Elegant achievers shone in Zegna at the 2009 Festival de Cannes
Michael Haneke, Lluís Homar and Daniel Brühl cut dashing figures on the red carpet
Ermenegildo Zegna, the global luxury menswear brand, is synonymous with the modern elegance of today’s sophisticated, super-achieving gentlemen. Favoured for many years by celebrities attending high-profile entertainment events, Zegna once again made its global presence felt during the 62nd Cannes Film Festival held in southeastern France from May 13th to 24th.
In their Zegna outfits, three prominent personalities in international cinema displayed their impressive sartorial flair on the Cannes red carpet. Foremost was Austrian director Michael Haneke, 67, who received this year’s Palm d’Or for his work in “The White Ribbon”. Selected as Best Film by the Cannes jury, the black-and-white oeuvre centers on the disturbing events in a German town in 1913 prior to the outbreak of World War I. The film adds more substance to Mr. Haneke’s résumé, which includes “The Piano Teacher” (winner of the 2001 Cannes Grand Prize), a film based on the German-language novel by Nobel Prize winner Elfriede Jelinek. Having directed gripping, socially relevant films in French, German and English, Mr. Haneke encapsulates his creative philosophy in the following words: “Film is 24 lies per second at the service of truth, or at the service of the attempt to find the truth.”
Another gentleman who handsomely donned his Ermenegildo Zegna suit was the Spanish actor and theatre director Lluís Homar. The 52-year-old starred in Pedro Almodovar’s “Los abrazos rotos” (Broken Embraces, 2009) along with a talented cast led by Penelope Cruz. An intense drama inspired by American film noirs dating back to the 1950s, the movie saw a warm audience reception when it premiered in Cannes. Mr. Homar, a former law student who found his true calling in the performing arts, is one of the founders of Barcelona-based independent theatre company Teatro Lliure. He had previously worked with Mr. Almodovar in the critically acclaimed film “La mala educacion” (Bad Education, 2004).
Z Zegna continues to make headway in reaching a younger clientele by dressing up the German actor Daniel Brühl for his Cannes engagement. At the age of 30, the performer already has a remarkable filmography and a number of international awards, including the European Film Academy Best Actor trophy for “Good Bye Lenin!” (2003). Mr. Brühl is known for his discernment in choosing movie projects. Fluent in four languages, he has played intriguing roles in English-language productions such as “Ladies in Lavender” (2004), “The Bourne Ultimatum” (2007), and most recently “Inglourious Basterds” (2009), the much-talked-about World War II film in which Mr. Brühl worked with director Quentin Tarantino and superstar Brad Pitt.
The Ermenegildo Zegna and Z Zegna collections are available at the brand’s boutiques at The Dubai Mall, The Boulevard – Emirates Towers and the Mall of the Emirates, a corner shop at Saks Fifth Avenue – Burjuman Centre and selected Rodeo Drive boutiques across Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
