Moncler is expanding beyond fashion designers for its “Genius” program of rapid-fire collaborations, adding hit entertainers and a carmaker for its 2023 lineup in a bid to broaden the initiative’s reach.
At a London Fashion Week outing Feb. 20, Moncler will reveal collaborations with German auto brand Mercedes-Benz, as well as musicians Alicia Keys and Pharrell Williams, and Jay-Z’s record label Roc Nation.
Sportswear giant Adidas Originals and sneaker designer Salehe Bembury are also joining what Moncler is now calling the “Art of Genius,” alongside returning collaborators like Frgmt and Palm Angels. Moncler will also unveil the next chapter of a partnership with Rick Owens, though it isn’t referring to that collection as part of its Genius program.
In a statement, Moncler called 2023 “a redefining year of Genius, evolving from a world of fashion collaborations to a platform for co-creation across different industries.”
The February show will mark Moncler’s first Genius event since 2021. Last year, the company eased off collaborations in favour of staging a large-scale celebration for its 70th anniversary—which focused on promoting its flagship Maya jacket. The company has also been working to integrate its Stone Island acquisition and reposition its “Grenoble” line with a clear focus on technical apparel for mountain sports following the arrival of a chief brand officer hired from Nike, Gino Fisanotti.
Moncler launched Genius in 2018 with the aim of growing its audience, particularly among millennial consumers. The program kept up buzz on the label by flooding social media with innovative imagery from the collabs, as well as creating regular occasions for store activations and other events. The program’s previous iteration mostly tapped niche fashion designers with a unique design point-of-view, like Craig Green and Simone Rocha, in contrast with the new cast’s broad celebrity appeal.
Some Genius collections have grown beyond communications initiatives to become actual business lines: collabs with Frgmt, the brand of Japanese creative director Hiroshi Fujiwara, and Francesco Ragazzi’s Palm Angels remain for sale on Moncler’s site and will be returning with new collections this year.
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