When you have the iconic, transgenerational Robert De Niro to front your latest campaign, a teen sensation or model-of-the-moment just isn’t necessary. Instead, Ermenegildo Zegna and artistic director Alessandro Sartori have paired him up with up-and-coming actor McCaul Lombardi (who had his break out in 2016 with American Honey). The unlikely pair met in Los Angeles with Sartori and filmmaker Francesco Carrozzini towards the end of last year. What ensued? A four-way dialogue between the designer, the filmmaker and the two stars of Zegna’s Defining Moments campaign. Carrozzini’s short movie features De Niro and Lombardi interacting with each other freely – in a car and by the pool – in the brand’s garments, which they handpicked. It is in these moments that De Niro reveals his mentors, his philosophy of risk-taking, and what draws him to any role. Passionately sharing his own insights and experience, Lombardi is respectful of the master, and appears visibly awe-struck to be in his company.
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