History and Development of the Group

The Ermenegildo Zegna Group is the world leader in fine men's clothing. It has a yearly output of 2 million meters of fabric, 350.000 sleeve units, over 1 million sportswear items, and 1.5 million accessories. It employs more than 5.000 staff world-wide and has achieved a gross revenue of 661,3 million Euros in 2002, 85% of which is derived from clothing and accessories, 15% from textiles, and over 80% of all sales are exported. The Group is still a “family business” and is managed by the fourth generation of the family: Ermenegildo and Paolo, as CEO's, Anna, Benedetta, Laura and Renata Zegna.
In July 1999, the Zegna Group acquired Lanerie Agnona S.p.A.; in 2001 the majority of Master Loom, a textile company based in Prato specializing in innovative fabrics; in July 2002 bought control of Guida, the company which owns the Longhi leather trademark, and in September 2002 set up the company ZeFer, the 50/50 joint venture with Salvatore Ferragamo Group, for world-wide development of the Ermenegildo Zegna brand in the shoe and leather sectors. In China, in March 2003, the group acquired control of 50% of Sharmoon, the Wenzhou company previously owned by the Chen family, which produces high quality men's suits and jackets for the Chinese market.

In 1910, Ermenegildo Zegna founded the Ermenegildo Zegna Group in Trivero, a small town in the Italian Biella Alps. The young entrepreneur strove to create high quality fabrics for men's clothing and in doing so focused his strategy on the selection of the best raw materials from their markets of origin, innovation in product and in the production process, and promotion of the brand.

The founder's sons, Angelo Zegna, current President of the Group, and Aldo Zegna, who passed away in 2000, took over the management of the company from their father in the '60s. They lead the Company into the ready-to-wear market with a line of men's clothing aimed at the top end of the market, followed gradually by knitwear, accessories and sportswear. The growth in production led the Group to seek direct outlets in foreign markets, resulting in the opening of commercial branches in Spain, France, Germany, USA, Japan, Great Britain and more recently also in Mexico, Turkey, China, Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and Australia. Production units, controlled by the Ermenegildo Zegna Group, were created in Spain and Switzerland. The company's vertical integration was completed in the 1980's, with the opening of the first monobrand boutiques in Paris (1980) and Milan (1985). At the end of 2002 Ermenegildo Zegna had 379 monobrand points of sale in the world (Ermenegildo Zegna and Zegna Sport), of which 135 are fully owned.

Alongside his industrial vocation, Ermenegildo Zegna dreamt of giving a face-lift to the mountainous terrain where his wool mill was and is still situated. He launched an extensive reforestation project and began construction work on a panoramic road, which bore his name. Following the example set by their forbearer, the family's latest generations created the Oasi Zegna in 1993, an area stretching along the Zegna Panoramic Road. In Oasi Zegna the alpine environment is protected and tended to, and by doing so the flourishing of the environmental culture is enabled through the personal experience of its visitors.

The Group today

WORLD LEADER IN FINE MEN'S CLOTHING

661,3 million Euros in sales, 80% exports, over 5.000 employees.
Sales 85% clothing and accessories, 15% textiles.

Production: 2 million meters of fabrics, 350.000 sleeve units,
Over 1 million sportswear items, 1,5 million accessories per year.