Things to Do

Welcome, “Gildo”: Luxury Men’s Designer Ermenegildo Zegna Opens a Washington Store

Pricey new Italian boutique hits Tysons Galleria.

Testing the fabrics. All photos by Rachel Cothran.

Although many still scoff at the idea of Washington as a rising star in the fashion market, the notion has never been truer. Washington’s newfound sartorial relevance could be measured by the recent boom in luxury retail stores flocking to the area: Chevy Chase is home to the Collection—which houses Louis Vuitton, Jimmy Choo, and Max Mara—and a sleek new Bloomingdale’s just opened down the street.

The most recent star to shine in the area is Ermenegildo Zegna, the Italian luxury men’s clothing brand that quietly opened its doors October 13 at Tysons Galleria in McLean and hosted an intimate opening fete last Friday. Known to many as simply “Zegna” (say it with me now: ZAYN-ya), the family-owned label is highly regarded for its finely tailored wool suits. At the heart of the brand are its fabrics, produced not only for Zegna’s lines but also for some of the world’s top ready-to-wear labels.

The opening celebration on Friday boasted no shortage of heavy hitters, including  “Gildo” Zegna himself as well as Tom Ford chair Domenico DeSole and his wife, Eleanore. Zegna’s sons Angelo and Edoardo, who attend Georgetown University (freshman and senior, respectively) were also on hand.

Want to see more photos from Washington events and parties? Click here for Washingtonian.com's photo slideshow page. 

The 2,300-square-foot space at Tysons is Zegna’s tenth store in the United States. It houses the Ermenegildo Zegna line (“our DNA,” said Zegna) and Zegna Sport, in addition to eyewear and leather goods. For a custom fit and style, customers can choose the fabric, cut, and other item-specific options to create a unique garment through Zegna’s made-to-measure service called Su Misura.

How much does this level of luxury cost? A typical dress shirt will run you around $325; ties are $150, and an off-the-rack suit starts around $2,200. A Su Misura suit is $3,000 to $14,000 for the label’s finest wool, with a four-to-six-week turnaround. Too rich for your blood? You can at least smell like Zegna: The label’s fragrances cost about $60.

Rachel Cothran also blogs at projectbeltway.com.