Leaving his role as Artistic Director of Berluti—a five year post in which the designer transformed the bespoke shoe brand into one of LVMH’s most powerful labels—Alessandro Sartori joins Ermenegildo Zegna, now creatively overseeing all of the group’s brands. A homecoming, Sartori served as Artistic Director of Z Zegna from 2003 to 2011, launching the young line at Pitti Uomo and then carving out a place for it in the contemporary market. On his new appointment the designer said, “I grew up watching and admiring [the Zegna family’s] creations, and I am extremely excited to write the next chapter. I cannot wait to enter their fabulous archives and to meet their artisans [and] start working on the new collections.” Sartori follows Stefano Pilati, whose last offering for Autumn/Winter 2016 just showed at Milan Fashion Week, and whose own departure is just one of the many shuffling of chairs to shake up the fashion world in recent weeks.
When elusive automative maker Maserati first banded together with Ermenegildo Zegna for an unprecedented and ultra-luxe fashion vehicle in 2013, the in-car experience was forever changed. Now that the rare 100-count collaboration has evolved—with the exclusive mulberry silk interior now available in the carmaker’s Ghibli and Quattroporte Sport sedans—the men behind the movement, Maserati CEO Harald Wester and president of the Ermenegildo Zegna Group Paolo Zegna, reminisce over their ambitious road traveled together.
PAOLO ZEGNA: There are a lot of common points between cars and fashion, especially if we talk about the man that appreciates both.
HARALD WESTER: That man doesn’t want to end up in that sad sea of sameness as everyone else.
Image: courtesy of both brands.
ZEGNA: He is someone that is looking for a good life. He likes nice clothes, he likes traveling, and he likes nice cars.
WESTER: Luxury cars … they aren’t about reason or matter of choice … they have to do with taste. Not just men, but women too. I guess humans in general. They want products to represent the lives that they want to lead. You and I are both a part of that search.
ZEGNA: Maserati is ingrained into our culture here in Italy. The inspiring exhaust note of the engine is like nothing else.
WESTER: Surely your heart beats a little faster when you hear the roar on the street.
ZEGNA: Yes, and I think through working together we’ve discovered that there is a world of history and emotion between the two of us.
WESTER: We share many of the same values.
ZEGNA: There is the element of the Made in Italy spirit and the significance of what that means, in terms of quality-conscious craftsmanship and emotional appeal, that puts us both on top of the things that we each produce. It also links us in culture and history.
Image: courtesy of both brands.
Image: courtesy of both brands.
WESTER: Yes, both companies have very deep roots in heritage, but I think we also understand that the moment someone leans back and relies just on his history alone, he’s dead. You have to push the envelope and go to the next level and challenge the system, even if it’s stupid or has what seems like impossible proponents.
ZEGNA: I wouldn’t call it stupid … but instead, a strange idea. The combination of the two things together—a complicated silk fiber and a luxury car like Maserati—I think it was a surprise.
WESTER: A complete surprise! I wasn’t even honestly aware of the fact that there were men’s shirts made of silk without the classic sheen. I didn’t know this type of fabric could exist.
ZEGNA:Technically, silk is a pretty resistant fiber so that helps, but it was a challenging process because making fabrics for clothing is very different than making textiles to soothe a car. We had to factor in the components of the natural fiber for resistance to light and abrasion from basically everything. We could have put in some nylon, polyester, or synthetic fiber, but we did not want the usual. We felt secure about that.
Image: courtesy of both brands.
WESTER: I remember asking you to give me the best stuff Zegna had when we first started, and when we began the first rounds of testing—with 10% of our standard vibrations and the mechanic pumping up and down up to 50,000 times—the silk ended up looking like Swiss cheese. It was all over the place. I sighed and said, “Well, we tried … but one way or another, we’ll get there.”
ZEGNA: It’s difficult to put into the right words that accurately relay the capacity of our companies to work together—especially for this project. There were so many trials with so many disappointing results, but there was always a strong common goal.
WESTER: Constantly.
ZEGNA:I have always been innately attracted to Italian high-performance automobiles, so when we first started, I definitely had a deeply vested interest.
WESTER: Ah?
ZEGNA: Did you know that I have been driving Maseratis far longer than you have been using Zegna?
WESTER: That is an assumption!
ZEGNA:I’ve already caught three Maseratis in a row. I wonder how many Zegna suits you have?
WESTER: Many. For a long time. Long before we met… long before I even came to Italy.
ZEGNA: Zegna?
WESTER: Fifteen years of Zegna products, which have all stayed in perfect shape since. I can bring them to you if you want to see. But I do have to admit, I used to be so ignorant about fabric. Now obviously that has changed; I love silk and I love what we have done with it with you. Our cars have already had the finest leathers as standard equipment. Now paired with silk, the feeling is indescribable.
ZEGNA:There is great beauty in the technicality of each Maserati car, and the same thing applies to all the components of the textiles inside. It’s the spirit, the story, and the feeling. It would be really hard to find a better combination.
Italian fashion mega-brand Ermenegildo Zegna and luxury car manufacturer Maserati continue their collaboration with the launch of a brand new capsule collection featuring a selection of fine leatherwear and accessories. The two renowned brands first started working together in 2013 and soon after released their first product: the Maserati Quattroporte Ermenegildo Zegna Limited Edition. The partnership continued by unveiling another vehicle, the Ghibli Zegna, earlier this year at the Detroit Auto Show.
Originally producing fine quality wool for suits, Ermenegildo Zegna became one of the biggest buyers of ultra-fine Merino wool, and started making upholstering for car interiors in the early ’80s. It seems only destiny now that Zegna and Maserati were meant to work together. The new capsule includes a unique leather bomber-style blouson, cotton and silk sweatshirt with coordinated sweatpants, and jersey polo for ready-to-wear, while accessories range from premium sneakers in hand-buffed calf leather to foldable metal sunglasses.
The capsule collection will be available starting late October 2015.
For the Italian house‘s latest capsule collection, Ermenegildo Zegna Couture Made in Japan, Head of Design Stefano Pilati looked to five charismatic personalities to star in an exclusive project with photographer Takashi Homma and Olivier Zahm. The protagonists—actor Ryo Kase, creative director Kaie Murakami, musician and composer Keiichiro Shibuya, chef Zaiyu Hasegawa, and architect Shohei Shigematsu—were revealed at a special event for the collaboration last night, September 3, 2015, at the Aman Tokyo hotel in Japan beside Pilati and Zegna CEO Gildo Zegna. Celebrating both the heritage brand’s tailoring skill, as well as its growing Japanese market—Zegna opened a Ginza flagship earlier this spring—the Made In Japan project unites both worlds in smart technical fabric and Italian design.
Creative Giovanni Bianco reunites with Zegna’s Stefano Pilati for Ermenegildo Zegna Couture‘s Autumn/Winter 2015 campaign, but while last season the imagery soared above urban life, the new campaign studies the brand in a conceptual interior. Photographed by Karim Sadli, actor Benn Northover reflects the seasonal collection’s symphony of sustainability.
Actor Hugh Dancy stars on the cover of Essential Homme February/March 2015, the magazine’s biggest spring fashion issue of the year.
Opening the book, MOST WANTED (pg. 21) this issue focuses on two fragrant releases from Carven, Hublot’s collaborative and charity-benefitting watch with English band Depeche Mode, and Kris Van Assche’s futuristic frames by Linda Farrow Gallery. Next, in WHISTLING FOR THE WIND (pg. 40) photographer Markus Ziegler and stylist Adrian Manuel welcome nautically roused, ultra-light clothing that even on land makes waves, featuring Raf Simons, Gucci, E. Tautz, Prada, Dries Van Noten, and more.
Image: Essential Homme.
In product news, NEW ARRIVALS (pg. 52) showcases Sperry’s beach boasting collaboration with noted photographer Gray Malin, Dolce&Gabbana newest scent, Intenso, starring Colin Farrell in the cologne’s inaugural campaign, and Alexander Wang’s luxe lounge chair and trunk collaboration with Italian leather vanguard Poltrona Frau, just in time for NYFW. SCENE (pg. 60) paddles through Art Basel Miami Beach 2014’s hottest parties—from Bally, Berluti, Salvatore Ferragamo, and more—after the galleries and beside the shore.
Image: Poltrona Frau.
Image: adidas.
Image: BFAnyc.
Selected features include:
A TINGE TANGY (pg. 62): From the cell block all the way up to the catwalk, orange’s cheerful complexions build bold outfit components as sweet as they are sour with Michael Kors, Burberry Prorsum, Hermès, and more.
Image: Essential Homme.
WINDOW SHOPPING (pg. 78): Call it a gateway pattern, or a calm middle ground between solids and prints of a more provocative nature, the windowpane arrives this season in full view.
FULL THROTTLE (pg. 78): Hardly reserved to the common blue jean, today’s newfangled denim deviations from Maison Martin Margiela, KENZO, Moschino, and more blast ahead cooler and more daring tan those still on the road, as shown by model RJ King atop a Harley-Davidson’s finest.
Image: Essential Homme.
LONG STORY SHORT (pg. 90): Storytellers, Opening Ceremony founders, and co-creative directors of KENZO, Humberto Leon and Carol Lim summon the same old tales in a new, paradigmatic fashion.
MADE UNDER THE ITALIAN SUN (pg. 96): Eyeing both fashion brands’ bright future, CEO Gildo Zegna reveals Ermenegildo Zegna’s new partnership with Italian eyewear manufacturer Marcolin.
Image: Essential Homme.
IN THE DARK OF YOUR LOVE (pg. 104): Months after Twin Shadow’s runway debut this fall, he returns this March with his third album, the musician’s first major-label release that continues his quest from the shadows to further places we dare not pause.
Image: Essential Homme.
CANNIBALS AND CALMNESS (pg. 120): Opposite a mad man on the small screen, actor Hugh Dancy finds fatherhood just as gripping.
Image: Essential Homme.
UNDER YOUR SPELL (pg. 132): Motionless in a romantic trance, the best, most mysterious bounties of the season expose a darker scene for spring.
Video: Marco Falcetta.
FORGING THE FLEX ZONE (pg. 149): Protein packs with a new age boost from Protein World, Juice Press, and Orgain.
NOW BOYS ALLOWED (pg. 150): Once quarters to Eleanor Roosevelt, Louise brooks, and Sara Teasdale, the formerly female-only Martha Washington hotel returns several lives later fully revived for all.
Image: Jonathan Chesley, courtesy of Selldorf Architects.
The February/March 2015 issue of Essential Homme magazine is available on national and international newsstands and online starting today.
About Essential Homme magazine: Essential Homme is a bi-monthly print publication and website that act as the style source for affluent, successful, and fashion-forward readers that are passionate about high-end men’s fashion and its reflective lifestyle. Essential Homme has been published since 2010 and past cover stars range from Dean and Dan Caten, Daniel Radcliffe, Theophilus London, Sullivan Stapleton, Kellan Lutz, Ian Somerhalder, and Colton Haynes. From bold editorial spreads showcasing the latest in style trends, to features on fashion industry insiders and the most stylish men in entertainment, an eye to the nightlife scene, and an exploration of fashion’s most exciting new gadgets and spaces, Essential Homme is a leading authority for the style and design enthusiast.
Earlier this week, luxury carmakers Maserati and fashion empire Ermenegildo Zegna unveiled the brands’ second collaboratively conceived vehicle, the Ghibli Zegna, at the Detroit Auto Show. Following the success of last year’s Maserati Quattroporte Ermenegildo Zegna Limited Edition, the new car blends both companies’ Italian craftsmanship with modern design. Featuring an exclusive color finish and Zegna-inspired materials with trims and fine Italian leathers, the concept’s update on Maserati’s 2013 design predicts a luxe future of (hopefully) more cars that approach production sooner than where they appear now.
Starring musician and style icon Theophilus London—also the first rapper to grace the magazine’s cover—the October/November 2014 issue of Essential Homme treks from fall to winter with the season’s most fundamental wardrobe staples, swelteringly-hot New York Fashion Week happenings, and appetizing holiday options for Him, Her, and the Home.
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As always, the book begins with the ten MOST WANTED items of the season (pg. 21), which range from ultra-bouncy adidas by Raf Simons Bunny boots to textured goat leather Maison Martin Margiela wallets, and continues onto CITY LIMITS (pg. 36), an urban exploration of standout outerwear pieces from the likes of Acne Studios, Prada, Dolce&Gabanna, and more. After NEW ARRIVALS (pg. 50, including Alexander Wang x H&M, Calvin Klein Collection’s capsule collection and pop-up space for Dover Street Market, Coach’s first-ever comprehensive line of men’s footwear, etc), the issue sees the first of its two newest verticals, SCENE (pg. 56), a rundown of NYFW’s swankiest shindigs from Jeremy Scott, Emporio Armani, and, of course, Essential Homme.
Selected features include:
STYLE (pg. 58): Camel Commotion / Once the go-to outfit for polo players between matches in the ’20s, camel hair comes back this season as versatile as ever, as demonstrated by Ermenegildo Zegna Couture, Louis Vuitton, and Salvatore Ferragamo.
Image: Essential Homme.
MEAN AND GREEN (pg. 72): Using Tim Coppens, Gucci, and Raf Simons/Sterling Ruby as examples, muted military greens and industrial-inspired hues fuel the artillery for this season’s most commanding color.
BURIED TREASURE (pg. 86): The quest for the perfect timepiece this season results in findings from Hermès, Tissot, and Hamilton as refined as they are rare.
GUTS AND GLAMOUR (pg. 92): Jimmy Choo’s Creative Director Sandra Choi jolts the footwear brand fearlessly further into menswear.
LONG LIVE DENIM (pg. 96): rag&bone’s two newest collections build on the basics.
A HOUSE IN THE HILLS (pg. 100): Atop Beverly Hills’ acclaimed Sheats Goldstein Residence and under the affecting California sun, fall’s medley of formalwear from Roberto Cavalli, Burberry Prorsum, and Michael Kors finds drama despite the cinematic calmness.
Image: Essential Homme.
2014 Holiday Gift Guide for Him, Her, and the HOME (pg.134).
GROOMING (pg. 1142): Taming of the Fuzz / A four-part scruff maintenance round-up for Movember and beyond.
Image: Essential Homme.
A NEU MAN (pg. 114), the issue’s cover story, reveals a spiritual progression for the Trinidadian-born rapper Theophilus London. From Paris Fashion Week with Cara Delevingne to nine months in the desert of Palm Springs, London’s sophomore album, Vibes!, executively produced by Kanye West, is his international, if not intangible, album yet. Closing the October/November 2014 edition, another new column, SHARP SPACES (pg. 144) welcomes Valentino’s new U.S. flagship: a post-modern palazzo in New York City.
The October/November 2014 issue of Essential Homme magazine is available on national and international newsstands and online as of today.
About Essential Homme magazine: Essential Homme is a bi-monthly print publication and website that act as the style source for affluent, successful, and fashion-forward readers that are passionate about high-end men’s fashion and its reflective lifestyle. Essential Homme has been published since 2010 and past cover stars range from Daniel Radcliffe, Sullivan Stapleton, Kellan Lutz, Ian Somerhalder, Colton Haynes, and Sebastian Sauve. From bold editorial spreads showcasing the latest in style trends, to features on fashion industry insiders and the most stylish men in entertainment, an eye to the nightlife scene, and an exploration of fashion’s most exciting new gadgets and spaces, Essential Homme is a leading authority for the style and design enthusiast.
Ermenegildo Zegna Creative Director Stefano Pilati has teamed up with acclaimed South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook (of Oldboy fame) for an impeccably stylish four-part film entitled “A Rose Reborn,” whose last episode premiered at Shanghai Fashion Week last night. The partnership between Pilati and Park arrives as a meeting of powerhouses, and the enigmatic film embodies the pair’s creativity. Starring actors Daniel Wu and Jack Huston, the movie itself is an aesthetic tour de force focused on the brokering of a clandestine business deal. Zegna’s renowned suits feature heavily, as the two characters exchange clothes in mysterious rituals at each of their meetings. Check out the film in its entirety above.
Maleficent star and former model Sam Riley seems perfectly at home in Ermenegildo Zegna’s Fall/Winter 2014 ad campaign. That is of course if home is a monochromatic professional landscape as rich in minimalism as it is drunk with power. That’s corporate life, right? The four-part editorial shot by legendary photographers Inez & Vinoodh plays off the influence of “the man in gray,” creating a universe though slightly barren, firmly elegant.
Introducing Stefano Pilati’s debut for the Emernegildo Zegna summer/spring 2014 season, the show produced a series of long and lean suits, and we saw a new world of leisure filled with safari jackets and exotic themes like slanted pea-coat pockets on suit jackets. Combinations of color proved beyond glorious with tones of earthy shades, powder blue and even Bordeaux. The models performed at a fast paced speed as they displayed blousons and shorts, even beach blankets making everyone reminiscent of the old Italian age.
Pilati has now shown who he is and what he does, portraying a numerous amount of themes within his signature, from oversized coats to extremely tight pants and sleeves. And who could not love that.
