The Ermenegildo Zegna Perpetual Trophy was established in 1963 by Count Ermenegildo Zegna, the founder of the luxury Italian fashion house. In 1910, Zegna opened a woolen mill in Trivero, located in the northern Italian Alps, northwest of Milan. From these humble beginnings, the company grew to become one of the world’s leading producers of fine fabrics, earning an unrivaled reputation for high-quality wool suits. Zegna’s vision was to create the most beautiful fabrics by sourcing the finest natural fibers directly from their countries of origin. For fine merino wool, he turned to Australia, particularly Tasmania.
In 1963, Zegna instituted an award for the best superfine merino fleece, commissioning a magnificent trophy from Tasmanian sculptor Stephen Walker. The prestigious Ermenegildo Zegna Perpetual Trophy, locally known as “the Zegna,” was awarded annually from 1963 to 2008. Fleece from rams, ewes, or wethers could be submitted for judging, with entries coming from around the globe. The fleece had to be from one season’s growth and was evaluated based on quality, weight, yield, trueness to type, length conformity, and evenness. Judging and awards took place each year at the Midlands Agricultural Society’s Campbell Town Show. Over its 46-year history, the trophy was awarded to properties in the Ross district 32 times, with ‘Trefusis’ being the most successful, earning a total of 15 awards, followed by ‘Mount Morriston’ with eight, ‘Mona Vale’ with six, and ‘Verwood’ with three.
The Sculptor:
Stephen Walker is one of Australia’s foremost sculptors, with his work displayed in many public spaces across Tasmania and other Australian cities. He completed the Zegna trophy in 1962. The design features a merino sheep crafted from 24-carat gold, evoking the idea of the golden fleece, set within a representation of a weaving loom made of silver and platinum, mounted on a serpentine base. The trophy is housed in a blackwood cabinet lined with pleated superfine merino wool cloth, made by FH Valance & Sons of Hobart. In recognition of his contributions to the arts, Stephen received the Advance Australia Award in 1983 and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1985.
The Zegna Trophy is on display in the Wool Exhibition room of the Wool Centre Museum, graciously on loan from the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, alongside a finely crafted Zegna suit. It is open for viewing seven days a week at the Tasmanian Wool Centre Museum.
Zegna Trophy in the Wool Centre Museum
Sculptor Stephen Walker - Credit: QVMAG