Take a trek down memory lane

Life is not about stock characters and savoury times. It’s the extraordinary that’s properly exciting; those moments where rules are broken and traditions are transcended.

If there’s a brand that encompasses this world view it’s Moncler: the Italian luxury fashion house is accustomed to going the extra mile with its creative endeavours, from acid house revivals to hyperinflated collaborations as part of its Genius series to full floral frivolities with Richard Quinn. And that’s only in the last few years; it’s backed by the kind of history that would make an archivist squeal with glee, spanning decades of making puffer jackets and functional headwear as fit for ski resorts as they are inner-city streets.

Now, Moncler’s celebrating the big seven-zero with a packed-out Extraordinary Forever campaign, which kicked off in September with a major spectacle at Milan’s Piazza del Duomo. As part of the celebrations, the Italian fashion house tapped members of its European community for a new TikTok series sharing the way that Moncler’s left a mark on both their wardrobes and memories over the years.

Research-based designer Randa Kherba, stylist and archivist Rhiannon Barry, Duke’s Cupboard founders Milo Harley and Ned Membery, Italian Polar explorer Michele Pontrandolfo and Swiss Ski School Director Philippe May all took part, sharing Moncler-related anecdotes while showing off their favourite pieces (with vintage versions of the brand’s iconic shell-down Maya jacket making multiple appearances).

For Randa, the brand is a symbol of ​”protection against Artic conditions”. Speaking from her London studio, Randa references the specialised Moncler down jackets worn in 1954 by explorers taking on K2, before describing a recent wild camping trip to the Prealps where she heard wolves howling in the distance. Michele has a similar outlook, describing his dream of taking the Moncler brand to the North Pole in the future.

Duke’s Cupboard co-founder Milo reminds us of the brand’s streetwear credentials, recalling a white Moncler puffer he wore years ago to a Slick Rick show in London’s Kentish Town. ​“It felt natural to be wearing that jacket to a rap show,” he says, before explaining how the brand remains timeless and future-facing by holding on to its core values and style. ​“A Moncler puffer jacket… would last you 20 years. The proof is in the pudding.”

While the series roots Moncler firmly in community, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The centrepiece of the celebrations is the Maya Jacket, Moncler’s iconic shell-down coat, now reimagined by Thom Browne, Hiroshi Fujiwara, Rick Owens, Pierpaolo Piccioli, Francesco Ragazzi, Giambattista Valli and Pharrell Williams. The brand has also been on an expedition armed with an immersive exhibition, touring New York, London, Tokyo and Seoul with a multimedia showcase of Moncler’s peak moments and wild technological displays.