Scenes from the show. Pictures by Pabitra Das

Italian fashion made its debut in the city with a short and sweet show at the Taj Bengal poolside. Ermenegildo Zegna, a leading men?s wear brand, displayed its Spring-Summer 2005 collection as part of Festa Italiana, hosted by the Indo-Italian Chamber of Commerce.

While the men in the crowd had a glimpse of clothes to die for, this was a rare occasion (if not wholly unprecedented) for women to get an eyeful of beautiful boys wonderfully turned out.

Of course, the men had little choice but to look sharp in clothes that drape like a dream. From business suits to sporty casuals, Zegna is clearly a master of preppy pret.

impses from its three main lines ? Couture, Sartorial and Z Zegna ? were on show. Greys, creams and whites were interrupted by sudden splashes of lime, pretty pinks and soothing blues. Jackets, trousers, knits, shirts, scarves, shoes, bags? The clothes moved from no-nonsense seriousness to some serious fun, in moments.

Couture concentrates on exclusive fabrics, while Sartorial is a formal line. But its Z Zegna that Calcutta saw the most of during the debut show. ?We want to promote the young look in India,? explained stylist Titti Perotti.

Don?t confuse this with sportswear. This is a line of superbly-cut casuals in stunning fabrics, leather to linen. Most eye-catching are jackets, light sweaters and trousers. ?The styling of the garments has been redefined this year. It is a far more fitted, figure-hugging look,? adds Perotti.

It was for the same series of events that Valentino rocked Mumbai. Zegna, with a store at Crossroads, Mumbai, has substantial expansion plans in India, and may come a calling in Calcutta, too.

In fact, the Mumbai boutique gets a significant amount of business from the city already. ?We already have seven to eight key clients here,? explains Karima Sagrani, director, Zegna, India.

The store, which also offers made-to-measure suits and handcrafted shoes, deals mainly with clientele from business and Bollywood.