The ZEGNA Way

Artistic director Alessandro Sartori takes Vinita Makhija through the brand's unique take on sustainability FOTOA

Zegna has a distinctive way of approaching key business decisions, whether that’s a seamless pivot from suiting to luxe athleisure or creating a blueprint for sustainable practices. The iconic Italian label, founded 110 years ago, continues to prove in numerous ways that change is not only constant, it is the very definition of success. That’s what makes this century-old (still family-owned) brand’s rise and rise in the hype era an interesting trajectory to track. In its newest statement of purpose, Zegna promises to certify its Oasi Cashmere fibres as 100% traceable by 2024. No small feat at their scale.

“I think there’s going to come a time very soon when buyers are not going to agree to acquire anything unless it is completely traceable.” Alessandro Sartori, 57, artistic director at Zegna, tells us about the rising importance of a digital passport for luxury goods. Along with waste reduction at pattern-cutting stages, buy-back schemes and keeping collections circular, increasingly luxury and conscious brands are waking up to the importance of traceability. In layman’s terms, this means keeping a strict check on the lifecycle of every product. Every step of the supply chain is under the brand’s purview to rule out material manipulation and ensure fair labour practices.

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