Moncler Brand Guide

Moncler is an iconic fashion brand, from the slopes to the city streets. There are few brands that can lay better claim a reputation of a pure, exuberant luxury than the French Moncler brand. With status and character developed over years of creating beautiful, functional clothing with an unparalleled level of quality, the Moncler name is understandably held in high repute. 

Most famous for their work with goose down, the Moncler brand creates some of the most sought-after jackets and apparel pieces in the world, with its appeal intersecting many different cultures, styles and age groups.

 

History of the Moncler Brand:

Founded in 1952, the Moncler brand is steeped in tradition and heritage. Taking its name from the mountain village in which the brand was born — Monastier de Clermont, near Grenoble, France — Moncler’s now grand reputation has much more humble roots. The brand was started by Rene Ramillon, an entrepreneur and a visionary, who started out by designing equipment to suit the harsh,   mountainous local conditions. He authored over a dozen patents, by developing innovative designs for padded sleeping bags and tents with external covering for camping; all bearing the brand’s iconic moniker.

It wasn’t until 2 years later, in 1954, that the Moncler brand began to develop the item that would become the modern-day Moncler cornerstone – the goose down jacket. The design came about as a result of necessity. It was developed to help keep the brand’s factory workers warm; they would wear the down jackets on the outside of their overalls to shield them from the cold whilst they continued to work on Moncler’s outdoor range.

It took the infamous French mountaineer Lionel Terray to realise the potential of Moncler and Ramillon’s down-filled designs. After returning from an expedition, Terray asked Ramillon to produce snowsuits, gloves and sleeping bags to protect him against the extreme climates he kept encountering. The glowing reports that followed up on the return of Lionel Terray led Moncler to perfect their designs, and resulted in the brand being utilised on expeditions all over the globe.

In 1954, an Italian expedition used the brand to conquer K2, the world’s second-highest summit, whilst Lionel Terray took his Moncler gear to explore Alaska in 1964. This was the turning point for the Moncler brand, as it turned its hand to concentrate on this new offshoot of production. Moncler began to produce weather beating garments that would withstand the harsh conditions any mountain could throw at them – but it was in the cities and streets that Moncler started to create a true sartorial buzz.

 

It took the infamous French mountaineer Lionel Terray to realise the potential of Moncler and Ramillon’s down-filled designs. After returning from an expedition, Terray asked Ramillon to produce snowsuits, gloves and sleeping bags to protect him against the extreme climates he kept encountering. The glowing reports that followed up on the return of Lionel Terray led Moncler to perfect their designs and resulted in the brand being utilised on expeditions all over the globe.

In 1954, an Italian expedition used the brand to conquer K2, the world’s second-highest summit, whilst Lionel Terray took his Moncler gear to explore Alaska in 1964. This was the turning point for the Moncler brand, as it turned its hand to concentrate on this new offshoot of production. Moncler began to produce weather beating garments that would withstand the harsh conditions any mountain could throw at them – but it was in the cities and streets that Moncler started to create a true sartorial buzz.

 

The Evolution of The Moncler Brand

The result of this clash between cultures on the mountainside and in the cities drove the brand to become the innovators that they have now been credited for. They made the first nylon and down quilted jacket, which used a technique to blow the down inner to fill the spaces in the jacket evenly, resulting in superlative insulation that mimicked the contours of a jacket perfectly.

However, not resting on its laurels, Moncler continued to research and develop. It supplied clothing to the French national downhill ski team at the Grenoble Winter Olympics, which led to its now strong affiliation with the European après ski scene. This move was paramount for the Moncler brand. They continued to develop their styles with the assistance of the ski team in order to develop the perfect down jacket to aid the team’s performance. Function-first features, such as leather patching to protect the jacket’s outer when the skier was carrying their skis over their shoulders, were employed and are still prominent on some silhouettes today. The exposure that Moncler gained through the Winter Olympics was unprecedented.

 

The 1980s proved to be another turning point for Moncler when they enlisted the fabled expertise of French designer Chatal Thomass. Chatal’s aesthetic allowed the label to maintain its rising star on the slopes while also bolstering its presence in the streets through the use of vibrant colourways, fur trims and glossy finishes – all key elements that drive the Moncler consumer today.

Within the realm of the 21st Century, the label continues to innovate and keep their finger on the pulse of cutting edge fashion, releasing collaborative lines with world-renowned brands and designers like Thom Browne, Visvim and Ami. Most recently, the brand has partnered with stylist and designer Virgil Abloh for a line called Moncler O, combining classic Moncler designs with bold typographic and geometric prints in the style of Abloh’s OFF-WHITE label. Moncler’s mainline, while still encompassing the classic designs that made their name, also includes apparel and footwear which experiment with playful riffs on the iconic Moncler logo and tricolour detailing.

Moncler Clothing Hallmarks

Moncler Hooded Cardigan – Combining the immense insulation of the classic down designs with the slick, elevated appearance of a cardigan, this hooded silhouette is somewhat refined but also status-worthy. The Moncler Hooded Cardigan features include warming padding to the core, an adjustable hood, printed credentials, a zip-through closure and two side-entry pockets.

Moncler See Jacket – Perhaps a perfect example of the brand’s urban persona, the Moncler See Jacket is a hybrid design born specifically for the city streets. With the razor-sharp styling of a shirt and the practicality of a jacket, this overshirt style is crafted from shiny nylon, featuring a zip fastening and a Napoleon chest pocket, signed off with the symbolic felt appliqué to the left arm.

Moncler Lori Gilet – Just one of the label’s many sleeveless styles, the Moncler Lori Gilet is built from a light and airy nylon and packed with insulating goose down, making it the perfect all-year-round piece. Whether you’re sporting this on its own during the warmer months or layered up through winter, its functional features will serve you endlessly – they comprise a funnel neck, elasticated cuffs, zip-through fastening and two zipped pockets, complete with the iconic Moncler felt appliqué.

Moncler Willm Jacket – Boasting bulkier proportions for superlative warmth, the Moncler Willm Jacket delivers style and substance in abundance. Filled with fluffy down internally, the design goes on to reveal a lacquered tricolour graphic to the outer, paired alongside a branded appliqué, a two-way zip closure, drawstring adjustable hood and two waist-side pockets.

 

 

A-List Moncler: Celebrity Fans of The Brand

The luxurious identity that Moncler has woven over the last few decades is personified by the list of celebrities who have favoured it time and time again. From timeless megastars like David Beckham and Angelina Jolie to some of today’s hottest musicians like Drake and Rihanna, Moncler’s catalogue of high-profile fans is endless – thus allowing the brand to position itself at the epicentre of pop culture.

Drake (or Champagne Papi) famously sported the Moncler Maya Jacket in his ‘Hotline Bling’ music video.

 

Shop our entire selection of products from this iconic brand, including Moncler jackets and Moncler sweatshirts online at Aphrodite 1994.

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