Moncler Genius Unveils Itself In Shanghai On A High Note

Moncler outdid itself as 8,000 guests bore witness to The City Of Genius and its 10 creative neighbourhoods.

By Gracia Phang - published 23 Oct 2024

One city, 10 collaborators, 10 collections—Moncler’s The City of Genius both lit up and wrapped Shanghai Fashion Week on 19 October with an extensive showcase and celebration at the historic China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Pavilion shipyard in Huangpu District. The expansive location played house to 10 neighbourhoods for 10 creatives of varied backgrounds and expertise. From A$AP Rocky to Lucie and Luke Meier of Jil Sander, Lulu Li to Donald Glover, it was a star-studded community who each had their own unique visions to contribute to The City of Genius.

To top off the epic event, the showcase was graced by the likes of Rihanna, Tomorrow x Together’s Yeonjun, Anne Hathaway; and, of course, most of the stellar cast of designers.

Read on for our on-site, first-hand experience.

A$AP ROCKY

Let’s just say A$AP Rocky, together with Rihanna, stole the show just by being present at the Moncler Genius showcase in Shanghai, and his collection too had its own star power. Set in a silver lounge pit surrounded by a projection screen of mountain landscapes, models were dressed ready for a serious ski session, stomping through to the beat of the designer and rapper’s soundtrack.

Protective elements of shoulder, knee, and elbow pads were exaggerated, alongside bold quilting and a memorable palette of primary colours. While Rihanna donned a red AWGE (A$AP Rocky’s creative agency) outerwear, his ski-ready pieces too featured the AWGE branding, as well as the name of his highly-anticipated album, Don’t Be Dumb.

DONALD GLOVER

Among the popular post-apocalyptic and futuristic concepts, Donald Glover’s farm set felt fresh and uplifting. Inspired by his Gilga Farm in Ojai, California, the American actor and filmmaker’s set was vivid and anchored with orange trees—much like his very own orange grove. Models strolled through the orchard casually juggling oranges in their hands clad in easy layers in a light-hearted palette of peach, rust orange, meringue and blue.

Utilitarian-esque jackets in peach were worn with socks and sandals, while light-weight puffer jackets were styled with shorts—which we reckon Paul Mescal would look great in. Donald Glover’s Moncler Genius world is one with a laid-back and fuss-free sensibility, and we’d love to be in it.

HIROSHI FUJIWARA

As we walked into a pitch dark room, we were told not to touch the reflection that we were about to witness. A single design of a long padded coat was multiplied and suspended in the air, mirrored by a mysterious liquid surface beneath. For his Moncler Genius collection, Hiroshi Fujiwara of FRGMT collaborated with renowned British sculptor Richard Wilson RA, to create a calm and poetic space titled Looking Glass, 2024.

Understated and contemporary, Fujiwara stayed true to his signature black-and-white palette. He also juxtaposed matte and glossy, with a highly-glossed coat worn over a full black ’fit. What’s unseen at a glance are hidden surprises of reversible separates and vibrantly-hued linings—all of which are almost like precious secrets that only the wearer will know and hold dear.

PALM ANGELS

“Oh Francesco Ragazzi loves car racing!”, Moncler CEO Remo Ruffini told us just hours before the big reveal of the collections. Indeed, we were treated to a mini karting track, complete with revving engines, go-karts and a viewing bridge overhead, all conjoured up in the name of Moncler Genius x Palm Angels.

Ragazzi’s energetic collection saw monochrome grid patterns contrasted with scarlet reds, and metallics complemented with cable knit-style puffers. The star number? A patch-covered jacket that evoked a sense of racing thrill and nostalgia that best represented the collection.

LULU LI

While Lulu Li only presented one look at this presentation, it was enough for one to be in awe as you stepped into the mirrored set. The multifaceted cross-disciplinary artist and designer’s collection of down jackets in varying silhouettes are created ‘from bits to atoms’ via her AI explorations, exploring between excessiveness and moments of meditative states.

Her imagination came to life in the form of a statement white gown-like coat that grazed the ground: mysterious and grand. Best believe we wanted to see more of Li’s collection as we walked out the room.

JIL SANDER

One of my personal favourites, Jil Sander’s Lucie and Luke Meier stuck to a traditional runway show that saw them presenting a bold, elegant and aspirational collection. The husband-and-wife duo cleverly combined the experimental spirit of Moncler Genius and Jil Sander’s eccentric minimalism with rounded silhouttes that cocooned the body in the softest way possible.

The collection saw a variety of textures: “feathers” made of paper, wool shearling, and an exaggerated loop of Moncler’s puffs. Jil Sander’s creations are not without embellishments, and here, organic-shaped metal headpieces and pins held the different elements together as the key focus of each look.

RICK OWENS

This is the first time Rick Owens has stepped foot in China, and to say that he has a huge following there is an understatement. A huge crowd followed him through the grounds as the American designer explored The City Of Genius with his wife Michèle Lamy, and the bustle continued when the duo were cheered on and passed items to sign as they watched the celebrations continue from the VIP area. In true Rick Owens fashion, he created a steel sanctuary that stood alone, serving as a pod of sorts.

Quilting was fashioned in his signature sunray-like panels across flight jackets, robes, and stunning capes. Beautifully mysterious and highly wearable, Rick Owens delivered a city where fashion and function go hand-in-hand.

WILLOW SMITH

Willow Smith’s city was set in a post-apocalyptic garden, where we all return to nature and have a second chance at starting the world right again. Made of concrete that is overflowing with lush greenery, models swayed and glided through the space in slow motion, as if moving in the gentle wind.

They were dressed in body-skimming knits, which were contrasted with voluminous counterparts of floor-grazing hoodie-scarves, and cocoon-like ponchos—all a form of protective wear of sorts, possibly to brave a new world.

MERCEDES-BENZ AND NIGO

“Where The Future Is Driven By The Past”, was the tagline of Nigo’s collection alongside Mercedes-Benz. We were welcomed into their multistorey Moncler City with LED screen-covered floors and walls with letterings and numbers as if we were moving through time, and then the collaboration’s first-ever G-wagon that’s up for sale—price unknown.

An extensive ready-to-wear collection presented itself behind glass panels on level two, where Nigo cleverly combined the signature elements of all three brands involved. Finally, on display on the rooftop of this neighbourhood was the one-off creation of the 90s G-Class, partly covered in Moncler’s signature puff aesthetic, and the sleek lines of Mercedes-Benz.