Ermenegildo Zegna

Ermenegildo Zegna Holditalia S.p.A.
Private
Industry Fashion
Founded Trivero (1910)
Founder Ermenegildo Zegna
Headquarters Milan, Italy
Number of locations
 560 boutiques worldwide (of which over 300 fully owned)
Key people
 Paolo Zegna (Chairman)
Gildo Zegna (CEO)
Products Men's suits, fabric, accessories, shoes, small and large leathergoods
Services Made to measure suits, overcoats, shirts, ties
Revenue €1.2 billion (2012)
Owner Zegna family
Subsidiaries
  • Ermenegildo Zegna
  • Su Misura
  • Z Zegna
  • Agnona
  • Longhi Pelletteria
Website www.zegna.com

Ermenegildo Zegna (Italian pronunciation: [eɾmeneˌʤildo ˈʣeɲɲa]) is an Italian luxury fashion house that makes men's clothing and accessories;[1] with over 550 monobrand stores and annual revenue of over €1 billion, it is the largest menswear brand in the world.[2] Founded in 1910 when Ermenegildo bought his father's textile looms, it is now managed by the fourth generation of the Zegna family and remains in family ownership.[1] As well as producing men's suits for its own labels, it manufactures suits for labels such as Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Dunhill and Tom Ford. As one of the biggest global producers of fine fabrics (2.3 million metres per year),[1] Zegna has been active in promoting improvements in wool production around the world. The head designer is Stefano Pilati, formerly of Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Dior.[3]

History

Ermenegildo Zegna founded the company in 1910 in Trivero in the Biellese prealps.[1] Zegna quickly gained a reputation for producing fine quality wool for suits, and by the end of the 1930s, the wool mill employed 1,000 workers. In 1938 the Zegna Woollens Corporation was set up in New York although exports were not helped by the privations of war.

When Ermenegildo Zegna's sons Aldo (born 1920) and Angelo (born 1924) joined the company in 1942, it was renamed Ermenegildo Zegna and Sons. By 1955, the company employed 1,400 workers.

Ermenegildo died in 1966 at the age of 74. Aldo and Angelo took over the business, and two years later they launched a line of ready-to-wear suits produced in Zegna's factory in Novara.

Another factory was opened in Spain in 1973 and Switzerland in 1977. As of 1999, the Zegna Group had eight manufacturing plants in Italy, two in Spain, three in Switzerland, one in Mexico and one in Turkey. While many Zegna suits are factory-produced, the majority of premium suits are still made-to-measure.

The first boutique was opened in Paris in 1980, followed by Milan in 1985.[1] In 2010 their numbers had grown to 560 boutiques, of which over 300 are controlled by the company.[1] Zegna's flagship boutique locations are mostly found in the United States, Europe, Japan and China.

Aldo died in 2000; Angelo remains the Honorary President of the company.[1]

Production

Prize winning merino fleece judged on Zegna criteria

Zegna's range includes fabrics, suits, neckties, knitwear, shirts, accessories and sportswear. They have also branched out in other areas, for instance upholstering the interior of automobiles such as the Lancia Trevi Volumex in 1982,[4] and a limited edition, sixth generation Maserati Quattroporte sedan.[5][6][7]

Ermenegildo Zegna has a yearly output of over 2.3 million meters of fabric, 600,000 sleeve units suits, 1.6 million pieces of sportswear and 1.7 million textile accessories. Zegna employs over 7,000 workers worldwide. The export quota was more than 90% in 2010 divided equally between Europe, Americas and Asia.

As one of the biggest buyers of ultra-fine Merino wool, Ermenegildo Zegna has encouraged, supported and rewarded the efforts of the Australian wool industry since 1963 in the production of finer and softer wools.

In 2002 the Ermenegildo Zegna Vellus Aureum Trophy was launched for wool that is 13.9 micron and finer. Wool from Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and South Africa may be entered and a winner is named from each country.[8]

In 2010 a soft ultra-fine, 10-micron fleece, from Windradeen, New South Wales set a new world record in the fineness of wool fleeces when it won the Ermenegildo Zegna Vellus Aureum International Trophy.[9]

Brands

Most Zegna suits cost in the US$2,300–$6,500 range. Price is dependent upon several factors. Zegna's top line is "Couture", formerly known as "Napoli Couture".

Ermenegildo Zegna's Su Misura suits are Made-to-Measure and can be ordered in all Ermenegildo Zegna stores. The cost is typically 15-20% more than regular Ermenegildo Zegna suits, but the service provides clients a custom ordered suit detailed to his own specifications. Ermenegildo Zegna's website stated, "Ermenegildo Zegna's Su Misura service makes it possible to produce tailor-made suits, jackets, trousers, coats, shirts, [and] ties in just a few weeks, respecting the clients size and needs, and maintaining the standards of quality for which Zegna is rightfully famous".

On July 1, 2011, Ermenegildo Zegna signed a licensing agreement with Estée Lauder Companies Inc. for exclusive global rights to market fragrances and develop new cosmetics under the Ermenegildo Zegna Group's brands, thereby replacing the previous partnership with YSL Beauté.

In February 2014, the Ermenegildo Zegna Group signed a ten-year licensing agreement for the manufacture of eyewear with the Marcolin Group.[10]

Marketing

Adrien Brody modeled for Zegna in 2003
English actor Sam Riley modeled Ermenegildo Zegna Couture autumn/winter 2015
Northern Irish actor Jamie Dornan modeled Ermenegildo Zegna Couture spring/summer 2014

Oscar-winning actor Adrien Brody advertised Zegna's Spring/Summer 2003 and Fall/Winter 2003 lines. Model Ryan Burns was the face of the F/W 2012 campaign and the 2013 debut of the Uomo fragrance[11][12] Irish actor Jamie Dornan modeled Ermenegildo Zegna Couture in 2013 for the line's Spring/Summer 2014 campaign.[13] Sam Riley modeled its autumn/winter 2015 campaign.[14] The F/W 14 Lookbook was modeled by Latvian Janis Ancens and South African Shaun De Wet.[15] In 2014 Zegna commissioned Park Chan-wook to create a 4-part series of short films collectively titled A Rose Reborn starring Daniel Wu.[16][17] The Couture S/S 2015 campaign was photographed by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin with art direction by Giovanni Bianco.[18]

Locations

A Zegna store in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul
A Zegna store in Brisbane, Australia

Ermenegildo Zegna stand-alone monobrand stores are located in:[19][20]

Airport retail locations

Zegna has retail shops inside these airports:

Philanthropy

In February 2014, the company started a scholarship to promote "excellence in Italy".[22] The scholarship fund started in 2014 with €25 million (roughly $34.3 million).[22]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "History and Development ofrreeerer the Ermenegildo Zegna Group" (PDF). Ermenegildo Zegna Holditalia S.p.A. April 2004. Retrieved 2008-07-28.
  2. ↑ "Ermenegildo Zegna: Fashion’s Family Giant", businessoffashion.com 29 April 2014
  3. ↑ "Stefano Pilati". Vogue UK. Retrieved 2014-04-19.
  4. ↑ Pirotte, Marcel (1983-12-15). "Lancia Trevi Volumex". Le Moniteur de l'Automobile (in French) (Brussels, Belgium: Editions Auto-Magazine) 34 (784): 35.
  5. ↑ Vanna Le, "One Of 100: Maserati's Quattroporte Zegna Redefines Luxury, Exclusivity", Forbes September 9, 2014
  6. ↑ Brett Berk, "Zegna Edition: A Maserati made to measure", BBC News, 1 October 2014
  7. ↑ Paul Noble, "Tailor-Made for Each Other", Robb Report, August 1, 2014
  8. ↑ "2004/51/1 Trophy and plaque, Ermenegildo Zegna Vellus Aureum trophy and plaque, plaster / bronze / silver / gold, trophy designed and made by Not Vital for Ermenegildo Zegna, Switzerland, 2001". Powerhouse Museum, Sydney. Retrieved 2008-04-27.
  9. ↑ Country Leader, 26 April 2010, Finest wool rewarded, Rural Press, North Richmond
  10. ↑ Martens, Cynthia (13 February 2014). "Zegna Signs Marcolin License". WWD. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
  11. ↑ fragrantica.com Ermenegildo Zegna Uomo
  12. ↑ Ryan Burns models.com
  13. ↑ Julien Sauvalle Model Watch: Jamie Dornan For Ermenegildo Zegna Couture 11.14.2013
  14. ↑ Scarlett Kilcooley-O'Halloran, Vogue Magazine "The Life Of Riley", 30 May 2014
  15. ↑ models.com F/W 14 Lookbook accessed 12/7/2014
  16. ↑ zegna.com A Rose Reborn accessed 11/21/2014
  17. ↑ "Behind Zegna’s Big Bet on Film", businessoffashion.com Divia Harilela, 27 October 2014
  18. ↑ models.com Ermenegildo Zegna Couture S/S 2015 campaign accessed 12/7/2014
  19. ↑ Ermenegildo Zegna Fall/Winter 2014 Collection lookbook
  20. ↑ Ermenegildo Zegna Boutiques and Stores by Country accessed 12/4/2014
  21. ↑ Ermenegildo Zegna - Miami Design District accessed 3/8/2015
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Zargani, Luisa (19 February 2014). "Zegna Unveils $34M Scholarship Fund". WWD. Retrieved 20 February 2014.

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