It is not everyday that a zingy ad campaign for a high-profile international luxury brand gets shot in India, but when it came to Italian fashion house Ermenegildo Zegna’s spring-summer 2009 line, image director Anna Zegna would settle for nothing else. “India provided the backdrop for the collection, hence shooting in the country was an obvious decision,” says Anna. “The reasons are more developed than just the inspiration. We also wanted to recognise India’s growing importance in and influence on the luxury and fashion industry.” The only other Asian country that has featured in Zegna’s campaigns is China a couple of seasons back.

The campaign, shot in Jaipur, features male models in locations like the Rambagh Hotel, Samode Haveli, the City Palace and the main street. Shot over five days by photographer Nathaniel Goldberg and art director Karen Joyce, the advertising campaign has its share of local inputs as well. Indian models can’t be spotted but, Anna says, “Indian companies, tailors and interpreters were used during the campaign, besides integrating local people in it”. “Long summer journeys in India provided the backdrop for the design and the campaign,” says Anna, who is a fourth generation in the family-run business. The campaign will be made public worldwide by the end of the month.

One of the leading international brands in men’s clothing with over 500 stores across the world, Zegna is known for its craftsmanship, particularly in formal wear, and was among the first to set shop in India in 2007 when the government allowed FDI. After Mumbai, two more outlets have come up in Delhi and Bangalore. With recession looming ahead, new stores might not be on the cards, but Anna says they are “open and looking” nonetheless. Her relationship with India does not go back a long time but she confesses that it has made quite an impact on her. “I first visited here in 2007, and have since been back every year. What appeals to me most is the culture, the dignity of the people, their kindness and how open they are to the future. I am also fascinated by the landscape, the arts, the tradition and the spirituality,” she says.