Zegna's first show outside Italy is a love letter to Dubai

Staging a week-long takeover of Dubai Opera, the menswear house brings nuanced, nonchalant elegance to our shores

Zegna, the Italian master of quiet luxury, has just staged its first fashion show outside Italy.

On Wednesday, it transformed Dubai Opera into an oasis of fashion, with nods to both Italy and the UAE. Guests were greeted by birdsong recorded in Oasi Zegna, the land planted as a forest by the founder, as they took in the set of dunes, native ghaf and palm trees, and a sand-strewn floor.

Across 54 looks, the spring/summer 2026 show delivered a masterclass in the impeccable, laid-back dressing Zegna is known for, formed from elegant cuts and astonishing materials.

About 600 guests, many of whom were flown in for the event, witnessed the unfolding of a typically discreet palette that shifted from cream and bone, through olive and fern green to autumnal dark red and mulberry, played out across quietly remarkable pieces.

Art of understatement

Summery shirts and jackets with relaxed knits dominated the Zegna runway. Chris Whiteoak / The National

As with everything Zegna does, this collection is about layered nuance. Unlined jackets were casually worn over collared shirts of perforated suede, laser-cut in dogtooth patterning. Tabard tops were spun from linen and paper, and cotton ticking became summery suit jackets and matching shorts. Crumpled linen was cut into boxy jackets, and woven into airy polo tops, while loose shirt jackets and even scarves arrived in Zegna's new “washable leather”. In a nod to the host city, 25 of these runway looks were made especially for the Dubai show.

The subtle brilliance of Zegna is best seen up close, when the true beauty of its pieces becomes apparent. Knitted suede tops, roomy crocheted tops that hang just-so, jacquard jackets that resemble tweed, and actual tweed spun into a light summer coat – this is a house that has mastered the art of understatement.

A model walks barefoot on the sandy runway at the Zegna spring/summer 2026 show at Dubai Opera. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The show featured a diverse cast of models – from teenagers to septuagenarians – some barefoot, all restrained and elegant. Although predominantly featuring male models, there were a few women on the runway, clad in the same menswear as an illustration of its wearability. British musician James Blake also made an appearance, performing and taking the final bow with creative director Alessandro Sartori.

As owner of its own factories (to oversee a process it calls “sheep to shop”), Zegna can push boundaries of what is materially possible. Sartori explained before the show: “Through this experimentation, we are finding a lot of new ideas.”

In turn, these become new propositions for today's client. “There is a huge space between classic and avant-garde menswear that we can explore,” Sartori said.

Zegna creative director Alessandro Sartori, left, with musician James Blake after the runway show at Dubai Opera on Wednesday. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The looks paraded in the opera house suggest this is not a middle ground, but instead a new frontier: making daily uniforms for the ultra-refined, using hyper-modern materials and devoid of logos, for an if-you-know-you-know cachet.

Stepping into Villa Zegna

Zegna's polished ethos extends well beyond the runway. Part of the opera house has been converted into Villa Zegna, a private invitation-only club open for five days.

Named after the original family house in Northern Italy, Villa Zegna allows clients to sample the new limited-edition Il Conte fragrance (created as a run of just 300 and housed in Murano glass bottles), and gain exclusive access to the Dubai capsule collection. Separate from the fashion show pieces, these additional 70 or so items cater to the lives of the ultra-rich – think croc skin jackets tumbled to the suppleness of suede, and hoodies in creamy cashmere. In a moment of Narnia-like charm, this arena can only be reached by passing through a rail of suits, which represents the wardrobe of founder Ermenegildo Zegna.

To ensure its guests glean the most from their visit, the fashion house has enlisted Dubai Tourism to guide them around the city Zegna describes as being a “celebration of vision”.

Such is the level of precision at Zegna that every detail – from triple-stitched moccasins to leather-covered buttons – is catered for. Accordingly, choosing Dubai for its first venture beyond its homeland does not feel coincidental. Carefully considered, the city has been selected for the values it shares with the storied Italian house. As one reaches for the sky, the other deals in the height of quality and sophistication. Both are fascinated by the intersection of the innovative and the remarkable. And if this evening was anything to go by, it is a quest without end.