The pinnacle of down jackets.
1952 | MONESTIER-DE-CLERMONT, FRANCE | Rene Ramillon / Andre Vincent

Founded in 1952 by René Ramillon and André Vincent in the suburbs of Grenoble, France, MONCLER initially manufactured mountaineering tents and sleeping bags. However, in order to develop superior down wear, they enlisted the help of Lionel Terray, a French alpinist who had successfully climbed the Himalayas, as an advisor, and through repeated research and development, they refined the functionality of their products. At the same time, they supplied down wear to top alpinists around the world and increased their brand recognition by becoming an official sponsor of the Winter Olympics.

MONCLER's evolution wasn't limited to functionality; in 1980, a collaboration with Chantal Thomass led to a more sophisticated, fashionable aesthetic. Playful stitching, satin and fur trimmings, and beautifully form-fitting silhouettes—these down jackets, functional and simple yet elegant, captivated not only mountaineers but also fashionistas.

In the 2000s, Moncler announced a collaboration with Junya Watanabe Comme des Garçons. Furthermore, under the direction of Thom Browne, the highly fashionable Moncler Gamme Bleu was born, and the elegant Moncler Gamme Rouge was created with Giambattista Valli in charge. While solidifying its position as a luxury down brand, these two lines were sadly discontinued with the Spring/Summer 2018 collection.

Then, in February 2018, MONCLER launched MONCLER GENIUS, a project that brings together eight world-renowned designers to create a new interpretation of down jackets. Along with Pierpaolo Piccioli of VALENTINO and Francesco Ragazzi of Palm Angels, Japanese designers Kei Ninomiya, who works with Comme Des Garçons Noir, and Hiroshi Fujiwara of Fragment design also participated.

Of course, it's not just about fashion; Moncler has never neglected its efforts to maintain quality to this day. Moncler down jackets use white goose down that has earned the 4Flocons mark from AFNOR (French Standards Association), certifying that it is the highest quality down. Craftsmen carefully measure the optimal amount of down in grams for each part, and the jackets are then tailored with expert sewing techniques. The lightweight and enveloping comfort that is unique to Moncler is the culmination of that skill.