Moncler opens its US Flagship at 650 Madison Avenue in New York City to a crowd of celebrities and fans of the storied brand.
As a celebration of all things New York, Moncler collaborated with director Spike Lee to produce the short film Brave set to the song Brave (Suffering Beautiful) from the off-Broadway show The Total Bent. Moncler-wearing New Yorkers singing and dancing in locations like Coney Island, Central Park’s Bethesda Fountain and, of course, the Statue of Liberty with narration by Lee. The film was screened to champagne-glass-clutching guests in a small theater towards the back of the new flagship.
Guests at the event included executives of the brand as well as Thom Browne, model and activist Hari Nef, Model Joan Smalls, actors and actresses, artists, and internet personalities checking out the 6,500 square foot bilevel store (Moncler’s largest ever)
Moncler’s “Tribute to New York” theme included an installation by fashion designer Thom Browne who’s always been committed to the brand, having producing nine capsule collections. The centerpiece may have been “USA Flag 2016,”an installation of 28 Browne-designed jackets arranged on a wall to form the American flag. Take that Jasper Johns. The jackets will be sold online to benefit the Robin Hood Foundation, the New York-based non-profit dedicated to fighting poverty in the city.
The brand is a sturdy one- it’s relatively peerless and Moncler has clothed the chilly socialites and ski lovers the world over. Now, capturing the imagination of the millennials, the brand mastered the athleisure look before it was a thing. But that’s selling the brand short. Started in 1952, Moncler has captured the stylish jetset of the new century, slowly molding the brand to make its way through the next generation. The brand has a loyal following and several stores around the world, but with this debut of an uptown NYC flagship, Moncler is truly well positioned in the United States.
Northern winters can be brutal, but the cavernous store on a tidy Madison Avenue corner is a comfortable respite from the snowy streets. Designed by French architects Gilles & Bossier (who have handled most of Moncler’s interior design), it’s decked out like the glossy ski chalet of our dreams, instantly transporting visitors to St. Moritz or south of Geneva, with plenty of ipe wood, mahogany, fur blankets, marble and glass, with plenty of merchandise to check out. As many times as I thought I could live here, there’s a total art museum and bookstore vibe: two art installations called “Solaris” and “Tête Moncler” greet guests at the foyer. Solaris is a symmetrical installation of 24 gold metal blades by artist Bardula, and Tête Moncler is a sculpture by French artist Christophe Charbonnel that hulks over the back hall in a ferocious manner.
Moncler
650 Madison Ave
New York, NY 10022
