One of the most longed for shows this season was Louis Vuitton’s F/W '14 collection.
A Breakdown of Moncler Genius: an 8-Capsule Collaboration
March 05, 2018 4:00 PM
New York. London. Milan. Paris. We lump the biannual big-four global trade shows under the term "fashion week," but it's really a month-long whirlwind of style, color, texture, craftsmanship, attitude and ideas. So now that it's all wrapped up, we wanted to take a moment to revisit something that happened in Milan. Something we can't stop thinking about. Moncler Genius: eight collections, borne of distinct aesthetic inspiration, but united under the credo "Creativity is our energy. Multiplicity is our strength."
You probably know Moncler from their form-meets-function quilted winter jackets which have kept skiers and snow bunnies warm since 1952. Or perhaps you've caught the recent collaborations that Moncler's president and creative director Remo Ruffini has been hatching up: Moncler Lunettes (a line of sunglasses with Pharrell Williams); Moncler O (a collab with Off-White's Virgil Abloh) and Moncler C (a collab with British designer Craig Green). Each project was innovative and fun with some unexpected elements. And it got Ruffini thinking...
So he's taken his penchant for design mash-ups and kicked it into overdrive, resulting in the aforementioned collaboration extraordinaire, Moncler Genius. All eight collections were housed under one roof on February 20th in Milan, but you can expect to see the garments for sale in Moncler boutiques and pop-ups over the next few months. And if the frenzy at the exhibit in Milan is any indication of things to come, the release of each collection will indeed be a HAPPENING. In the meantime, we've unpacked the vision behind each of the eight collections:
Cell One: Pierpaolo Piccioli Valentino's creative director has created a series of exquisite silhouettes for outerwear: a hooded cape with armholes, an A-line skirt with a fitted waist, and a cropped-cape top over an A-line bodice. Available in black, white and a multitude of bright colors, the collection is starkly futuristic and yet reminiscent of a Renaissance Madonna at the same time.
Cell Two: 1952 Named after the year that Moncler was founded, the collection of brightly-colored puffer jackets, vests, joggers and sweatshirts combines an American streetwear sensibility with an Italian sophistication.
Cell Three: Grenoble A brightly colored collection of ski and apres-ski garments, Grenoble has been part of the company's portfolio for several years, and is named after the city in the French Alps where Moncler was founded. It's what you wear when you're sitting around a bonfire in the Alps, sipping brandy after a day on the slopes. It would also be smashing for a sledding adventure in Prospect Park.
Cell Four: Simone Rocha The breakout star of the British fashion scene, Rocha is known for her flirty tulle dresses favored by celebrities like Rihanna, Beyonce and Keira Knightley. Her 21-look collection is a brilliant juxtaposition of her distinctive design elements fused with Moncler manufacturing techniques and materials. They will make you pray for snow.
Cell Five: Craig Green Ruffini's collaboration with bold menswear designer, Craig Green continues with a bold collection of sparse, sculptural and decidedly impermeable outerwear that evokes a Samurai in an avalanche. In a good way.
Cell Six: Noir Kei Ninomiya Known for his all-black palette, Ninomiya is a Japanese designer with an eponymous brand under the Comme des Garcons umbrella. His Moncler collaboration is a master-work of texture and shape; some garments were woven from the nylon shell fabric, others are quilted in ways that sculpt the silhouette of the body in an unexpected way.
Cell Seven: Fragment Hiroshi Fujiwara Known as one of the founders of Tokyo's Harajuku street fashion scene in the 1980's, Fujiwara has become internationally known as a DJ, producer and designer. His highly-wearable Moncler collection has elements of hip-hop and streetwear fused with Moncler classics like puffer coats, ski sweaters and quilted overcoats.
Cell Eight: Palm Angels Moncler Art Director Francesco Ragazzi has long been obsessed with skater culture. In 2014, Rizzoli published a book of his black-and-white photography of the LA skater scene, and that book became a RTW collection for F/W 2015. This Palm Angels collection for Moncler is sexy and laid back, with glossy jackets and joggers in black and red. Not quite skater garb, but definitely a highly-wearable yet slightly subversive take on American streetwear.
WRITTEN BY KAREN FRAGALA-SMITH
PHOTO CREDIT: MONCLER
related posts
New Era for Marc Jacobs Beauty and NARS
Mature models are becoming more common as contemporary icons of fashion and beauty companies.
Clean Up On Aisle No. 5
Karl Lagerfeld has extended the shelf life of the legendary Chanel brand by transforming the Grand Palais into an avant-garde supermarket to present the F/W '14 collection.
Dior x Jennifer Lawrence
Jennifer Lawrence has steadily become Hollywood's favorite sweetheart and she continues to maintain her it-girl status in the fashion world as the face of Dior’s fall collection.
Gucci F/W '14
Knee-length black boots were quite the trend at the Gucci Fall/Winter '14 show in Milan. The boots were a great contrast to the pastel and light colored, modest mini dresses.
TWELV MAGAZINE NYFW '14 FASHION PARTY AT DL LOUNGE
Twelv Magazine had a successful party during New York Fashion Week at the DL Lounge. Not even the snowstorm could stop us that night from enjoying the party with an amazing, fashionable and cool...
A.P.C. collaborates with M/M Paris, creates your new favorite T-shirt
M/M was most recently called upon to collaborate with A.P.C.
Skingraft F/W2014 READY-TO-WEAR
In the coal black night, all was chaos, as if someone or something had disrupted the spirits of the dead.
Alice + Olivia F/W2014 Accessories Report
Alice + Olivia's FW '14 show was, quite literally, magical. From Snow White, to Rapunzel, the princesses were all present wearing the most fanciful clothing and sporting the most amazing...
Alice + Olivia NYFW F/W2014 READY-TO-WEAR
Stacey Bendet took us deep into an enchanted realm of past and present during New York Fashion Week.
G-Star X Pharrell Collaboration: RAW FOR THE OCEANS
Following the debut of his now infamous Vivienne Westwood (or Arby’s if you're feeling sassy) hat at the 2014 Grammy’s, Pharrell announced his plans for a different kind of fashion statement...
Charlotte Ronson's Hopelessly Romantic NYFW F/W2014 READY-TO-WEAR /Backstage
Charlotte Ronson FW14 gave us another take on floral prints for the winter season by paring the print on luxurious velvet and darker colors.
Jeremy Scott × Moschino NYFW F/W2014 READY-TO-WEAR
The fashion industry has waited months for this day to arrive, and now it is finally here: Jeremy Scott’s first collection for Moschino.
Christian Siriano ”My Fair Lady” NYFW F/W2014 READY-TO-WEAR at a glance
Who doesn’t love a sophisticated lady, wide brimmed hat tipped to one side, wasp waste dress, heels, and a whole lot of class.
John Rocha F/W2014 READY-TO-WEAR
“The arsonist was a friend of mine,” I heard a girl with a sideways ponytail and six-inch platform shoes say, in a soft Scandinavian accent, whilst waiting in the queue for the John Rocha show.
The Bucolic Life of pas de calais F/W2014 Collection
During New York fashion week TWELV had the honor of viewing the exquisite and sophisticated F/W 14 collection of Japanese label, pas de calais.
THIS WEEK'S PARTIES
The second half of Fashion Week has certainly been a little slower than the first.
Tadashi Shoji F/W2014 READY-TO-WEAR
TWELV sent our photographer, Sharon Zobali, to cover Tadashi Shoji’s fall-winter 2014 runway show.
Nudie Jeans – The Naked Truth
There is a cult of denim followers, a subculture if you must, as prominent as the free spirited and tattooed Harley Davidson riders.
NYFW Party Time!
To celebrate the success of the first official day of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, TWELV first dove into a roaring atmosphere at Electric Room, where ARDENCY INN hosted their event.
DETAILS Magazine PARTY
To start off New York Fashion Week in proper fashion, Details Magazine had their March Cover Party last night.
TWELV Luxe NYFW Beauty Survival Guide
1. Laura Mercier Foundation Primer, $33.00 - Fashion Week is a morning to night marathon, and this primer works well at not only priming your face for the days makeup, but also...
NEW YORK FASHION WEEK SURVIVAL GUIDE
Last year, I moved from London to New York and experienced my first New York Fashion Week. It was everything I wanted and more as promised by this great city’s fashion world.
Fashion Week Preview
For the fashion industry, magic materializes twice a year emerging from the runways, seeping through Manhattan, and this season, extending over the East River to Brooklyn.
Miu Miu Spring Campaign Video
A fresh generation of talent literally flashes before our eyes in Miu Miu’s Spring 2014 ready-to-wear advertising video.
Fashion makes its way to Sochi
Although Fashion Week is probably top of mind for the masses in the fashion industry, there is another major, global event on its way - the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Linda Rodin for The Row
Skin care mogul, Linda Rodin, 65, was headhunted by the Olsen sisters themselves to be their lead model in The Row’s Pre-Fall 2014 lookbook.
Rihanna x Balmain
Rihanna has landed a contract with one of the world’s most famous fashion houses, Balmain, for their SS '14 ad campaign.
Miley Cyrus x Marc Jacobs
The young pop icon does not rest for a second, and she seems more present than ever.
The Dazzling World of Erickson Beamon
Detroit native Karen Erickson has created a name and brand for herself by solidifying the true essence and beauty of fine jewelry.
TWELV'S CHRISTMAS WISH LIST #5: MANAGING EDITOR KRISTIN LIMOGES
1. Tom Ford Tabacco Vanille - $210 for 1.7 ounces - I'm obsessed with this scent, it's masculine and smells like vanilla, cocoa, tobacco flower, and wood rolled all together.
Exclusive Debut of Morgan Lane Lingerie short film
Morgan Curtis, Jill Stuart’s eldest daughter, recently introduced her first solo fashion project using her passion for illustration to create the lingerie and sleep ware brand named Morgan Lane....
CHANEL Métiers d’Art DALLAS SHOW
As if Lagerfeld did not have enough on his agenda throughout the year, he decided to go over the top fabulous with a Dallas cowboy-inspired theme for Chanel’s pre-fall 2014 show.
TWELV'S CHRISTMAS WISH LIST #4: ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR LUCY ROGERS
1.
METRO GIRL
TWELV's Exclusive Fashion Story"METRO GIRL" is now available!
Check inside for the Editorial, excerpt from "Issue 4"
TWELV'S CHRISTMAS WISH LIST #3: Fashion Editor Molly
1. SHWOOD “Canby” Wood Sunglasses $185 - These sunglasses are a charming and fresh finish to any look.