Zegna takes menswear to Los Angeles as luxury hunts growth beyond Europe

Zegna, the Italian menswear label, staged a major runway show in Los Angeles on Friday, joining a growing exodus of European luxury houses seeking growth outside their home continent. The Business of Fashion reported that the label's move to the US follows similar decisions by Dior, Gucci and Louis Vuitton, all of which have staged major shows in American cities in recent months.

The shift reflects a stark divergence in luxury markets. While European demand remains subdued, the US — and increasingly Asia — has become the focal point for growth-hungry fashion houses. For Zegna, which is based in Trivio, in the Bergamo province of Lombardy, the LA show represents a strategic pivot toward markets where affluent consumers are still spending on high-end menswear.

The move underscores the precarious position of Italian luxury brands. Milan, long the global capital of fashion and design, remains the aspirational centre of the industry. Yet the commercial reality is that European consumers, facing economic uncertainty and inflation, have sharply curtailed spending on luxury goods. American and Asian buyers, by contrast, have proven more resilient.

Zegna's decision to stage a major runway presentation in Los Angeles, rather than in Milan or at a European fashion week, signals a fundamental recalibration of the luxury industry's geography. The Business of Fashion reported on 31 May that the label's move follows similar decisions by other major houses, all seeking to tap into markets where demand remains stronger.

For Lombardy's fashion and luxury sector, the trend is sobering. The region is home to dozens of high-end menswear, womenswear and accessory brands, many of which have built their global reputations on the prestige of the Milan fashion week and the broader ecosystem of design, craftsmanship and marketing that surrounds the city. Yet that ecosystem, while still culturally dominant, is increasingly decoupled from commercial reality.

Zegna, founded in 1910 and now part of the Zegna Group, is one of Lombardy's most internationally recognised luxury brands. The house has long positioned itself at the intersection of Italian craftsmanship and contemporary design, with a particular emphasis on menswear tailoring and fabrics. The decision to stage a major show in Los Angeles, rather than relying on the Milan fashion week calendar, reflects the company's assessment that American consumers — particularly affluent men aged 30-60 — represent a more promising market than European counterparts.

The broader context is one of sector-wide slowdown. The international fashion and luxury press has extensively documented the contraction in European luxury spending since late 2024. Consumers in France, Germany and Italy have pulled back sharply on discretionary purchases, particularly on high-end goods. By contrast, American consumers, supported by a more resilient labour market and higher wage growth, have continued to spend on luxury items, albeit with greater selectivity.

For Milan and Lombardy, the implications are significant. The fashion and design weeks that take place in the city twice yearly are not merely commercial events; they are the primary venue through which Italian luxury houses communicate with global buyers, press and influencers. A shift toward shows in New York, Los Angeles and other American cities represents a dilution of Milan's role as the global centre of fashion gravity.

The LA show also reflects demographic and cultural shifts in luxury consumption. American and Asian consumers, particularly younger affluent buyers, increasingly discover and engage with luxury brands through digital channels rather than through traditional fashion weeks. A runway show in Los Angeles, amplified through social media and digital marketing, can reach a global audience more effectively than a show in Milan that depends on physical attendance by press and buyers.

Zegna's move is not isolated. The Business of Fashion reported that Dior, Gucci and Louis Vuitton have all staged major shows in American cities in recent months. While these houses are French and French-Italian conglomerates (LVMH and Kering), the pattern reflects a broader industry-wide recognition that growth is no longer concentrated in Europe.

For Lombardy's luxury ecosystem, the challenge is acute. The region's fashion and design weeks, supported by the Milan Chamber of Commerce and various industry associations, depend on the attendance and participation of major international brands. If those brands increasingly stage shows elsewhere, the commercial and cultural significance of Milan's fashion calendar diminishes.

The regional economic consequence is material. Milan's fashion and design weeks generate substantial spending by international visitors — hotel bookings, restaurant meals, transportation, and ancillary services. A shift toward shows in other cities would reduce that spending. Moreover, the prestige associated with showing in Milan has long attracted emerging designers and smaller brands to the city, creating a broader ecosystem of creative talent and commercial activity.

However, the foreign fashion press has also noted that Milan's cultural dominance in luxury remains intact. The city is still where the most prestigious and trend-setting shows take place, and where the global fashion industry's creative conversation is centred. Zegna's LA show does not displace Milan; it supplements it. The label will likely continue to participate in Milan fashion week, while also staging shows in other markets.

The deeper issue is one of market geography. For much of the 20th century, European wealth and consumption were concentrated in Western Europe, and luxury brands oriented themselves accordingly. The rise of American and Asian affluence has redrawn that map. Italian luxury houses, which built their reputations on European prestige, must now navigate a world in which their home market is no longer the primary source of growth.

For Zegna specifically, the LA show represents a bet on American menswear consumption. The US menswear market has grown substantially in recent years, with American consumers increasingly willing to spend on high-end tailoring, fabrics and design. Zegna, with its heritage in Italian tailoring and its contemporary design credentials, is well-positioned to compete in that market.

Looking forward, the question for Lombardy's luxury sector is whether the shift toward shows in other cities represents a permanent reorientation or a cyclical response to current European weakness. If European demand recovers, the prestige of the Milan fashion week may reassert itself. If the shift proves durable, Lombardy's fashion houses will need to adapt their marketing and commercial strategies to a world in which Milan is one centre of gravity among several, rather than the dominant one.