Washington Life Magazine
Washington Life Magazine

On Italian Elegance
Lila Castellaneta, wife of Italian Ambassador Giovanni Castellaneta,
shares a few fashionable moments with Gildo Zegna


LILA CASTELLANETA, What do you think has given Zegna so much staying power in the notoriously fi ckle fashion industry?
ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA, We control every aspect of the production process from the best raw materials to creating our fabrics. I think this has enabled us to maintain steady growth and innovation without being subject to fashion trends.

LC, Your new Tysons Galleria boutique is the fi rst Zegna shop in the Washington area. What attracted you to the region? GZ, We have had our eyes on the D.C. area for a while and we thought that the development of Tysons Galleria was the best opportunity. We are expecting a very eclectic and i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y minded customer.


LC1 You represent the third generation running the family business. Does that have a signifi cant meaning for you? GZ1 Yes, very much so. My grandfather, Ermenegildo, started the company in 1910 in Trivero, a small town in the Biella Alps. He focused on selection of the best raw materials and innovation in creativity, the production process, and the promotion of the brand. My uncle, Aldo, and my father, Angelo, took over management of the company in the ’60s, leading the ready-to-wear business into high-end markets. In the ’80s, our vertical integration process was completed with the opening of our fi rst boutique. With today’s third generation, led by my cousin, Paolo Zegna, as chairman and myself, as CEO, we have over 550 stores worldwide. We are very proud of

Collections from Ermenegildo Zegna and Zegna Sport are both available at Ermenegildo Zegna, Tysons Galleria, Va., 571-730-1900.
our heritage. LC1 Where do you envision the brand in ten years? GZ1 Starting in 2010, we will celebrate our 100-year anniversary, and the current expansion of our retail presence is a key element to increasing sales and global brand awareness. LC1 What is the interplay between the house of Zegna and your more adventurous Z Zegna collection? GZ1 Ermenegildo Zegna is pure sartorial luxury. Z Zegna and Zegna Sport are our accessible luxury collection, the former more fashionable and the latter more active sportswear oriented. LC1 Describe the ideally well-dressed man. GZ1 The Zegna man is always discreet in his uniqueness and elegance, and he greatly values high quality product; yet, his confi dence comes from being comfortable in how he presents himself. Personality comes fi rst. LC1 Does history play in the creative process at Zegna? GZ1 Yes, it does. We have one of the richest archival textile collections in all of Italy, and each season we draw inspiration from different pieces from within in the archive. LC1 What are some of the strongest trends in menswear this spring? GZ1 Spring/Summer 2008 is all about a clean silhouette, light and airy fabrics and also innovation in design. Our company is very environmentally conscious. It is in that spirit that we created the Solar Jacket – the world’s fi rst luxury jacket that can recharge a mobile phone, iPod or handheld communication device, by harnessing the sun’s energy

 



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