The lesson of the woods
The close of a year that has presented us with great challenges brings to mind the silent teachings of my grandfather Ermenegildo, to whose memory Fondazione Zegna is dedicated. Many times I have wondered what his secret was for choosing with calm determination the right path to pursue, even in the middle of the darkest […]
The Claude Frères collection: timeless samples of creativity
On opening a volume in the Claude Frères sample collection kept in Casa Zegna, you immediately feel immersed in an extraordinary historical… fabric. Though they “only” contain swatches of material and very few words, these volumes tell old and interesting stories. The 169 Claude Frères sample books in the Zegna archives cover the period from […]
The Zegna Sample Collection: weaving tradition and inspiration
Despite what’s often heard said, a sample collection is not enough on its own to constitute a wool mill’s heritage. In actual fact, a lot more is needed to build the archives of a textile manufacturer. But a company’s sample collection is certainly an historical record of its production in remote and recent times. It […]
Zegna and water: a century of good practice
Like all wool mills, the Zegna Mill has always needed large amounts of water. Wool working processes require conspicuous quantities and a certain quality of a natural resource that’s becoming increasingly rare and precious. Washing, dyeing, processes that use steam and various types of finishing all require huge volumes of water. The site where the […]
Heritage News: the Ermenegildo Zegna Wool Mill was born on May 11th 1910
Reigning Vittorio Emanuele III King of Italy by the grace of God and the will of the Nation In the year one thousand nine hundred and ten on May 11 in Trivero in his own home, in front of me, Sejra Giovanni Battista, notary, and in the presence of Mr Verzoletto Giovanni Battista son of […]
Heritage Day: history in a fabric
The metaphorical expression “weaving the future” has now taken on a very literal sense. On Sunday 17 November, during the 18th Business Culture Week (from 8 to 22 November 2019), Fondazione Zegna is organizing Heritage Day: l’arte di tessere il futuro (The art of weaving the future), an initiative offering a “journey through the fabrics of the samples collections, from inspiration to […]
The Zegna Archives: preserving history
The importance that a well preserved historical archive may have for a territory is simply incalculable. The historical memory of a place often coincides with an archive that conserves shelf-loads of documents, written testimonies to what has gone before, a warning and a lesson to the protagonists of the present. One such historical archive is […]
FAI Autumn Days: events in Oasi Zegna
12 and 13 October 2019 see the return of the FAI Autumn Days. On 13 October, Fondazione Zegna and Oasi Zegna are organizing a calendar of art and culture events for everyone, kids included. From 10.30 to 17.00, the event entitled “Biella sotto i 1000 m” (Biella under 1,000 m) is offering guided visits to […]
Montessori workshops for kids: the expert speaks
Activities for kids organized by the cooperative Tantintenti with support from Fondazione Zegna are characterized by an approach based on the Maria Montessori method, which by stimulating enthusiasm in kids manages to engage entire families. To explain Montessori’s educational approach, Ruggero Poi, the head of the Tantintenti cooperative, starts with their most recent experience, a […]
FAI Days: Casa Zegna open day
Italian textile manufacturing’s center of excellence opens its doors onSaturday 23 and Sunday 24 March,on the occasion of the FAI Spring Days, to reveal the secrets behind the making the men’s accessory par excellence: the tie. “Le stanzedeicreativi” is the title of an exhibition designed exclusively for the FAIDays by Casa Zegna, where visitors will […]
