Ermenegildo Zegna Couture A/W 2017

Scene setting: His first show for Ermenegildo Zegna Couture, artistic director Alessandro Sartori staged his debut within Anselm Kiefer’s Seven Heavenly Palaces. The permanent installation at Milan gallery HangarBicocca features seven crooked towers created from reinforced concrete, and these were contrasted against a set created from gold metal cubes and geometrically ordered angle brackets.

Mood board: Echoing the texture-heavy setting of his debut, Sartori experimented with luxurious fabrications, from suits constructed in ultralight cashmere to papery calfskin bomber jackets, creating using an unusual wax tanning process. The collection was imagined in elegant earthy tones, and completed with geometric jacquard tailoring and cushiony padded coats.

Finishing touches: Sartori debuted his alpine-inspired Z Zegna collection at Pitti Uomo on Tuesday, and these ski influences manifested here in sturdy mountaineering boots, leather gloves and functional rubberised zip details. Balaclavas were swapped for baseball caps and beanie hats with cross stitch detailing, which bought a contemporaneity to Sartori’s more suited looks.