Scene setting: From icy plains to wildflower-strewn meadows, creative director Giambattista Valli often creates nature-inspired sets for his Moncler Gamme Rouge shows, and for A/W 2017, the designer imagined an immersive autumnal woodland forest. A floor of leaves covered the catwalk, which was lined at its centre with tree trunks and fiery bushes, while moving projections of trees lined the walls, illuminated with lights which evoked sunlight streaming through the canopy of a forest.
Mood board: Valli created chunky tweeds, Fair Isle knits, floral prints and shearling details in autumnal shades, combining the performance history of the house with more couture-like finishes: a zip up parka was imagined in delicate cream lace, a purple and pink floral print dress in high-shine fabric or padded quilting (a feminine take on Moncler’s signature down jacket).The designer also looked to Canada for inspiration (male models sporting the livery of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police) at the show’s finale, a mackintosh and a shearling bomber jacket imagined in red and white, the colours of the Canadian flag.
Finishing touches: Founded in 1952, Moncler began creating down jackets for mountain workers, before providing trekking gear, including sleeping bags for climbing expeditions. A more whimsical and folkloric take on this heritage, Valli designed nylon hiking backpacks, hanging with sleeping bags and raincoats, which were paired with snuggly Fair Isle knit socks and silk scarves which poked from roll-necks.
