From the ski slopes, the brightly coloured quilted jacket with extreme performance levels for protecting against cold or rain went on to hit the fashion world and the catwalks. It was interpreted by renowned stylists, until in the Eighties it became a fully-fledged phenomenon as well as the hallmark of Milan’s hippest set known as the paninari, amongst Italy’s most powerful trend-setters.

Moncler upped the pace in 1999 with its first collection for the spring/summer 2000 developed under the artistic guidance of Remo Ruffini.

It was also Ruffini who bought the majority holding (51%) in Moncler in the spring of 2003, getting an expansion programme underway.

To date, in addition to its main collection, Moncler boasts the innovative and technological Neige collection, the Junior collection licensed with Altana spa, the new accessories collection launched in 2007 and the Moncler Gamme Rouge collection conceived with Alessandra Facchinetti and now under the creative guidance of Giambattista Valli.

Moncler’s distribution network is exclusive and far-reaching, taking in some of the most important shops in the world in addition to its 7 boutiques in St Moritz, Cortina, Courmayeur, Crans Sur Sierre, Megeve, Chamonix, the first city boutique in Paris and the soon-to-open stores in Milan, Gstaad, Hong Kong and Aspen.”