Moncler
RE/ICONS:

The Karakorum Story

The Moncler brand was born 70 years ago, on the peaks of Monestier-de-Clermont. Founders René Ramillon and André Vincent’s vision launched a new take on alpine fashion, that revolutionised the outerwear industry. Born out of the need to protect their workers from the cold, Moncler’s down jackets have since gone through many variations and technological improvements, but the brand’s enduring mission to share the ultimate warmth and protection with the world remains at its core.

Over seven decades, hero products have emerged. The Maya, Fulmarus and Montcla are the brand’s most popular core styles on Lyst, and have secured icon status. Together they drive a quarter of a million fashion searches every Winter. Moncler campaigns and collection launches are a global talking point, with over 1.3 billion views on TikTok.

An Iconic Brand

From sell out collaborations with the likes of Palm Angels, Billionaire Boys Club and Salehe Bembury, to celebrity endorsements from Drake, Rihanna and SATC’s Carrie Bradshaw, Moncler has become one of the world’s most powerful brands, appearing in 88% of The Lyst Index’s hottest brands rankings since the chart began. Fuelled by viral talking points like its 70th anniversary show — which saw 18,000 guests watch on as 700 dancers took the stage while 952 models walked the runway at the Piazza del Duomo in Milan — searches for the brand on Lyst have climbed 16% over the last year.

The year 1954 marked a turning point for Moncler. Its down jackets were chosen to equip the expedition to K2, which culminated in the conquest of the world’s second highest mountain summit — culminating at 28,251 feet — by a team of 11 Italian mountaineers. The expedition, led by Achille Compagnoni and Lino Lacedelli, led to the creation of a product that pushed boundaries by being capable of performing in extreme climate: the Karakorum jacket.

The spirit and the story of conquering the mountain, pushing forward and taking things to the next level, is central to Moncler’s past and future narrative. Every Moncler design, then and now, is an expression of that passion first born in the mountains. But it’s an attitude and an aesthetic that translates well to more urban lifestyles too; 52% of Moncler shoppers on Lyst are based in big cities. Right now, Moncler is trending in London, Stockholm and Detroit.

An Iconic Story

An Iconic Product

The Karakorum jacket provides rich source code, remixed this season for a new generation of fashion fans. For the second chapter of RE/ICONS, the original 1954 puffer has been reimagined in three new iterations, telling the story of the jacket’s past, present and future.

With avant-garde cocoon silhouette, neat boudin quilting, double down insulation and adjustable toggles, the new Karakorum jackets are all retro-futuristic but highly wearable. The Karakorum Cotton takes inspiration from the inscription and color of the wooden crates, while the Ripstop references ’80s Milanese ‘Paninari’ youth subculture. The weather and future-proof Tech Jersey edition features deep black details throughout, including customized buttons and double fasteners.

Since launching this month, the new Karakorum jackets have been seen on Maisie Williams, Claire Foy and Saint Jhn, searches have spiked 350%, and the tech jersey down jacket is the most wanted style.

Lyst insights are a unique source of global fashion intelligence. For this special investigation, Lyst partnered with Moncler to present new global fashion data alongside archival brand storytelling.
To reference any Lyst data insights from this report please contact press@lyst.com.

Images courtesy of Moncler @moncler and Andrea Minini @andrea_minini