Businessman, artisan, inventor, philanthropist. In the small Italian Trivero, Ermenegildo Zegna is a local hero. It was here in 1910 that he founded his Lanificio Zegna factory, and for more than 100 years, in the same place, his business has continued to live and develop successfully. At the beginning of his journey, Zenya was driven by a utopian idea: to prove to the world, and above all to his fellow countrymen, that Italian costumes are not only no worse than English ones, but can also surpass them in quality.
Zenya said that “you cannot create beauty without surrounding yourself with it,” and first chose the ideal location by building a factory in northern Italy. Breathtaking mountain landscapes, small houses and flowering trees. Here really everything set up a creative mood. In addition, the north has historically been considered a tailoring region, and Zenya has done everything possible to maintain this lifestyle, creating a comfortable environment for his employees. Schools, a vocational school for tailors, a hospital, a cinema, a swimming pool, a farm and a church are all funded by Ermenegildo. At the Zegna factory, they say that all of the current workers are native locals, and children often take turns. It is even more amazing that the beautiful house in which Zenya lived and worked is located literally a minute and a half walk from the production itself. No fences or gates, and visitors to Casa Zegna are sure to be told a story about the underground tunnel connecting the villa and the factory.
Angelo (left) and Aldo Zena at the opening of the brand's first boutique in Paris, 1980
Another reason why the production is located in Trivero is the ideal river water. It contains almost no mineral elements, and after steaming (one of the most important stages of production), the fabric acquires special properties: it becomes soft, plastic, textured.
