Ermenegildo Zegna Designs For China’s National Football Team & U-22/U-23 Team

Gildo Zegna, CEO of the Ermenegildo Zegna Group & Zhang Jian, Vice President and General Secretary of Chinese Football Association signed a four-year partnership recently which the Italian luxury menwears to design and provide the official men’s off-field formal and leisurewear attire for China’s National Football Team and the U-22/U-23 Team.

The deal will run from September 1st 2016 to January 31st 2020 and coincides with the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches. Over the years, Zegna has worked hard to forge a close relationship with the world of sport, creating high performance fabrics and active wear, whilst supporting numerous sporting events, including the Italian regattas in Portofino. Today’s partnership represents the meeting of two cultures, with strong historical ties that date back centuries and it marks a collaboration where Italian fashion embraces Chinese football. China’s 15-year plan to make it a footballing superpower is already evidenced with several government initiatives geared toward raising public interest and developing the football community.

In keeping with this passion for success, Ermenegildo Zegna will invest its 100 years of heritage, craftsmanship and its dedication to the highest quality fabric, to create a fresh and stylish image for China’s senior and U-22/U-23 national football team .The Ermenegildo Zegna wardrobe, exclusively designed for the team, includes leisurewear and tailor-made formal attire, personalized with the CFA Team China crest, all reflecting the Italian savoir-faire and a passion for detail and high quality that is synonymous with the Zegna brand. The formal attire is an elegant navy blue, single-breasted suit in the renowned Trofeo fabric with a red lining, which is a nod to CFA Team China’s official colors. The suit is styled with a soft white shirt, pocket square and a choice of matching ties, one in burgundy and the other in navy blue. The look is accompanied by a pair of black derby shoes in smooth calf leather and a raincoat in Elements Trofeo.

For leisurewear, Ermenegildo Zegna is creating denim jeans, a full zip sweatshirt in Techmerino, a functional backpack, all in navy blue, and the iconic Triple Stitch sneaker in red grained calf leather. Heritage is at the heart of the Ermenegildo Zegna brand, as is its pioneering strategy. Ermenegildo Zegna was the first European luxury brand to foresee the immense potential of the Chinese market, and demonstrated this by opening its first China boutique in Beijing in 1991. Zegna’s desire to be at the forefront of the nation’s developments is therefore fully reflected in this partnership with the Chinese Football Association.

Gildo Zegna, CEO of the Ermenegildo Zegna Group, commented: “It is a great honor for Zegna to dress China’s National Football Team and the U-22/U-23 team, and to celebrate a new milestone in China, where we have been present for over 25 years. Football is the most popular and beloved sport in Italy. I am a passionate football fan, and I strongly believe that this wonderful sport has huge potential in China. We are excited to use our experience and heritage in tailoring to dress the country’s national team and I know that the players will make us and their nation proud.”