BEYOND THE STEREOTYPE
By asking the question “what makes a man?” Ermenegildo Zegna is working to kick-start a reappraisal of conventional masculinity. Here we discuss the company’s move to recut the cloth of received male patterns of thought and behaviour with its chief protag
What does it mean to be a man today? In this era of sexual fluidity, the genderless movement and the #MeToo feminist battle cry, men feel the need to question their roles and redefine their identity, challenging stereotypes that have, for centuries, required them to appear strong, courageous and dominant. The rules have changed, and fashion is taking note:“What we know for sure is that there is more than one answer to explain the modern concept of masculinity,” says Ermenegildo Zegna, CEO of the clothing company founded by his grandfather in 1910, in a video where he explains the #whatmakesaman concept behind the Autumn/Winter campaign.
Zegna is urging men to break free from the labels that have been attached to them, in order to find out what they truly desire.This campaign features the faces and voices of two men who perfectly embody the times.The first is Mahershala Ali, a versatile actor who has played profoundly different characters on the silver screen, from a “good” drug dealer in Moonlight to a gay pianist in Green Book (he won an Oscar for both).
The second is Hong Kong-born Nicholas Tse, a singer, actor, musician and businessman who found success early in life thanks to his bold choices that went against the grain. Ali and Tse bare their souls in a series of monologues, sharing thoughts, reflections and memories about what makes them men: love and dreams, risks and failures, freedom, dynamism and playfulness. “I was probably like nine or ten, and I would stare straight into the mirror and I’d say,‘Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?’ And eventually, I just got rid of all of these layers, and I’d get down to this space where I didn’t have any answers,” says Ali in the first video of the campaign.
When the project was launched in New York on 5 September, the actor sat down with Zegna’s artistic director Alessandro Sartori to talk about masculinity in the 21st century.The road show will continue over the next few months, hitting the most important cities in the world – with stops in Milan, London, Paris and Moscow – involving professionals and opinion leaders in the conversation.The aim is not to find a definitive answer but to inspire discussion on the role of men in society, encouraging new, unexpected and even provocative ideas.“It’s an ambitious project where the message focuses not on the clothes but on the idea of masculinity today, which is not a set of rules to be followed as much as a multifaceted way to be,” explains Sartori.
With a whole new wave of feminist battles, women are rightfully laying claim to values, styles and choices that, until very recently, were seen as exclusive to men. And now men would like to do the same, turning kindness, patience and vulnerability into universal qualities instead of stereotypically predominantly female attributes.
“Our history – 110 years of constantly observing men’s world – gives us the chance to undertake this challenge. It’s my aim to set a new frontier for the brand, offering people a sense of identity,” continues Ermenegildo Zegna.
Commitment to social issues is a cornerstone of the Piedmont-based company, which since the early 1990s has promoted environmental conservation and supported local communities with the Oasi Zegna. The company also aims to use sustainable – recycled or regenerated – materials.The #whatmakesaman project includes a charity component. In fact, a T-shirt featuring the campaign’s slogan will be on sale in all Zegna stores, with proceeds going to an association that promotes educational initiatives. It all comes down to the fact that being a man today means looking beyond ourselves.