Confidence has settled at ZEGNA. Once beholden to the sartorial, its Spring Summer 2025 showing shows an ascension not only in craft but reverence.
Nobody could have expected that it would be ZEGNA that had the might to make an entire room rise in applause this season. Once beholden to the sartorial before becoming a prototype for street fashion, it became clear today that the years of refinement by artistic director Alessandro Satori have turned ZEGNA into a powerhouse, and one simply unmatchable. Perhaps it was the music — a thrilling orchestral piece that hammered the atmosphere with dramatic, fast-paced rhythmic beats. Or the set — a reflective field of tall, spiky, yellow linen which, upon closer inspection, was made of metal. Maybe it was the surprise of Mads Mikkelsen closing the show when the actor walked the fields dauntingly; you would be lying if you said you weren’t moved by his performance.
Ultimately, it was Spring Summer 2025’s message, no two human beings are alike, that awed. “Now that our reformed vocabulary has been established,” mentions Alessandro Sartori. “It is the moment to focus on how items are or can be used, on the singular ways they mould to individual personalities.” On the runway, the ages of models ranged from young to old, with both male and female present. As each of them grazed past the linen fields, you can’t help but feel its resemblance to real life, where you’d wonder about the life they’ve lived, the stories they’ve told, and the people they’ve met. There are certainly no exclusions here.
Although it’s not the first time we’ve witnessed this before but can’t at all place it, the season changes our perspective on this move as a daring endeavour, especially for a house intricately tied to menswear and suits where things can get conservative and stuffy. Being away from that classification for several seasons has allowed the house to start afresh, and the fruits of that labour finally got its grand entrance today. One thing that hasn’t changed at all is its ties to quality. For Summer, the house pivots towards linen as a bedrock for its creations. It’s purposeful: they’re chosen for their lightness, breathability, and abilities to transform on its wearer. It’s a material typically overlooked like plain woven cotton, yet finds itself on tailored T-shirts and linen knits designed as outerwear within the collection. Its effortless demeanour makes a great statement, even on oversized jackets and pants.
Another importance is the mention of Oasi — the natural territory in the Biellese Alps of Piedmont, Italy, nurtured by the house since the 1930s. Though it has been a heavy subject matter lately, we’re beginning to see just why. Its existence retains the importance of quality for the house: when something receives enough care, it’ll grow into paradise one day. There is a belief that things made with the highest quality are a submission for longevity, and while there’s nothing new on offer for Spring Summer 2025, we can acknowledge its profound intention and discover something new within. And that, to us, is true luxury.
The Spring Summer 2025 Men’s Fashion Week coverage continues on our Instagram.
Once you are done with our review of the ZEGNA SS25 collection, click here to catch up with our June/July 2024 issue.
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