Words
Adam John
ZEGNA x norda™ collaboration
While the founding stories of ZEGNA and norda™ have much in common, one overlap is particularly salient: both have roots in the natural landscapes that are home to their brand values. ZEGNA and norda™ share a love for nature and sustainability along with a deep commitment to design quality and craftsmanship.
The ZEGNA story started generations ago in Oasi Zegna. The vast 100 km² expanse of the Oasi is crossed by trails that wind through pristine mountainscapes, meadows and forests. Situated at the southern terminus of the Alps, this natural territory is home to Italy’s second tallest mountain and host to a diverse array of fauna. Founder Ermenegildo Zegna was laying the groundwork for an ethical approach to the planet and community, long before the advent of popular sustainability.
Zegna planted the first tree in Oasi Zegna surrounding his wool mill in 1910, igniting a sustainable spirit and reforestation project that today includes over 500,000 trees and counting. He then built a 44.5km road now known as the 232 Panoramica Zegna which links the region's villages to their natural surroundings and offers the public sweeping views of its valleys and mountains. The 232 is represented on the heel tab of our collaborative shoe and is symbolic of the connectedness ZEGNA fosters between their craftsmanship and community.
ZEGNA’s dream for tomorrow has been nurtured over generations, working in harmony with nature to protect and preserve the thriving ecosystem. Every road and path at ZEGNA starts from—and leads to—Oasi Zegna.
The norda™ story started two years ago. The norda™ barn is located on the trails running through the fields and mountains between Montreal and the Eastern Townships. This is where the dream began and where the first norda™ prototypes were put to the test. It was critical that our shoes would withstand the diversity of terrain and gamut of conditions that Canada has to offer. Our model of sustainability was rooted in durability over disposability, so we sourced the finest materials on Earth to create a shoe that would withstand the toughest of environments for an unprecedented amount of distance. We wanted to create a shoe would carry you through the natural world for as long as you choose to explore it.
Together, ZEGNA and norda™ have created five unique norda™ 001 models inspired by the signature heritage ZEGNA color palette. The craftsmanship behind the norda™ 001 parallels ZEGNA’s rich history in weaving, sustainability and innovation. The norda™ 001 upper is woven with bio-based Dyneema® and has an unrivaled bespoke Vibram® midsole and soleplate for the utmost grip and durability on all terrain.
To further bring the collaborative story to life, we brought five norda™ athletes from all over the world to share an authentic trail running experience in Oasi Zegna to test a technical wardrobe built on the mutual values of sustainable innovation and performance. Marlon Patrice, Thea Klaeboe Aarrestad, Koby Pederson, Patrick Stangbye, and Adam Voidoid are not only avid trail runners, but they personify the collaborative values in their commitment to celebrating and protecting the natural world we run through.
We are proud to share the Oasi Zegna experience with the our communities to highlight our unique and deep commitment to sustainability and innovation within trail running and performance technology at large.