Zegna silk and Maserati steel combine as women take the driver's seat - The Australian Financial Review
Maserati ’s global chief executive, Harald Wester, is a hard man to catch out. Sitting in the opulent lobby of the Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées in Stresa, on the outskirts of Milan, the German boss of the Italian sports car known for its macho roar is bemoaning the fact that there’s little brand loyalty these days. If adherence to national brands is waning, why then has Wester spent millions of euros ramping up the “Italianness” of Maserati by partnering with Italian menswear label Ermenegildo Zegna. It’s Italian passion over clinical German precision. The partnership involves pairing Zegna’s anthracite dark grey silk – a tougher version of what it uses in some of its suits – with Maserati’s black, natural or red Poltrona Frau leather to create a special interior for Maserati cars. It was first used in 2014 on 100 limited edition Maserati Quattroporte Zegna cars, which retailed overseas for more than $US175,000 ($289,000). Just one came to Australia, sold to a Melbourne buyer. Following on from that success, Maserati this year announced that its Ghibli and Quattroporte models could be ordered with the distinctive Zegna seating, for about $11,000 more than a full leather premium package. “I asked my people, ‘What could we do with a partner in the luxury industry which would offer something to our customers, but also their customers – something which none of us could do alone. “And Zegna was top of the list. Source: www.afr.com
