2 – MONCLER 1952 MAN | A COLLABORATION WITH A TOKYO MINDSET
For his new MONCLER GENIUS collection, Zambon looked at the city of Tokyo: delving beyond the hardbones of the hyper-kinetic metropolis and into its soft center, where an environmental mindset suffuses the fast pace of modern life. The collection aims to define a new comfort zone, bringing the spirit of rest out of the domestic environment and into public life.
Zambon zoned in on two cult Tokyo brands to bring to life the collaboration: And Wander and Suicoke, specializing in progressive outdoor wear and shoes respectively, resulting in a restful wardrobe that is both visually vibrant and deeply cozy.
Sergio Zambon approaches fashion with the curiosity of an anthropologist and the voracious eye of an art lover. He keeps the tone feisty and direct and drenched in signature pop innuendo, while pushing the idea of the collaboration in new directions. Zambon frequently involves artists in the development of prints: this time working with Karo Akpokiere, whose humorous and engaging drawings bring an energetic note to the Tokyo dialogue. Akpokiere’s comic-like deconstructions of the Moncler logo or newsprints from 1952 add another layer of pop to the pieces.
The idea of resting out is central to the collection: one in which a knitted tracksuit is meant to go public, trousers are ribbed, a skirt is wrapped around the hips spontaneously as if it was a towel, ponchos and duvets have blanket hems, and slippers are designed to hit the sidewalk. The looks are pop in their vibrant immediacy, yet clean in design, and naturally genderless. The collection has a Japanese metropolitan feel that starts in total black with unexpected quilting patterns, moves to the hyper-technicality of lightreflective puffers and evolves to mis-assortments of greens and a saturation of bright hues, including pink, arranged in vivid juxtapositions.
The marriage of Moncler’s performance and a fashion-forward mindset happens in a natural way with subtle twists, in a proliferation of nylons, technical organza, cottons, ribbed knits. Accessories include teddy hats, caps with outsized pompons, hammered leather lace ups, quilted slippers and sandals developed with Suicoke, padded bags and bum bags.
2 – MONCLER 1952 WOMAN | THE POWER OF DUALISM
Veronica Leoni follows a design process in which progressive thinking and sensible garment-making collide. The starting point of her work is conceptual, but the result is playfully wearable. Her new Moncler Genius collection is dominated by the opposite, very of the moment urges as she found herself between an innate need for reassurance and a wild urge for escapism. She crafted her collection based around her dualistic soul, finding beauty within her personal confliction as she simultaneously felt grounded, and dreamt of escape. The collection sticks to the most authentic Moncler values but twists the brand’s vocabulary in new directions, at
once unabashedly feminine and pragmatic, extravagant and clean, bold and spontaneous.
The cinched waist, either vigorously elasticated or tied with a belt, followed by a full skirt, is the epitome of thenew spirit, marrying winks to traditional fifties femininity with the dynamism and contrasts of today. The lookis layered and personal: a non-formulaic invite to individual interpretation. Puffers come in an array of lengthsand textures: from cropped to long, from metallic to matt and even in a detachable blanket version that hints at the cozy domesticity of a bed cover. Speaking of domestic reassurance, but also of eccentricity, even the pajama is interpreted in down blanket: padded but still piped, made in dotted technical silk.
Knitwear has a fundamental role, suggesting both ease and physicality: lurex jumpers with matching skirts, ski-inspired all-in-one ribbed second skins with punky metal snaps around the waist, extra fine merino underpinnings, felted and flared dresses. Kermit and Fozzy from Disney’s The Muppets Show also feature prominently on two of the designs.
The amalgamation of textures is another Leoni signature: metallic and patent surfaces, Moncler’s nylons – laqué, longue saison, froissé technique, extra light matt ripstop, renewed in their sustainable versions – supercurly teddy, felted wool, light masculine grisaille and then technical silk and light fluid viscose make for an engaging play of tactile contrasts. A classic palette of black and neutrals is lit by shots of gold and silver and warmed up with notes of orange and rust.
Accessories are hats and duvet scarves with a smattering of feathers, framed lady bags and towering platform clog boots.
2 MONCLER 1952 Woman is available in Moncler boutiques at Harbour City.
