Blending the spirit of the Ermenegildo Zegna brand with British culture, the store offers complete range of its luxurious menswear collections
Ermenegildo Zegna unveils its latest Global Store in London at New Bond Street, home to the world’s most prestigious luxury brands. The New Bond Street Global Store is the 19th Peter Marino Concept Store to open globally and features 605 square meters of luxury retail space, divided across four floors.
Unique to this store, which is located in the same position as the very first Ermenegildo Zegna boutique in London, opened in 1987, is a stunning façade honoring English heritage and blending seamless with the historical architecture of London’s New Bond Street. The façade’s use of red and grey marble in various shades provides a sense of depth, while the characteristic red bricks that line the upper part of the facade, the bow-windows facing New Bond Street and the vintage bar from the 1950s come together in a heartfelt tribute to British culture.
Capturing the spirit of the Ermenegildo Zegna brand, metal strands are used in the two windows representing the warp and weft yarns of a loom, architectural sheep heads are placed on the window keystones and the bas-relief is inspired by the sheep heads at Villa Zegna in Trivero (Italy). The new Global Store also reflects the brand’s longstanding commitment to social and environmental well- being in terms of its eco-sustainability.
The store has been designed to create a virtual journey through the world of Ermenegildo Zegna, transmitting both the history and DNA of the company, along with the complete range of its luxurious menswear collections. As customers enter the Zegna World on the ground floor, they are surrounded by the dark and natural tones of the entrance and the wide selection of textile accessories, refined leather goods and licensing products. The rich tones of the entrance compliment the bright color palette of the new concept area specifically designed by Peter Marino to host Zegna’s ready-to-wear collection where casual- tailoring and luxury sportswear harmoniously merge. This space, a novelty for Peter Marino concept stores, is characterized by polished rosewood with a rusticated design and cerused ashwood in ivory. The new concept experience continues on the first floor where light colors prevail and the walls are lined in cerused ashwood and three-dimensional plaster. Dedicated to informal clothing and accessories, the area and its furnishings, including Afra and Tobia Scarpa armchairs and a sofa, bask in the natural light of the external windows.
As clients move to the second floor, the staircase functions as the central circulation and is also a visual focal point featuring a floating, open design with ebonized oak tread tops and beneath, suspended polished metal rods resembling textile stands are backlit by LED lights. The second floor mirrors the sophisticated and classic tailoring of Ermenegildo Zegna formalwear as customers are greeted with a luxurious space designed to reflect the elegance of impeccable garments. The same floor also hosts the Ermenegildo Zegna Couture collection in a dedicated area where the expertise and traditional heritage of the brand meet the industrial world through the skillful use of exclusive materials, such as gouged mahogany, ivory plain oak and parchment or black oil- quenched steel, within an ivory color palette.
The third and final floor is divided into two distinct zones, both of which are enhanced by the prominent bow-window facing New Bond Street, together with the golden fireplace in light marble and the vintage bar from the 1950s, all evoking the feeling of a British gentleman’s club. Featuring precious artwork thatreflects the brand’s heritage and consistent support for the arts, this floor is home to the exclusive Su Misura service, the ultimate Zegna offering, and has been furnished to create a very intimate and private space.
The New Bond Street Global Store is also home to artworks by Giovanni Caccamo and Frank Thiel that portray a part of Zegna’s history, such as the photo by Caccamo of Oasi Zegna, the natural park surrounding Trivero, or are a reference to a key element of the brand’s DNA, such as the looms which are featured in Thiel’s piece. Yet it is the tapestry Dare / Avere (2016) by the South-African artist William Kentridge that catches the eye as customers enjoy the intimacy of the Zegna experience. Specifically commissioned by ZegnArt to be permanently displayed inside the New Bond Street Global Store, the 250 x 360 cm tapestry made with mohair threads is an interpretation of the history and values of Ermenegildo Zegna; a snapshot of the company’s centennial progress, captured by sewing together arts, traditions, places, experiences and gestures that will immediately intrigue the observer.
The London flagship follows openings in Milan, New York, Osaka, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Beverly Hills and Tokyo and is the result of the fruitful partnership between Zegna and architect Peter Marino, whose design reflects the brand’s quality materials, integrity and modern style throughout the space. Of exceptional note is New York’s Fifth Avenue Global Store, which won the American Institute of Architects New York State Merit Award for Architecture in 2008.