Ermenegildo Zegna Group Doubles Down On Norda With A Second Strategic Investment

Ermenegildo Zegna Group is doubling down on performance-driven luxury with a second investment in Norda, the Montreal, Canada-based technical trail-running footwear brand known for its material innovation and ultralight design ethos. The move strengthens a partnership that blends Italian luxury heritage with next-generation outdoor performance.

Zegna increases its stake in Norda

The Ermenegildo Zegna Group, parent company of Zegna, Thom Browne, and Tom Ford Fashion, has executed a second round of investment in Norda, following its initial minority stake secured in January 2023. While financial terms were not disclosed, the deal signals growing strategic importance for performance trail footwear within Zegna’s broader luxury portfolio.

Shortly after Norda launched its first shoe, the 001, in 2021, the group approached the brand about a footwear and apparel collaboration that would merge technical innovation with luxury-ready aesthetics. That dialogue laid the foundation for both the initial stake and this latest round.

A collaboration born from performance and luxury

The early partnership between Norda and Ermenegildo Zegna Group led to a capsule collection of footwear, apparel, and accessories released in March 2023. The project showcased how Norda’s technical know-how—particularly around high-performance trail-running shoes—could be elevated through Zegna’s fabric, tailoring, and luxury detailing.​

That collaboration helped position Norda not just as a niche trail brand, but as a performance innovator capable of sitting within the modern luxury ecosystem, where outdoor, sport, and fashion increasingly overlap.

Zegna’s view: authenticity and long-term potential

Commenting on the new investment, Ermenegildo Zegna, chairman and CEO of Ermenegildo Zegna Group, said that increasing the Group’s stake “reaffirms our strong belief in the brand’s long-term potential,” highlighting Norda’s “authentic identity, rooted in material innovation, lightness and a compelling long-term value proposition fueled by unprecedented growth,” and noting that this vision is “fully aligned with our Group’s purpose.”

He added that, as “a custodian of authenticity,” the Group is “proud to stand alongside Norda’s management and continue to work with the brand as it grows,” reinforcing the idea that Zegna sees Norda as a long-term strategic partner rather than a short-term financial bet.

Norda’s perspective: shared values and family foundations

From Norda’s side, co-founder and CEO Nick Martire said that “mutual values are the foundation of the partnership between Norda and the Ermenegildo Zegna Group,” adding that “we’re both family companies and makers of the finest.” He added that he is proud to continue and expand work with “a house that has a 100-year-plus legacy,” underlining how Zegna’s century-long history complements Norda’s innovation-driven, younger brand story.

For Norda, the expanded investment brings more than capital: it deepens access to Zegna’s global expertise in sourcing, manufacturing, brand-building, and retail, while allowing the trail brand to stay focused on performance, materials, and product storytelling.

What this means for performance-luxury

The second investment consolidates Norda’s position as a key performance partner within the Zegna universe at a time when trail-running, outdoor, and technical footwear continue to influence luxury and streetwear. It also supports Zegna’s wider strategy of blending formal and technical worlds, from fabrics to footwear, for a consumer who expects both performance and polish in every category.

Looking ahead, the strengthened partnership sets the stage for expanded collections, deeper product integration, and broader global visibility for Norda, while giving Ermenegildo Zegna Group a sharper edge in the fast-growing performance-luxury footwear space.