How Ermenegild’s Zegna evolved from a textile factory to a luxury fashion powerhouse

Milan – The Ermenegildo Zenna Group was sold in the 115 business in 2025 and remains true to the founder of its name and its heritage value, but the Italian company reports a 2024 sale of 1.94 billion euros that make up the Tom Brand Fashion, in addition to the Tom Brown and Tom Fordie fashion.

The company was founded in Trivero, Piedmont in 1910 as a producer of wool fabric and textile mills, and is now owned and operated by a fourth-generation family.

In 1938, the pioneer founder traveled to New York where he founded Zegna Woolens Corporation, the first brand to distribute fabrics to tailors overseas.

The first Zegna logotype was registered in 1939.

In the 1940s, the founders’ sons, Aldo and Angelo Zegna, joined the company.

Chairman and CEO Guild Zenna said his grandfather, founder, said, “He’s foresighted. He wanted to create the best fabric in the world. It was the second generation who took us into the clothing business.

In 1963, the Ermenegild Zenna Wool Trophy was established to reward the finest breeders of Australia’s Super Fine Merino Wool. Zegna owns its own sheep farm in Australia, using fibers produced from wool for its fabric and apparel.

In 1980, the first Zegna Boutique opened in Paris.

In 1991, Zegna was the first men’s luxury brand to open a boutique in Beijing, China.

In 2007, the new vast headquarters designed by ACPV Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel was unveiled in Milan, and the first store designed by Peter Marino via Montenapoleone was unveiled.

The group is led by third generation heir Gildo Zegna. GildoZegna took on the role of chairman and CEO, leading the development of powerful textile supply chains over the years, including Bonotto and Tessitura Ubertino. He was first appointed CEO in 1997.

In addition to its own Lanificio Zegna, the group’s textile supply chain includes Tessitura di Novara, Bonotto and Dondi, all acquired over the years and helps to boost its position in the country in terms of diversity and size. In 2018, the family-owned group completed the acquisition of the dominant stake in Pelle Tessuta, which specializes in leather weaving, and purchased a majority stake in Cappelliificio Cervo, a historic boys’ hat brand based in Biella.

In June 2021, amid signs of growing efforts to protect Italy’s unique supply chain, Zenna and Prada joined forces to win a large number of shares Filati Biaggiori Modesto Spas, each holding a 40% stake in cashmere companies.

As part of its own manufacturing capabilities and supply chain-dependent strategy, the group plans to build a new high-end shoe and leather production facility in Sarabaganza, near Palma. The plant is expected to be completed by December 2026 and is expected to employ more than 300 people in full capacity in 2027.

Rebranding

In 2021, ahead of the first public offering in December of that year on the New York Stock Exchange, Ermenegild’s Zegna Group was rebranded, with the men’s wear label known as Zenna.

To celebrate the company’s family legacy and mark its new era, the logo has been updated with modern fonts. With a double stripe symbolic device, the road has become an important element and symbol in the new logo. This is inspired by Road 232 around Trivelo, built on the mountains of Pyedmont, in northern Italy over 110 years ago, planting half-million pine trees, planting oscillates and surrounding radon.

Celebrating one of the most precious fabrics used by Zegna, the Vicuna coloured road symbols are woven into the entire collection as a graphic representation.

Located a 90-minute drive from Milan, this oasis offers views of the Alps, from the Montbispiramid mountains to the Monterosa Massif.

The company remains inspired by the founder and his values ​​as he built a community around his wool factory and developed a new kind of ethical entrepreneurial spirit.

The OASI reflects Zegna’s commitment to sustainability and is the constant inspiration of artistic director Alessandro Sartori.

Alessandro Sartori

Artistic director Alessandro Sartori helped to further develop the Zegna brand. He has used his long relationship with the company and returned to June 2016 after five years at Berluti. Sartori took over Stefano Pilati, who joined the brand in January 2013, tapped to add a fashion element to the collection.

Pilati was previously responsible for the Agnona brand founded in 1953 and was dominated by Zegnas from 1999. In 2020, Zegna sold 100% of Agnona to another branch of the Zegna family, the Aimone family.

Sarluti joined Berluti eight years later with Creative Helm of Z Zegna, a more fashion-oriented brand from Ermenegird Zegna, which was launched in 2003 and closed in 2021.

Born and raised in Viera, a mountain town on the northeastern corner of Italy, he joined Zenna after graduating from the Milan design school in 1989, famous for its wool production not far from Trivelo.

Sartori, the winner of the 2022 WWD Men’swear Designer of the Year Award, has been recognized for leading the major style shifts and commercial success of the Zegna brand.

My connection with Zegna runs deep. Sartori began his career as a menswear designer in 1989 with an Italian group, and in 2003 he became creative director of the Z Zegna line. In 2011 he was appointed artistic director at Berluti, Paris, and five years later became Zegna.

The Zegna brand new course began in January 2021 as Sartori confirmed that traditional formal wear runs the course. The world has changed during the pandemic, and designers have realized that everyone needs comfort, while moving away from ubiquitous tracksuits.

To change the aesthetics of Zegna and meet the need for more comfortable comfort while staying stylish, he maintained new luxury leisure wear, new suits, high quality and crafts.

Sartori has also developed a personal take on menswear and distinctive style, experimenting with light shapes and technical finishes, developing new leisure wear silhouettes, destroying the under and outside layers as his shirt became a jacket and his jacket became a shirt.

The designers are passionate about the archives of countless fabric and textile companies that returned in 1910, with accurate indications and designs from 1968 as they recreate them.

The company also adopted early personalization trends centered around measured initiatives that offer everything from suits and sportswear to shoes and leather products.

Triple stitched sneakers

Since Sartori redesigned them in 2020, the shoes have become Zegna’s understated, soft voice luxury blueprints, featuring minimal design, contrasting lace and lightweight flexible soles.

Signature and trademark shoes have also become widely popular thanks to a second skin technology that uses glove leather to create designs.

Tom Brown

A key development in the group’s strategy was the acquisition of a majority stake in Tom Brown in August 2018. Rodrigobazan is the CEO of Tom Brown.

Since its acquisition, the brand has grown worldwide, moving from wholesale to retail-driven distribution, launching couture, launching new products from perfumes to eyewear.

Published

On December 20, 2021, Zemna Group was published on the New York Stock Exchange, giving the fashion group a market capitalization of $2.5 billion. The Italian men’swear giant has signed a business agreement with InvestIndustrial Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition corporation sponsored by the investment subsidiary of InvestIndustrial VII LP.

In November 2024, the holder managed by a member of the Zegna family known as Monterubello signaled the market with support and trust for the group supported by members of the Zegna family, who acquired 913,000 ZGN shares. Through an additional 2 million ZGN shares, Monterubello has raised its shares from 60% to 61.2%.

IIAC has increased its total revenue to $402.5 million through its IPO. InvestIndustrial is just over 10%, with about 25% floating freely.

tom ford fashion

November 2022, Estée Lauder Cos. Inc. said it is acquiring the Tom Ford brand in a deal that values ​​the company at $2.8 billion. As part of the agreement, Zegna Group and Marcolin have signed long-term licensing agreements for Tom Ford Fashion and Tom Ford Eyewear, respectively.

Zegna has been licensed to Tom Ford Menswear since around 2006, but the agreement has led the company to challenge new realms to produce and distribute all of Ford’s men and women’s fashion, accessories, underwear, luxury jewelry, children’s, textiles and home design products. A 20-year license agreement with Zegna’s Lauder will allow for an additional 10 years of automatic renewal. As part of the deal, Zegna has acquired the Tom Ford Fashion Business business.

Haider Ackermann joined in April 2023 and debuted his first collection in Paris in Fall 2025 as the successor to Peter Hawkings, who left in July 2024.

family

The fourth generation of the family has also joined the company.

Paolo and Anna Zenna, like their guild sister Benedetta Zenna, are part of the third generation, taking on the role of the group’s internal communications and the director of the group academy.