Gildo Zegna, CEO of the Ermenegildo Zegna Group (left) and Paolo Zegna, chairman, seen on the runway during the 50th Anniversary of the Ermenegildo Zegna Wool Awards.

Ermenegildo Zegna celebrates the inherent beauty and wearability of superfine Australian wool.

THERE is certainly something to be said about a man in a good suit. Currently, we see a trend for the younger generation of guys to embrace a need for suiting up – whether it be for business, or to fulfil a more casual inclination.

While it would seem that some men are rather unfussy about the designs they put on, the make and material of a particular suit nevertheless have come to be held in high regard.

Which isn’t so much off the mark with respect to a reconciliation of style for the modern dandy. After all, you could say that fashion trends come and go, but the appreciation for exceptional quality in a garment will certainly remain.

Take for example Italian luxury menswear label, Ermenegildo Zegna. Its legacy denotes a lasting heritage and tradition in dressing men with fine, well-cut suits. The focus is not only on the facets of design, but also the fundamentals of material selection and manufacture.

Founded in 1910, Ermenegildo Zegna has remained a family business till today – and it is now managed by the fourth generation of the Zegna family. What started as a mere textile company is now globally recognised for being a successful fashion brand.

As general merchandising manager and group fashion co-ordinator for Ermenegildo Zegna, Stefano Miglio says: “The success of the Zegna name is attributed to the company’s efforts to be the first amongst its peers.”

“With change, you cannot be a follower. You have to be a leader – both in the past, in real time and in the future,” commented Miglio during an interview with Star2 in Sydney, Australia recently.

Which says a lot about Ermenegildo Zegna’s relevance in today’s fashion. Miglio explained that the label updates its designs frequently. “We stay current with the trends so our customers constantly have an updated look created with quality fabrics.”

With regard to suiting, the use of superfine wool has always been the material of choice for Ermenegildo Zegna. After all, there are few fibres in the world, natural or man-made, that can offer all the characteristics of pure, high-quality wool.

Especially so when it comes to Merino wool. Merinos are regarded as having some of the finest and softest wool of any sheep and in Australia – where the country is reported to have a perfect climate for the breed – the wool growers there have flourished with the production of this prized material.

According to Miglio, the wool industry is evolving very much compared to the past. He said: “In the very early years, wool was mainly for winterwear – but now wool is becoming the yarn that we use for a variety of fabrics. Wool is becoming more and more transitional.”

Made for men: Ermenegildo Zegna suits take style to a whole different level.

With an apt reverence to this, the company has established the annual Ermenegildo Zegna Wool Awards. The namesake event has awarded and rewarded the Australian wool growers’ commitment to quality since 1963, this year being the 50th anniversary of its founding.

The 50th Ermenegildo Zegna Wool Awards in Sydney saw VIPs, celebrities and friends of Zegna in attendance.

The event also featured what was reported as the longest men’s fashion show in Australia, with more than 60 male models outfitted in the Autumn/Winter 2013 collection and the presentation of the Australian Celebration Collection, a capsule dedicated to celebrate Zegna’s golden relationship with Australia.

Miglio described the capsule collection as a combination of old and new. He also explained that it was a nod to the 60s with the unveiling of an exclusive new fabric: the Trofeo Natural Comfort.

“In a classic pied-de-poule pattern inspired by the styles produced in the 1960s, and in reference to the winning wools from the first Wool Awards, the Trofeo is the feature in the capsule collection.”

Gracing the event were Gildo Zegna, CEO of the Ermenegildo Zegna Group and chairman Paolo Zegna. They announced the winner of the 50th Edition Ermenegildo Zegna Wool Award for Superfine Wool and the prestigious Vellus Aureum Trophy, both won by Ed and Jill Hundy of Windradeen farm in New South Wales.

The Ermenegildo Zegna Wool Award for Superfine Wool (18.5 microns and finer) evaluates fleeces according to the following criteria: trueness of type, conformity and length, soundness, handle, colour, character, density, evenness, yield and quality. The Vellus Aureum Trophy then takes it even further, judging wool that are finer than 13.9 microns.

Guests were joined by some big names during the evening. Australian movie star, Chris Hemsworth (who’s now based in Hollywood), Korean-American actor, Daniel Henney and Beijing-born, Hong Kong-based actor-singer, Leon Lai all made appearances to commemorate the important milestone.

No stranger to dressing up, the trio certainly embodied the spirit of impeccable style which Ermenegildo Zegna champions. While Hemsworth wore an Ermenegildo Zegna three-piece suit ensemble from the Australian Celebration Collection, Lai and Henney chose a two-piece and double-breasted suit respectively, both from the label’s Autumn/Winter 2013 collection.

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