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Zegna's Pilati Plan
PARIS
-- The Ermenegildo Zegna Group is banking on the design prowess of Stefano Pilati to lift its fortunes in men's wear -- and Agnona women's wear --to a new summit.
"We are appreciated for our quality, fabrics and style. We wanted to add a twist of fashion and this was the right moment," said Gildo Zegna, chief executive officer of the Italian firm, which last year surpassed the 1 billion euro revenue threshold. "This will also help us to work with less mature clients, and catch opportunities in emerging markets where there are younger and wealthier customers."
On Tuesday, Zegna revealed the arrival of Pilati, the former creative director of Yves Saint Laurent, confirming a report in WWD.
He starts Jan. 1 as creative director of Agnona, and head of design at Ermenegildo Zegna, with responsibility for that brand's fashion show as well as for the Ermenegildo Zegna Couture collection, the latter built on sartorial, hand-stitched suits in precious fabrics.
(Zegna noted that Pilati would not oversee Z Zegna, designed by Paul Surridge, which he defined as a "young and fashion" line.)
The appointment of Pilati signals that Zegna is pumping up its fashion credentials with a well-known and seasoned talent, known for his suave personal style, press appeal and influential silhouettes.
It comes amid heightened competition among Europe's big luxury groups for men's wear dominance. Last November, Gucci parent PPR acquired Italian suit maker Brioni with ambitions to boost its global profile via a rollout of company-owned stores, and expansion into sportswear and leather goods.
Over the summer, Brioni named Brendan Mullane as its new creative director, tapping the British designer...