Moncler is the leading specialist of luxury goose down-filled jackets and “duvet couture.” Created by René Ramillon in 1952, the brand was named after its original founding headquarters — in a French mountain village called Monastier de Clermont. First producing padded sleeping bags and camping gear, the Moncler down jacket debuted in 1954, after Ramillon’s mountain-climbing friend Lionel Terray asked him to create high-protection gear to use on expeditions in extreme climates. By 1968, Moncler became the official outfitter of the French national alpine skiing team at the Winter Olympics, strengthening its reputation for superior functional design and technological innovation. The brand took on a fashion direction in the 1980s under stylist Chantal Thomas, who replaced zippers with buttons, added fur trims and introduced satin and reversible fabrics. By 2003, Moncler was purchased by Italian entrepreneur Remo Ruffini, who reinvented its image by injecting much-admired high-fashion style. Ingeniously, the Moncler Gamme Rouge luxury line was launched in 2006 by designer Alessandra Facchinetti, pairing sporting spirit with sophisticated style. Today, Giambattista Valli heads that women’s line while Thom Browne runs the Gamme Bleu range for men. Moncler also innovatively collaborates with other fashion designers like Comme des Garçons and Sacai.