REMO RUFFINI ON MONCLER CRASH 61

By Crash redaction

SINCE BECOMING ITS CHAIRMAN IN 2003, REMO RUFFINI HAS MADE MONCLER A GLOBAL STANDARD IN SPORTSWEAR AND CASUALWEAR, WHILE ALSO DEVELOPING ITS NEW, EDGIER LOOK. NOW CELEBRATING ITS 60TH ANNIVERSARY, MONCLER IS WELL KNOWN FOR ITS SUCCESSFUL BLEND OF TRADITION AND INNOVATION. REMO RUFFINI MET WITH US TO TALK ABOUT THE MONCLER FASHION LINES AND PARTNERSHIPS, AS WELL AS HIS RESPECT FOR THE BRAND, HIS START IN FASHION, AND HIS PASSIONS.

You are a very private person behind Moncler, can you tell us about your personal story and how you started working in fashion?

I was born in Como, where I still live with my family. I was very creative even as a child, so after completing a course in fashion marketing at the University of Boston, I started working for my father’s company, Gianfranco Ruffini Ltd. in the United States. The company handled the stylistic design as well as the marketing for a series of clothing lines. Upon my return to Italy in 1984, I founded New England, a company that specialized in men’s shirts, and later expanded to cover all fashion ranges. In 1998 I was named Creative Director in a number of important clothing brands, such as Henry Cotton’s, Marina Yachting and Moncler.privilégie le public.

Why, after selling your company, did you decide to buy Moncler? Did you expect it to be the success it is today?

The main reason I was attracted to Moncler and decided to buy it back in 2003, was its great heritage and history –it is rare to find a brand with deep roots in tradition. I had realized early on that there was an enormous potential for development, which would eventually lead to the huge success the brand enjoys today.

Moncler is celebrating 60 years of operation. How did the brand evolve since its creation? Since your arrival?

Since the day I bought Moncler, nearly everything has changed and has acquired a more contemporary approach. Our strategy has been focusing on the brand’s signature garment, the down jacket, while we have also expanded our collections to cover every customer need, addressing the daily demands of contemporary life. The evolution of the brand is still the biggest challenge: how classic casual can successfully mix with sporty style and how can innovation blend with tradition. However, I have always respected the Moncler DNA, and I believe that it is the integrity of the past that holds the key to a healthy future.

You’ve developed two lines: gamme rouge and gamme bleu.. How did this idea come about?

Soon after I bought Moncler, I realized that it would be perfect to collaborate with different designers in capsule collections. Then, in 2006, I decided to launch a complete high-end collection especially for women, and, later on, I thought about experimenting with the classical male wardrobe. Moncler Gamme Rouge for women and Moncler Gamme Bleu for men, designed now by Giambattista Valli and Thom Browne, respectively, embody a different –modern– way of expressing the spirit of the Moncler brand.

When and how did you meet giambattista valli and thom browne, the respective designers of the gamme rouge and the gamme bleu?

I have greatly admired their work for quite some time before our collaboration, and I believe they are two of the most original talents to have emerged in recent years. Both Giambattista Valli and Thom Browne, with their own vision of style, are perfect to expand Moncler into a new creative world. They have a distinct avant garde attitude in terms of creativity and vision, while their intuitive skill and sharp eye guaranty a tangible and interesting product. That’s the real talent, in my opinion, and this is the main reason why we started working together.

The main lines of Moncler are now part of fashion week, whether it’s in New York for the women’s collections or Milan for the men’s collections. The shows are often celebrated by critics, what does that represent to you? To Moncler?  

Moncler may have a strong presence at fashion weeks, but it is not a fashion brand. It is more of a “lifestyle” sportswear brand. I’d have to say that Moncler is a global brand that reflects the spirit of the times. However, it is always a pleasure to see our efforts and vision being acknowledged by editors, as well as customers. It makes us want to work even harder.

Moncler has a very strong dna, a heritage to respect and maintain. Is it difficult to be innovative in these conditions?

I am respectful of the Moncler DNA, and realize that the greatest challenge is trying to stay true to the values and heritage of the brand, while, at the same time, expanding the products, using innovative construction techniques and high-tech materials. Moncler has constantly found new ways of expressing the concept of the quilted jacket. And that is what has made Moncler relevant after 60 years.

How has the moncler customer base changed over the years?    

I think the Moncler customer has evolved together with the Moncler brand and its products. Today, we have a wider audience, mostly because we have tried to expand our ranges –featuring high-end urban outfits as well as skiwear– and develop global marketing. if Moncler initially felt like just a winter brand, now consumers are picking Moncler for spring or summer as well. We have different collections and are trying to propose something new by responding to the daily needs of

contemporary life.

There will also be a comic book starring monduck, the brand’s icon. How did this idea come about? Are comics something you are interested in?

Monduck, the iconic duck comic character, has been gracing the Moncler jackets since the origins. This year, Monduck steals the spotlight as the symbol of the Moncler evolution. The comic strip itself chronicles Moncler’s history, focusing on key events that turned the quilted jacket into what it is today.

What are your main interests besides fashion?

I like sports, and I especially enjoy sailing in summer or skiing in winter in my free time. I also love interior design and contemporary art.

Who are the more important artists for you nowadays?

As a creative person myself, I respect artists enormously, and I find it very difficult to distinguish among them. I guess every artist is important in some way. Just to name a few, I admire the work of photographer Bruce Weber –we have been collaborating on Moncler’s ad campaigns for several seasons now. I also enjoy working with the talented french designers gilles and boissier. I have a lot of respect for architect norman forster and designer philippe starck.

A favorite film?

There are a lot of films I enjoy watching. I really couldn’t tell which is my favorite one.i would say every film in italian neorealism.

Your favorite place to be?

I’d have to say aboard my yacht, Blackwood of London.

What are your next projects?    

Make Moncler an everyday synonym for the down jacket.