Ermenegildo Zegna – Autumn 2020

For Ermenegildo Zegna Autumn 2020, Alessando Sartori completely committed to the re-use concept and transformed offcuts, unsold garments, waste and broken fibers into -literal- artworks.

For Zegna, #UseTheExisting is an all-encompassing mindset that starts from fabric and extends to clothing and beyond. A vanguard laboratory where this plurality of actions combines into one multifaceted, ever-evolving whole.

This season, even the show’s scenography used the existing: an immersive installation created in collaboration with multi-media American artist Anne Patterson and made of thousands of ribbons derived from leftover Zegna fabrics. It consists of a massive suspended cube that looks solid but is actually transparent. Giving the material an immaterial quality, it invites viewers to engage and interact, not only with the eyes.

The Ermenegildo Zegna Autumn 2020 collection materialized inside this geometric forest of ribbons. A redefinition of tailoring captures the spirit of the season, as the Zegna sartorial know-how is explored in new directions. We saw a younger and edgier collection, with narrow silhouettes counterpointed by over-size outerwear.

Boxier formal suits, one-breast-and-a-half jackets and tapered trousers are worn under puffy blousons; zip-up overshirts with low collar lines replace traditional shirting. The tailored waistcoat makes a comeback with or without the suit. A process of constant morphing defines evolved shapes: wraparound, belted blazers; voluminous coats with deep back pleats; coat/parka fusions; shirts that double as short-sleeved blousons.

Fabrics get more and more experimental by mixing natural and synthetic fibers. Patterns such as moirè, macro check and digitalized landscapes are rendered in print, jacquard and devorè techniques playing with layers and scales. Even plain fabrics like recycled cashmere flannel or Achillfarm, the suiting wool made entirely from the remnants of suit-making, are highly innovative. A special series of hand-woven, intensely tactile textiles has been developed with the San Patrignano community.

The newest brand icon certainly is the INSTA-PACK, a functional crossbody bag inspired by photographers. It features sartorial details and a Zegna vintage logo from 1980 created by the graphic designer Bob Noorda. A collaboration with Leica then makes total sense. It translates into an array of camera bags, holders and straps that is part of an upcoming photographic project aimed at portraying modern masculinity through women’s eye.

“At Zegna I have the privilege to experiment at every level, from the mix of fibers to the evolved tailoring shapes – says Alessandro Sartori – It is all about reshuffling or hybridizing categories, breaking boundaries in order to explore new territories: this is our new tailoring lexicon. One experimentation leads to the next, in one seamless dialogue, always keeping in mind that our art should always respect the earth. That’s our mission, as both humans and fashion-makers”.