Away from the Mediterranean, ZEGNA brought La Villeggiatura to Los Angeles last week for its Summer 2027 collection, presented along the iconic Malibu Pier.
Revived from the archives, La Villeggiatura references the Italian tradition of villeggiare, popular from the 1950s through the 1970s, when families would relocate from the city to the countryside or seaside for extended stays. More than a vacation, it was a seasonal ritual centered around family, conversation, nature, and a slower rhythm of life.
Courtesy of ZEGNA.
This wasn’t about escaping reality, but recalibrating the senses. A temporary home became a place where mind, body, and soul could reconnect with the natural world.
The essence of La Villeggiatura comes alive through ZEGNA’s family archives and the distinctly Italian concept of saper vivere—knowing how to live well. In place of rigid tailoring, dark palettes, and perfection comes ease, spontaneity, and rhythm. The collection embraces a softer approach to dressing, one rooted in movement and experience rather than formality.
Why California?
Courtesy of ZEGNA.
Courtesy of ZEGNA.
Known for its laid-back spirit and connection to the outdoors, California serves as a natural extension of La Villeggiatura. A day on Malibu Pier feels like its own form of sensory reset, where ocean waves, sea air, and sandy beaches replace the pace of city life.
The location also reflects ZEGNA’s longstanding relationship with nature. The brand’s support of California State Parks, which help preserve public lands throughout the state, echoes the founding philosophy behind Oasi Zegna, the protected natural territory established by founder Ermenegildo Zegna more than a century ago.
The fusion of Italian Villeggiatura and Americana creates a compelling dialogue about how summer should be spent. As Artistic Director Alessandro Sartori explains, “I wanted to express a ZEGNA take on summer, our vision of leisure dressing as something that’s drenched in a cultivated attitude, in a discerning gaze that’s profoundly Italian.”
Courtesy of ZEGNA.
Courtesy of ZEGNA.
Presenting the collection in Los Angeles further underscores Sartori’s vision of ZEGNA as a global brand rather than one confined to a single geography. Malibu, with its unique blend of urban energy and coastal ease, becomes the ideal backdrop.
“There is something so ours to what we did this season,” Sartori says, “with an openness that feels cosmopolitan rather than being proudly or narrowly local.”
The result is a sophisticated alternative to traditional leisurewear—one that feels equally at home on an Italian coastline, a California beach, or in the city.
La Villeggiatura Summer Codes
Courtesy of ZEGNA.
Courtesy of ZEGNA.
The quintessential summer staple—stripes—takes on a fresh dimension through irregular patterns rendered in lightweight seersucker. Silhouettes remain relaxed yet refined, moving fluidly between structure and softness. Striped suits are paired with matching shirts for bold color-blocked moments, while shirts crafted in nappa, suede, crocodile, and silk are styled with tailored shorts for effortless versatility.
Malleability sits at the core of the collection. Individual garments are designed to adapt to different moods and occasions rather than exist as part of a rigid uniform. Detachable collars offer subtle customization, while blazers with adjustable half-belts create either a cinched or relaxed silhouette, blurring traditional expectations of tailoring.
Overshirts remain fluid and easy. Leather anoraks and intarsia bombers introduce nautical references while providing luxurious protection for cooler evenings by the water. Smocking on funnel necks, braided details, and knitted suede accents add tactile richness to otherwise smooth surfaces.
Courtesy of ZEGNA.
Courtesy of ZEGNA.
Accessories continue the conversation. Leather slippers and moccasins reinforce the relaxed spirit, while striped or plain suede totes, duffels, and bags offer functionality. Square-framed sunglasses, silk foulards, and knitted silk scarves complete the look with an understated sense of elegance.
The palette draws from the sea itself: aquamarine, acqua, onda, alga, and marea mingle with accents of boa, bandiera, madrepora, teak, and softened black.
Innovation remains central to Sartori’s approach. “Everything here starts from fabrics,” he says, “which have texture and pattern, and look endlessly renewed by simply twisting and turning the subtlest elements, even just a thread.”
Dressing for the Liquid Lives of Today
Courtesy of ZEGNA.
That philosophy is visible throughout the collection. Vicuña-orange umbrellas stood out against the neutral boardwalk and deep blue ocean, while models walked the pier in natural tones punctuated by vibrant bursts of color. Many of the looks seemed designed to age beautifully through a season spent outdoors—garments that would look even better after a summer of sun and wear.
Most importantly, the collection carries an ease that translates effortlessly from an Italian country villa or seaside retreat to the city, maintaining a polished sense of style without ever feeling overworked.
As Sartori notes, “By creating new categories, erasing staid ones in an endless quest for styles apt for the liquid lives of today, I am allowed the enriching possibility to create an ever-evolving aesthetic that’s rooted in the classics yet freed from outmoded restraints.”
For ZEGNA, La Villeggiatura isn’t merely a nostalgic reference. It’s a modern way of living—and dressing.
