Who knew that a giant wind machine was integral to Zegna’s creative process? After today, showgoers at the Italian brand’s Milan menswear show on Monday, that’s who. Filing in from the plummeting temperatures, attendees were welcomed to the catwalk through a chamber room that saw fibres being blown around like the foam from a bubble bath – which if it sounds like some kind of abstract art installation is, in fact, an “oft-unseen process… that is key [in] their eventual transformation into fine cloth”, the brand relayed.
The technicalities behind creating effortless layers of cosy-core are lauded, but oft overlooked on an aesthetic level. Following that introduction came a heightened appreciation for the process behind the pieces that land on the pages of magazines and the backs of Zegna’s long-term and loyal following in a season where the majority of Milan-based brands have sought to remind us of their USP.
“At Zegna, I have the unprecedented opportunity to create fabrics from weaving through to finishing, challenging our manufacturers, pushing them to explore uncharted waters,” said artistic director Alessandro Sartori. “This allows me to mould our silhouettes right from the matter, making sure that our commitment to innovation and excellence is rooted in every step of the process.”
Luxe layers, ranging from suiting to patchwork-intarsia cardi-coats were exactly the kind of staples you want to envelop yourself in amidst plummeting temperatures (aka Milan on Monday afternoon). Arriving in a palette that popped in mustard, sherbet yellow, Parma violet, and a particularly beguiling shade of Dairy Milk brown, it was as delicious to look at as it surely is to feel.
“The fabrics and domination of colours were so subtle and elegant,” the supermodel Eva Herzigova shared with us as the audience filed out. “I loved the whole brown look – and there was another with white pants, white shirt, black cardigan and a darker grey jacket, sooo beautiful, so beautiful!” Bravo Zegna, fastidious process comes supermodel – and Milan in January – approved.
Photography courtesy of Zegna.
