Stefano Pilati exits Ermenegildo Zegna

Photo by Tommy Ton for Zegna

Italian menswear label Ermenegildo Zegna has announced the departure of head of design Stefano Pilati, confirming rumors that surfaced earlier this week.

The designer is ending his three-year tenure with the family-owned brand, during which he oversaw the creation of the label’s couture collections. This marks the third head designer to leave a menswear label this week, as speculation begins to swirl surrounding the creatives’ next moves.

Moving on
Mr. Pilati explains that his decision came as the result of feeling like his goals for the brand had come to fruition.

“I have given much consideration to this decision and after thoughtful conversations with Gildo Zegna, we have reached the conclusion that the mission he entrusted me with had been fulfilled,” Mr. Pilati said in a brand statement. “I now wish to focus on other projects that I had put aside in order to achieve our common goals with Zegna Couture.

“It has been an honor to work with this extraordinary family company that puts quality, craftsmanship and excellence at the center of their business,” he continued. “I want to thank everyone at the Zegna Group and especially Gildo Zegna, who has given me outstanding support and will remain a friend and a mentor.”

The fall/winter 2016 runway presentation on Jan. 16 was Mr. Pilati’s last for the house. Mr. Pilati previously stepped down from his head designer position at Zegna Group label Agnona last July.

Stefano Pilati backstage at Zegna Couture fall/winter 2016 show

Mr. Pilati, who joined Zegna after leaving Saint Laurent, is credited with bringing a fashion-forward sensibility to the house.

“I want to thank Stefano for his contribution to Ermenegildo Zegna,” said Gildo Zegna, CEO of the Zegna Group, in a statement. “We wanted to develop a strong point of view in fashion as well as style, and for Zegna to be a show not to be missed in Milan.

“We have reached this objective faster than expected,” he added. “As we move on to write new chapters in Zegna’s development, I wish Stefano well for his future endeavors.”

This week, menswear labels Berluti and Brioni also joining the list of brands searching for new talent as their creative directors end their tenures.

Berluti’s Alessandro Sartori and Brioni’s Brendan Mullane are amicably parting ways with their respective houses. In recent months, a number of fashion labels have been left without creative directors as their design talent exits to pursue other opportunities (see story).

According to WWD, Mr. Sartori may be a contender for the now-vacant Zegna position. This would be a homecoming of sorts, since the designer was previously the creative director for Zegna’s sporty Z Zegna line.

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