Zegna is opting to showcase a gradient of nudes, creams and yellows for the SS23 collection.
The rooftop of Zegna’s fabric factory, home to the brand’s origins, is Zegna’s setting of choice to showcase their menswear collection for SS23 – and it fits perfectly.
The Italian mountain backdrop and the surrounding trees echo the brand’s commitment to sustainability, whilst the flags on the sides of the runway are a nod to the brand’s colour choices for the season.
As the models walk, the music begins to get more experimental, sometimes leaning into some hopeful electronic and other times swerving towards alternative techno.
As the models walk, the music begins to get more experimental, sometimes leaning into some hopeful electronic and other times swerving towards alternative techno.
Zegna at the SS23 Milan men’s fashion week is a minimalist’s dream. The fashion the brand is showcasing a mixture of nudes, creams and light ochres with fabric that is sometimes translucent and often loose.
Trousers are long, sleeves are wide and the whole collection looks eerily comfortable.
There’s very minimal accessorising, as is quite usual for the luxury Italian fashion house, but the occasional futuristic pair of sunglasses pops up, always matching in colour to the rest of the showcased outfit. We sometimes see bags, often clutches, but unlike in other fashion week runways there seems to be very little focus on these throughout the show.
One of the only patterns showcased on the runway is a pink, brown and cream wide t-shirt, stamped in what resembles some leaves or stripes.
The top is paired with loose-fitting brown trousers and darker brown shoes – a clear indication that Zegna is betting on same-colour combinations using different shades.
In fact, the whole runway works on the idea that one can use the same colour to provide effective combinations that look interesting yet perfectly curated.
Zegna, much like other big names this season has opted for yellow as the standout colour of their pieces, using it in a large bulk of their model’s outfits. It comes in a variety of shades, always true to the brand’s minimal attire.
They help highlight something which is very present in the SS23 Zegna collection; an undoubted attempt at mixing the brand’s elegance with more sporty attire; an interesting level of casualness in and amongst the serenity of the designs.
The whole runway reads as a gradient of shades. It works well, especially with what Zegna is trying to achieve in terms of minimalism and focus on fabric and cuts.
As models make their way across the rooftop, the show goes from browns to yellows, to nudes to yellows, to whites and, finally, to darker shades of brown.
As the show comes to an end, Alessandro Sartori comes out in a jog and a modern monk-like outfit, a serene but suitable choice that he has accessorised with a thin silver chain.