Alessandro Sartori, the former creative director to Berluti, debuted his first collection for Ermenegildo Zegna today at Milan Fashion Week. The fall ’17 men’s collection stayed true to the brand’s classic suiting looks, but did experiment with mixed textures, looser shapes and bolder accessories, such as oversized leather bags and brogues that had its soles dipped in shiny silicone.
According to the label’s show notes, the collection this season aimed to break house codes by marrying the artisanal with the contemporary. We saw this when Sartori paired slouchy wool suits with high-top sneakers — a look that smartly captures both the loyal Zegna customer and new ones, too. Even the dressier footwear styles — such as lug sole hiker boots, or the buckled brogues — felt surprisingly fresh.
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Considering the men’s market as a whole, the flourishes Zegna presented here were indeed baby steps. But, in a sense, Sartori has his hands tied. The Zegna customer is still very traditional. But at least he’s moving them forward, and giving them new ideas to ponder. (Perhaps he gave them too many ideas, though: The collection’s whopping number of looks could have done with an edit.)
Prior to his new role, Sartori was busy giving Berluti a much-needed update by infusing a sportier attitude into the French luxury house. “I see two different trends in menswear,” Sartori told Footwear News in 2015. “The classic, chic gentleman is buying bespoke, made-to-measure shoes, and for the new customer, I see everything going more sporty and casual.”
Sartori also introduced a shopping element to the Zegna show this season. On Saturday, the day after the show, a selection of the fall collection will be available for made-to-measure orders (in global stores worldwide).
For more Ermenegildo Zegna looks, click through the gallery.
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