With all of menswear fashion weeks online clutter coupled with an overwhelming abundance of information, it was to my delight to see the Ermenegildo Zegna runway show being held in the atrium of Milano Centrale -Milan's historic and momentous train station built in 1931. The 44 looks hightailed it down the runway rails with the strength and excitement of an all-powerful locomotive inherently connecting a neo-futuristic and motor-driven Milan to the rest of the world. After having used this station (for the last few decades) as the main hub to connect to other cities while working in Italy, I was intrigued to witness an energetic men's runway collection being abundantly and strategically produced here.
All aboard! By considering the age-old craft of storytelling Ermenegildo Zegna's artistic director Alessandro Sartori, conveyed a technical yet couture-style message by persuading the viewers to interconnect while creating a bond between the narrator and the viewer through relatable content and the content of shared experiences. You see, storytelling is one of the most effective and oldest ways of passing knowledge from one person to another. Upon viewing, the audience of the modern world will have converted the story's message seemingly at the speed of light.
It is of note to inform you that 25 percent of the collection (nylon, cashmere, and wool) was recycled from Zegna factory offcuts. Under the slogan #UseTheExisting, the collection, supported by the Zegna textile division, is almost entirely made with exclusive wool, cashmere and nylon fabrics created with innovative processes from pre-existing sources. The result is a luxuriously supple yet responsible fabrication that is recycled as well as recyclable.The collection in itself was transitional with belts, cuffs and straps that allow the wearer to change his silhouette for the right moment. The designs were able to generate new experiences future grandeur through the narrative approach of audience communication. The softer side of this almost militant futuristic mood gave way to luxurious sweats and merino wool overcoats which were welcoming indeed. Looks were grounded on bold-soled zippered boots and multi-material sneakers, with the iconic Cesare being available for complete customization as #MyCesare is launched online since the night of the show. Those seeking to personalize with My Cesare can do so in-store, at select Ermenegildo Zegna stores worldwide, and online post-show on Farfetch and WeChat.
A makeshift runway created a tangle of crossing paths in the open spaces of the hall of Milano Centrale, setting the pace of catch it while you can as models raced up and down the runway.
“Borders keep being narrowed throughout the world - says Zegna artistic director Alessandro Sartori - I felt the urge to advocate the power of openness and multiplicity through my own means as a fashion designer, expressing awareness and responsibility at every step of the creative process, from textile-making to devising new categories of clothing to the staging of the fashion show in such a meaningful place. In doing so, I keep perfecting my vision of the contemporary metropolitan wardrobe: an idea of tailoring for a cross-generation of global customers”
This season, a soft sense of formality came to the fore, attuned to the industrial drum of the concrete jungle to match the needs of fast, connected lives. Categories are mixed and hybridized: jackets have outerwear pockets; shirts become jackets in boxy, functional volumes; blousons sport tailored collars; cargo pants are sartorially inclined. Even the quilted puffer jackets are constructed in the tailoring atelier, gaining an elevated touch. The silhouette is personal, effortless and taut. Outerwear, either long or cropped, is dramatic and voluminous, with bubbly bombers, quilted parkas with detachable collars and knit overcoats; jackets have lean, longer volumes, concealed closures and geometric pockets; full trousers narrow towards the elasticated bottom. Knit is a building block that offers further textural stimulation. The energy of the connection is highlighted by the spirited mix of patterns: jacquards singularly adapted to each garment; textural weaves of cashmere, paper and leather; slogans and metropolitan scenes turned into bold visual abstractions either as prints or jacquards. Looks are grounded on bold-soled zippered boots and multi-material sneakers, with the iconic Cesare being available for complete customization as #MyCesare is launched online on the night of the show.
The exclusive fabrics give a dense, textural shimmer to a metropolitan palette of white, felt, commissar and warsaw greys, beluga black, notte blue, khaki, syberian green, lit by touches of absinthe and citrine quartz and amalgamated into fused compositions. The result is a luxuriously supple yet responsible fabrications that are recycled as well as recyclable. This is fashion sustainability in progress. This is the future where we as consumers evaluate the favorable rise of "social good" brands ( sustainable, socially responsible, philanthropic..) utilizing these new platforms to create positive brand awareness and a stronger voice for our beloved planet earth! Well done.
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