Discovering the Brand

The first thing that I did when I found out I had been assigned to design for Moncler was take a look at their website. Initially I was very disappointed as the current collection consists almost entirely of shiny puffer jackets - really not my style at all and no sign of high fashion, take a look below...

However, I persisted with my research and soon came across Moncler Gamme Rouge and relieved is not the word! Moncler Gamme Rouge is a luxury couture range designed by Italian fashion designer Giambattista Valli. The range takes elements from Moncler's main line including the volume of the jackets and encorporates embellisment, fabric manipulation and print to create beautiful couture jackets and coats filled with the same goose down that Moncler are famous for.

History
Moncler is essentially a luxury skiwear brand that was founded in France in 1954 by Rene Ramillon-entrepeneur and manufacturer of mountain articles. The name Moncler is the abbreviation of Monastier de Clermont, a mountain village not far from Grenoble, France.

At the start Moncler produced padded sleeping bags and camping equipment and it was the strength and functionality of these products which provided market success for Moncler.

The first down jackets had already been designed in 1954 to shelter workers from the cold, who wore them on top of overalls in the small mountain factory. The first to notice them and see their potential was Lionel Terray, a mountain climber and key figure in the history of Moncler. Terray asked Ramillon to produce snowsuits, gloves and sleeping bags to provide high resistance and protection for the most extreme climates to use in his own feats and Moncler pour Lionel Terray was designed and produced.

In 1968 Moncler became the official provider of the French National Alpine skiing team at the winter Olympics held in Grenoble, giving the brand worldwide recognition. This event also marked the change of Moncler’s logo from Mount Eguit, which rises behind the town to a cockerel.

In 1972 the French ski Team requested a new, more practical variation of the down jacket. It’s use for all practical purposes produced great success and in the two years that followed snow tourism became very popular.

In the eighties the history of Moncler changed as city people began to desire the mountain garment which was available in all available colours of nylon laque at the time; yellow, blue, orange and green.

In 1980 Moncler met with stylist Chantal Thomas with whom they collaborated with until 1989 and radically changed it’s appearance to make it suitable for the city; including buttons in place of zips, fur trimmings, satin and reversible fabrics.

Moncler’s first spring/summer collection was unveiled in 1999.

In 2003 the brand was purchased by Italian entrepreneur Remo Ruffini, current president and creative director of the company. Ruffini wanted to develop the company and began the strategy of the global down jacket. In order to appeal more to women and enhance wearability the padding is decreased and lots of attention is paid to the quality.

The down used for the padding is exclusively of French goose feather.

As well as having boutiques on some of the world’s most exclusive ski resorts, since 2007 it has opened flagship boutiques in prime locations in Paris, Milan, Hong Kong and very recently Sloane Street in London.

‘Moncler is an icon of the contemporary way of dressing, in ever-new combinations of technology and nature, mountain and city, function and aesthetics’.