Ermenegildo Zegna @ SS2013 Presentation

A yearning for Couture pervades the SS2013 Ermenegildo Zegna collection. The rigor of the Italian sartorial tradition opens up to sophisticated possibilities that blur the line between eclecticism and eccentricity, expressed through a gamut of new fabrics. The atelier’s mirror is once again an essential counterpart with which to install an ongoing dialogue, one made of exigent looks where control and aesthetic reassurance alternate with one another.

A well-defined silhouette underscored by jackets with sober saddle shoulders, a higher waistline and wide lapels that favor a lean figure complemented by high-waist slim trousers with stitched pleats. A confident yet comfortable construction, one that gives every man the power to exude an elegant allure, buoyed by an ample selection of fabrics that spotlights the summer offering of the Zegna Silk project.

A closet that mirrors a grown up and self-confident man who is familiar with the value of an impeccably tailored suit but who wants to indulge with gentle whiffs of eccentricity, like the all- over tropical-inspired prints that beckon from the details of shirts, linings and accessories. The color wheel spans from classic ivory and blue to cloud gray, as well as shades of tobacco, teal and red.

Beefy fabrics make the difference in the formal and cocktail attire, with suits and overcoats in silk taffeta, laser perforated double silks and shimmering shantung. A luxurious alternative is the solid Irish linen. An overall rendition of the classics that draws liberally from women’s weaves and textures, reinterpreted with Zegna’s relentless knack to experiment that is extended as far as the shirt, amongst the most seductive ever in soft printed silk with a vintage feel, and to silk moulinè or twisted knitwear.

Summer, with its laid back pace, never sheds its elegant aura even with the sportier garments that draw from the couture tradition to become blousons, cabans and sport jackets made with nappa plongè, double layer cottons and high performing silks. The accessories are the turning point of this flawless look. There’s no going wrong with the tasseled loafers Heritage and the flexible unlined “mocassini” in butter soft calfskin or – even more sensational – in silk, enriched with a motif of tiny banana tree leaves. Bags reconquer their aplomb, geometric and inspired by erstwhile luggage in the handles, corners and trimmings. Silk twill and knitted ties and printed scarves that evoke cache-cols add the final touch.