bonyadi magazine
It will return to a live showcase that will take place in London on 20 February, at an as yet unknown venue and time. Also unknown at the moment is the exact group of collaborators who will make up the overall team for the ultra-luxe Genius strand’s AW23 offer
The company that’s spearheaded by chairman and CEO Remo Ruffini said of the decision to move to London this time that it’s “a city where the world feels at home, it’s a global community championing diversity and creativity, and a natural destination for the next embodiment of Moncler Genius
“The stage is set to give voice to a new roster of creative minds coming from all disciplines and spaces, each one expressing a distinct interpretation of the Moncler world
Comments Ruffini had made earlier suggesting that Genius could be linked to “art, music, movies, sports,” as well as fashion suggest that the new roster” could deliver some surprises this time
The Genius brand was introduced in 2018 and came after Moncler had axed its most upscale, fashion-focused label Gamme Rouge that had been designed by Giambattista Valli. The launch of Genius was a stroke of, well, genius, on Ruffini’s part as it gave a new creative impetus to the upscale outerwear company and has been a constant source of creative interest for the parent brand, given its collaborations with some of the most interesting names in high-end fashion
So far, they’ve included names like Valentino’s Pierpaolo Piccioli, Rick Owens and Francesco Ragazzi of Palm Angels who can always be relied upon to come up with something spectacular. But it's particularly significant given the event happening in London in two months’ time that the Genius label has also featured a fair number of UK-based designers
They’ve included JW Anderson’s Jonathan Anderson, Simone Rocha, Richard, Quinn, and Craig Green. Each one has put their own spin on the Moncler outerwear concept that's built around the foundation of a puffer coat but extends it into surprising categories
The announcement of the London show immediately thrusts the Moncler Genius label back into the spotlight after the company has focused more on its core Moncler, Grenoble, and acquired Stone Island labels in recent seasons