The Italian luxury house embraces its legacy while preparing for a bold new chapter.

After more than two decades at the helm of one of Italy’s most storied luxury houses, Gildo Zegna steps away from day-to-day management and into a role designed for legacy and oversight. On 24 November 2025 the Ermenegildo Zegna Group announced a new leadership structure that signals both continuity and change: the group appoints Gianluca Tagliabue as its next chief executive officer, while Zegna becomes executive chairman. At the same time Zegna’s sons Edoardo Zegna and Angelo Zegna take up co-CEO roles at the flagship ZEGNA brand.

The decision is a milestone not just for the family-controlled group but for Italian luxury at large: it brings the fourth generation into leadership, embeds a professional executive at group level, and affirms that the identity of the house remains rooted in its founding values.

A Leader Hands the Baton

Gildo Zegna ascended to the group’s top role in the early 2000s, building his reputation as a steward of Italian craftsmanship and a strategist for global expansion. Under his leadership the house evolved from its roots in high-end menswear into a multibrand luxury entity that now includes ZEGNA, Thom Browne and Tom Ford Fashion. When the group listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2021, it marked a new chapter of ambition under Gildo’s guidance.

In the new structure Gildo relinquishes the CEO title but remains very much involved, as executive chairman he will direct corporate strategy, oversee the textile operations, shape external relations and retain oversight of the group’s historic heritage. In his statement he described the shift as “not stepping back but stepping ahead,” emphasising that the move is designed to empower new leadership while safeguarding the house’s values.

Professional Stewards, Family Roots

Gianluca Tagliabue’s elevation to CEO is both a reward for internal experience and a signal of professionalisation. Tagliabue joined Zegna in a combined role as chief financial officer and chief operating officer, shaping growth and operational strategy during a period of acquisition and transformation. His appointment marks a period of continuity for the group’s corporate functions while giving space for younger generation leadership at brand level.

The names of Edoardo and Angelo Zegna now appear in the highest ranks of brand leadership, marking the first time the fourth generation of the family takes such central roles. Edoardo, currently head of marketing and digital as well as chief sustainability officer, will lead brand strategy and design matters alongside artistic director Alessandro Sartori. Angelo will take responsibility for product development, merchandising and global commercial operations.

The co-leadership model at ZEGNA is rare among luxury houses but reflects the complementary strengths of the two men: one steeped in brand experience and story, the other immersed in product and market structure. The family and analysts alike note that this dual structure reduces risk and blends vision with commercial acumen.

Heritage Meets Modern Ambition

For the Zegna group this transition arrives at a moment when luxury is both global and demanding. The company remains majority-owned by the Zegna family, retaining roughly sixty percent of equity and seventy-five percent of voting rights, even as it adapts to a public-company model and the rigours of global markets.

The announcement arrives alongside signals of disciplined growth: the group emphasises its manufacturing strength, verticalised supply chain and in-house textiles as pillars of resilience. These assets, long celebrated by the house, will receive fresh focus in the era ahead, with Gildo concentrating on the textile division and its role in sustainability and brand differentiation.

Brand-wise, ZEGNA continues to invest in expansion across the United States, Middle East and Asia, while Thom Browne and Tom Ford Fashion present opposite challenges: one a mature house needing new energy, the other a recently integrated fashion business with its own momentum. The new leadership structure is seen as enabling sharper focus across each brand rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

The Road Ahead

The leadership change will take effect from 1 January 2026, though transition work is already well under way within the group. The role of chief financial officer will be assumed by Gian Franco Santhia, currently in charge of group accounting. The CEOs of each of the brands will report into Tagliabue, who will serve as the group’s integrator of strategy, operations and corporate functions.

For investors this move is also significant. Analysts at Jefferies described the appointments as “responsive and reassuring,” noting that the family has spelled out a clear plan rather than a reactive move. The dual leadership of Edoardo and Angelo at ZEGNA is believed to align the brand’s creative and commercial sides and strengthen overall governance.

A Moment of Stewardship

Beyond corporate structure this change signals a philosophy of stewardship. Gildo Zegna emphasised that the timing was deliberate: at age seventy he felt it time to recalibrate his role, focusing on legacy rather than daily execution. “One of the most important responsibilities of a leader is to think ahead, to prepare the future and empower the next generation,” he said. By stepping into an executive chairman role while the sons take direct leadership of the brand, Zegna embodies that philosophy in practice.

The initiative reflects a broader luxury industry challenge: to preserve brand identity, family values and heritage craftsmanship while meeting demands for speed, transparency and global relevance. For the Zegna group this is as much about growth as it is about authenticity, about marrying tradition with modernity.

The Brand, The Makers and The Makers of the Makers

The Zegna story has always been rooted in the atelier and the mill. Founded in 1910 in Trivero, the house built its name on fine wool fabrics, family-run manufacturing and Italian artisanal labour. That heritage remains central even as the group navigates global markets. Gildo’s oversight of the textile division signals that manufacturing and supply chain will remain core to the business under the new leadership.

At the same time, the group’s fashion houses leverage heritage through evolution: ZEGNA’s tailoring and fabric innovation, Thom Browne’s design audacity and Tom Ford Fashion’s global luxury proposition form a complementary triad. The group is now structured to allow each house to thrive with autonomy, backed by consolidated functions and a singular group strategy.

Continuity in Growth

In the third quarter of 2025 the group reported modest growth, with brand ZEGNA up slightly and the other houses showing divergent trends. The transition comes at a realistic moment, not crisis but calibration. With Tagliabue at the helm the group is expected to sharpen its focus on direct-to-consumer channels, accelerate investments in manufacturing, and refine retail mix globally. The incoming leadership intends to let each brand deepen its voice rather than chase scale alone.

Critics of family-run houses often point to succession risks: loss of identity, dilution of values, fracturing of governance. The Zegna group’s announcement seeks to avoid that. By staying within family control, promoting from within, and mapping out responsibilities clearly, it signals a system built for endurance rather than turbulence.

Looking Forward

As 2026 opens, the Zegna group enters a new era, one where fourth generation leadership, professional executive management and heritage craftsmanship intersect. The house that once built fabrics for the elite now stands poised to define the future of men’s and luxury fashion across brands.

For consumers and insiders alike the question will be how the new leadership balances continuity with reinvention. The materials remain the same: fine wool, Italian millwork, tailoring gesture and luxury finish. But the future demands agility, cultural relevance and global sensitivity. Under the new structure, the Zegna group has begun writing the next chapter.

In time the success of this transition will be measured by how well the house honours its past while shaping its future. The mantle is passed yet the story continues.

Written by: Linh Giang Nguyen
Published on: 25th November 2025