around the world.

Key Team

Ermenegildo Zegna’s grandchildren hold the reins of the company. Gildo Zegna and Paolo Zegna, are C.E.O. and Chairman, respectively. Anna Zegna is Image Director.

Products and Services

The luxury menswear brand provides men’s leisurewear- formal suits- tuxedos- shirts- blazers- overcoats and accessories in addition to leather shoes- bags-belts- and small leather goods. And- fragrances. The company also offers luxury womenswear and kidswear under the Thom Browne brand, as well as eyewear- cufflinks, jewellery, watches, underwear, and beachwear manufactured by third parties- under licenses.

Sustainability

During the Thirties, founder Ermenegildo Zegna planted thousands of trees. In 1993, Ermenegildo Zegna Group created the Oasi Zegna, a protected natural area of 100 km2 in the mountains surrounding Trivero. In 2014, the Oasi was granted the patronage of FAI Fondo Ambiente Italiano, the National Trust of Italy. Moreover, The Zegna Group is one of the signatories of the Fashion Pact, a plan signed by thirty-two fashion brands to reduce their environmental impact. The Pact was presented at the 45th G7 summit in Biarritz on August 26, 2019.

“At the Zegna Group, we have taken care of the world we live in from the beginning, following in the footsteps of our founder. Our company mission is based on a constantly-evolving thought: looking at the future with the belief that our actions today will shape our tomorrow. Social and environmental responsibility have been the roots of our Group for over 110 years. The environment is at the core of our efforts: we believe the very best garments can only come from the best natural resources, and that these resources need to be cared for.” Gildo Zegna

Awards and Recognition

Ermenegildo Zegna has won countless awards including “Best Luxury Menswear Brand” at the 2017 British Fashion Awards- “Best Menswear Brand” at the 2019 Elle Style Awards- and “Best Menswear Collection” at the 2020 CFDA Awards.

References

• Official website Zegna
• Zegna Reinvented Itself As A Public Company Forbes
• Dream Weavers Vanity Fair
• How Zegna Adapted to Men’s Transformations BoF
• Facebook page of Zegna Facebook
• Perfecting The Contemporary Metropolitan Wardrobe Forbes
• How the global brand scales new heights while maintaining family values The Telegraph
• Ermenegildo Zegna Group Acquires Wool Farm WWD
• Twitter page of Zegna Twitter
• The family behind Ermenegildo Zegna CNBC
• Instagram page of Zegna Instagram
• Wiki page of Zegna Wikipedia
• “I see a different confidence in luxury” Forbes
• LinkedIn page of Zegna LinkedIn
• Brand 101: Ermenegildo Zegna Man’s World
• Youtube channel of Zegna Youtube
• Zegna, Nike link CEO bonus to climate targets Vogue Business
• Ermenegildo Zegna to Buy Thom Browne The New York Times
• Ermenegildo Gildo Zegna FashionABC
• Ermenegildo Zegna dropped the OG working-from-home suit GQ