Moncler closed out London Fashion Week with a bang—specifically, “The Art of Genius,” a groundbreaking, immersive, experience-driven event incorporating Pharrell Williams, Salehe Bembury, Rick Owens, Mercedes-Benz, Palm Angels, FRGMT, Adidas Originals, and Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, plus a headline performance from Grammy-winning artist Alicia Keys. The 10,000-guest, public-facing show took over London’s Kensington Olympia stadium, which, for scale, is larger than two soccer fields combined.
For those in the know, the fact that all co-creators reimagined Moncler’s emblematic down jacket was a given, but this time, each one also co-curated their own multi-facetted installation unveiling further collaborative capsules (or glimpses thereof) within huge purpose-built structures throughout the exhibition space. A 50-foot-high Moncler x Adidas Originals infinity tunnel negotiated via a moving walkway with 360-degree LED glacier was just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
The luxury outerwear brand has come a long way. Founded in 1952 in Monestier-de-Clermont, a commune in southeastern France (the current name is an abbreviation), Moncler, similar to Hermès’ origins as a saddlemaker, comes from humble beginnings—it started as an outdoor equipment specialist making sleeping bags. In fact, its core product, the down jacket, derives from the latter, with the first created at the behest of French mountaineer Lionel Terray.
A look from the Moncler 8 Richard Quinn fall 2020 ready-to-wear collection.
Having initially joined as creative director, Moncler chairman and CEO Remo Ruffini, a serial entrepreneur, bought Moncler in 2003 and took it public 10 years later. Under his watch, it has become known for spectacles, from commandeering New York’s Grand Central Station in 2011 to Milan’s Piazza del Duomo last year to celebrate its 70th anniversary. He also ushered in change via the brand’s distribution model; he was an early adopter of the drop system, with monthly collections by different collaborators replacing the seasonal norm. And since launching Moncler Genius in 2018, Ruffini has executed collaborative collections with the likes of Jonathan Anderson, Valentino’s Pierpaolo Piccioli, Simone Rocha, and Richard Quinn. But this new multi-disciplinary evolution encompassing entertainment, technology, and design seems to dial up the volume by 1,000 percent.
“Since day one, Genius has been a promise of continuous evolution,” says Ruffini of Moncler’s continued expansion. “Music, design, art, entertainment, sport, and fashion have brought their unique codes and energy together, shaping memorable moments for our communities.”
A testament to Ruffini’s sixth sense when it comes to tapping into the cultural zeitgeist is both his co-opting of Jay-Z’s entertainment empire plus, of course, enlisting multi-hyphenate Pharrell Williams, whose appointment by Louis Vuitton as men’s creative director was announced just a week ago. “Getting Pharrell was a very big thing in itself even before that,” says Ida Petersson, buying director at Farfetch-owned luxury boutique Browns Fashion. “But now, of course, there’s a whole other level to it. They showed everyone it [the collective model] was possible and still manage to stay ahead of the curve.”
British Fashion Council CEO Caroline Rush agrees, noting that such partnerships are instrumental in propelling Moncler “from a little European brand to a major player on the international stage.”
Pharrell Williams’ capsule for Moncler.
For The Art of Genius, Williams debuted a glamping-inspired capsule of clothing and accessories amidst a surreal mise en scène, where trees and foldaway chairs alike were covered in turf. Multifunctional pieces came with detachable pockets as well as zip-off sleeves and pants.
Salehe Bembury, known for his hyped collaborations with Crocs and New Balance and more generally as one of the hottest footwear designer of the moment—in case you’ve been living under a rock commensurate to the colossal one acting as the centerpiece of his installation—debuted his rework of the Moncler Trailgrip sneaker and first-ever ready-to-wear line. It includes the most creative take on the Moncler puffer yet, with quilting done in Bembury’s signature fingerprint motif.
Circumnavigated by models showcasing his own Moncler capsule was a steel-encased, temperature-controlled soundproofed sleep pod created by Rick Owens. Ironically, the designer also dreamed up the event’s after-party, where sleep was definitely not on the agenda.
Elsewhere, Palm Angels hosted a foam party with attendees receiving complimentary Moncler x Palm Angels-branded protective raincoats. According to founder Francesco Ragazzi, the foam was a nod to the snowy terrain that birthed the Moncler brand.
Attendees at Palm Angels’ foam party.
Guests turned into voyeurs for an animatronic peep show from Hiroshi Fujiwara’s cult streetwear label FRGMT. Dubbed LOVOTs, its robotic protagonists, conceived during the pandemic to mimic human connection among those isolating, modeled miniature versions of the Moncler x FRGMT capsule.
Co-creation wasn’t just limited to the official lineup either. At Jay-Z’s Roc Nation installation, guests recorded vocal bites in sound pods that were remixed live into a community-sourced DJ set engineered by mega-producer Mike Dean.
Also on display was a giant automative piece of art by Mercedes-Benz, complete with similarly oversized zipper at the rear, along with a tongue-in-cheek sartorial connection: its oversized inflatable tires were a nod to Jeff Koons’ work.
For her part, Keys performed anthems including “Girl on Fire” and “Fallin’”—her cast of dancers were of course outfitted in designs from the upcoming Moncler x Alicia Keys collection.
The collective approach has recently been adopted by Jean Paul Gaultier, where, following its namesake’s retirement in 2020, Haider Ackerman, Balmain’s Olivier Rousteing, Sacai’s Chitose Abe, and Y/Project and Diesel designer Glenn Martens have been charged with seasonal reinterpretations of the brand’s archive. Same for AZ Factory, with its rotating calendar of Amigos. Last season, it was Thebe Magugu and Ester Manas, while Colville duo Lucinda Chambers and Molly Molloy will unveil their own collaborative collection during Paris Fashion Week.
At.Kollektive, Ecco Leather’s creative exchange encompassing ready-to-wear, accessories, and furniture, debuted in 2021 with co-designers including Natacha Ramsay-Levi and Bianca Saunders, and the latest brand announcing a pivot to the collective model is none other than French sports label Lacoste.
What’s more, The Art of Genius also featured a Web3 element involving Antoni Tudisco- designed NFTs for guests, conferring early access to future Moncler Genius collections. After all, Moncler is all about looking forward.
