by MILAN — Moncler Genius will move to London next February.
The brand said on Tuesday it had secured a slot at London Fashion Week on February 20 to unveil its next round of collaborations.
“London is a city where the world feels at home, it is a global community that fosters diversity and creativity, and a natural destination for the next incarnation of Moncler Genius. The stage is set to give voice to a new roster of creative minds from all disciplines and spaces, each expressing a different interpretation of the Moncler world,” the company said in a statement.
Moncler did not disclose the location of the Genius event in the British capital or the names of collaborators, even though Moncler chairman and chief executive officer Remo Ruffini hinted at new developments during a Capital Markets Day last May, saying Moncler Genius could also speak of “art, music, cinema, sport”, in addition to fashion.
The London move suggests renewed ambitions for the Moncler Genius project, following the recent focus on the Moncler and Grenoble brands, the latter focused on skiwear and technical outerwear, and last year’s acquisition of the exclusive street brand Stone Island.
Earlier this year, however, Ruffini’s decision to focus more on those brands and change the Moncler Genius strategy was one reason why the company’s stock fell nearly 6% in just one day to beginning of May.
The brainchild of Ruffini, Moncler Genius was introduced in 2018 attracting a wide array of designers and creatives over the years, including Richard Quinn and Matthew Williams of 1017 Alyx 9SM; Pierpaolo Piccioli; Simon Rock; Craig Green; Hiroshi Fujiwara fragment; Francis Boys of the Palm Angels; Rick Owens and Jonathan Anderson, among others.
The company has held a Genius event annually since 2018, usually in February, inviting designers to interpret the brand’s signature down jackets with their own sensibilities.
In 2021, the brand has added a new level to the experience by presenting its collections in September through a digital activation in five cities – New York, Milan, Shanghai, Tokyo and Seoul – and through the vision of 11 designers, in a single hosted show by 15 time Grammy Award winner Alicia Keys.
This year, Moncler celebrated its 70th anniversary, kicking off a 70-day program of global celebrations with a performance in Milan’s historic Piazza del Duomo at the end of the city’s fashion week in September.
As reported, February’s London Fashion Week is shaping up to be a sizzling affair and the Moncler Genius event is set to add further fuel. From February 17-23, the showcase features Burberry, with the debut of Daniel Lee for the home on February 20.
