Gildo Zegna on experiential retailing, storytelling and fashion's remaining El Dorado

Fashion Network

a day ago

Fashion, from mass produced to prestige, has gone through a pretty dire 12months. Though one gets little sense of that in Dubai, where Zegna staged an impressive show this week, right next to their busiest flagship on the planet.
Publicly quoted in New York, though majority owned by the descendants of founder Ermenegildo Zegna, the brand's whole sense of storytelling seemed to dovetail precisely with the city state that is Dubai.
Just as Dubai – bereft of oil or natural gas, unlike its neighbors such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar – had to reinvent itself as a financial hub and tourist destination. So too Ermenegildo Zegna and his descendants, developed one of the greatest fabric and manufacturing resources in fashion, even though most of their materials are sourced far from Italy.
On Wednesday, Zegna presented its first-ever show outside of Italy inside the Dubai Opera, notably supported by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism. With several scores of editors flown in by Emirates, the world's biggest airline. Ads on plane screens advertising branded luxury skyscrapers as great investment opportunities – with buildings named after luxury marques like Bulgari, Bugatti and Mercedes Benz.
Zegna's show took place between the ever bustling Dubai Mall, and Burj Al Khalifa, the world's tallest building where Giorgio Armani opened his first hotel over a decade ago.
'We opened in Dubai in the early 2000s. We were one of the first brands to believe in Dubai Mall. Now, more than 25 years later, our number one store is inside that mall. We have been pioneers. First, we did franchising, and then we took over. It cost me a fortune to buy that back! Now we have a joint venture with Al Tayer, though we have the majority. We are very happy with the arrangement. And we manage the business, but they support us,' explained Gildo Zegna, CEO and grandson of founder Ermenegildo Zegna.
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Zegna now boasts four doors in Dubai; two in Saudi, – in Jeddah and Riyadh – with another three opening. Plus stores in Qatar, Doha and Bahrein. 'We are quite well established with some 15 doors, and opening another five,' notes Gildo.
While in Dubai, the north Italian brand also unveiled its latest Villa Zegna, part uber luxe pop-up with unique products, part installation explaining the marque's history, and the foundation of Oasi Zegna. A 100-square-kilometer mountain in the lower Alps, Ermenegildo acquired in 1910, where the family then planted with 500,000 trees.
'This is a very big week for us. It's about sharing visions,' said Gildo's son Edoardo, the brand's CMDSO, at a greeting dinner on shores of the Gulf in the Four Seasons Jumeirah Hotel. 'The vision of the family I am part of. The vision that my great grandfather had with Oasi. And the vision of Dubai, to have built such a unique place. In many ways, the capital of the world.'
Added Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing: 'I was fascinated listening to how Oasi Zegna started, and their story telling and vision. And the way a brand can punch above your weight. And we wanted to promote that, so the whole world sees what Dubai is – like Zegna - an entrepreneurial vision!'
Today, Kazim noted, 90% of Dubai's population is foreign, and that number continues to grow. Another reason the state was so keen to support Zegna staging here this week.
Edoardo's younger brother Angelo is head or EMEA, in a more organizational role, handling sales, retail and the new client experience, essential for a modern retailer.
'Here we have 150 VICS here this week, who we take through a unique personalized experienced seeing product that you cannot see in any store. You have to remember this is an incredible international hub. We are talking about 30 different nationalities purchasing in Zegna stores in Dubai, every day!' enthused Gildo.
Tourism is an essential key to the economy of the Emirates. There are 200 different nationalities living in Dubai. And over 100 million visitors to this country every year, noted Gildo.
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'That's more than New York, more than London, more than Paris. It makes you realize that this is the new center of the world. And understand why you are here,' he underlined.
Driving the brand's success is designer Alessandro Sartori 's aesthetic – deconstructed tailoring, lighter fabrics and a more relaxed look work. Ideal for this region, with its intense climate.
'Yes, Ale's style and aesthetic does suit this region. But that is also true about the southern parts of the United States, or Southeast Asia. The world, whether we like it or not, is getting warmer, and I think that his 'seasonless' fashion works extremely well. We have linen in winter, and cashmere in summer and we sell both across the year. Traceable materials that are all extremely lightweight. They are conceived for these countries in particular in colors that would be hard to sell in Europe," continued Gildo.
Bucking a global trend, Gildo remains very much a believer his retail business. A policy, which has been bearing fruit. Despite the high fashion downturn internationally, the Ermenegildo Zegna Group – which also includes Tom Ford and Thom Browne – scored profits of €184 million, earned on a 2% rise in revenues to €1.945 billion in 2025, where Zegna accounts for 69% of revenues, and 85% of profits.
'We are 85/15 retail to e-commerce right now and we have turned most of our wholesales business into a concession model - starting in the United States. So, we control our business, whether we are in Selfridges, Harrods, Rinascente, Bergdorf, Saks or Nordstrom. There is a Zegna boutique controlled by us. We buy the merchandise and we design and run each store. So, we have a direct rapport with the customer. That is vital as the customer is very fluid. Here today and gone tomorrow to another brand. So, one has to offer you impeccable service, which we try very hard to achieve," the CEO concluded.