Moncler stages spectacular mountain-top runway show at Europe’s highest airport

At 2,008 metres above sea level, the vertiginous Courchevel Altiport is home to the highest runway in Europe – a mountain-top dropping off point for the one per centers who want to disembark their private jets straight onto the slopes (literally – the airport sits directly next to one of the French ski resort’s main runs).

On Saturday evening, Moncler turned the landing strip into a runway of an altogether different kind, presenting its latest Grenoble collection – the Italian outerwear brand’s technically-focussed offshoot – in a blockbuster show which was no doubt an appeal to the Altiport’s exclusive passenger list, should they be in the market for new skiwear. Indeed, the high-altitude runway show attracted a starry guest list of Anne Hathaway, Adrien Brody, Jessica Chastain and Brooklyn Beckham, among others.

Moncler hosts A/W 2025 Grenoble show at Courchevel Altiport

It was yet another show of strength from the Remo Ruffini-led brand, which as the leading name in the Moncler group was responsible for the conglomerate’s impressive year-on-year revenue growth of 7 per cent in 2024, bucking the market downturn. Ruffini, who is Moncler’s chairman and CEO, credited it to ‘our business model and operational discipline... [doubling] down on what makes our brands truly distinctive.’

This time last year, Moncler hosted a similarly high-profile Grenoble show in St Moritz – a home from home for Ruffini, who has holidayed at the Swiss ski resort since he was a child – while in October, the latest chapter of its collaborative ‘Genius’ collection unfolded at a mammoth event in Shanghai. A roster of ‘co-creators’ included A$AP Rocky, Nigo and Donald Glover, with Rick Owens and Jil Sander also showing collections at the event.

Like in St Moritz, the runway show was the culmination of a long weekend of activities for the guest list, who spent Saturday morning in Courchevel’s Trois Vallées, whether skiing, snowboarding or snowshoeing their way up or down the slopes (alongside the celebrity clientele, attendees included friends of the label and a handful of international press flown in from around the world). Later that evening – after the requisite aprés-ski – guests were driven up to the Altiport for the show itself, which, befitting the Grenoble line’s mountaintop roots, took place amid an impromptu flurry of snow.

Set to a live orchestral soundtrack and shimmering light show – the effect was as if attendees were in an ethereal dome which hovered over the runway – models were dropped off on snow buggies before navigating the icy runway (guests were wrapped up in specially designed ‘duvet capes’ and wooly beanie hats). The collection itself, which spanned a vast 140 looks, mined ski- and winter wear tropes. Moncler said the collection’s motto was ‘altitude as attitude’.

The snow itself was a protagonist: the enveloping looks more than stood up to the elements, spanning technical apparel (sharply-cut technical ski suits, parka jackets, padded trousers, helmets, skis and poles) and those primed for aprés ski (Shetland-style padded sweaters, checkered shirts and skirts cut from soft, warm bouclé). Meanwhile a series of brilliant shaggy shearlings reflected the prevalence of the material throughout the A/W 2025 season.

After stops in New York, London, Milan and Paris, it made for a spectacular crescendo to a month of runway shows – a statement of intent from the ever-ambitious Ruffini, who, having transformed the fortunes of Moncler to make it one of fashion’s major players, looks to still have plenty more tricks up his sleeve.

moncler.com