An Alpine Expedition in the City for Moncler

Each trail explores a different chapter of Moncler Grenoble’s pioneering relationship to performance. The Blue Trail traces its expedition roots, from outfitting alpine workers to equipping the 1954 K2 expedition. The White Trail highlights decades of slope performance, from the French Olympic team in 1968 to Brazil’s 2026 race suit. The Red Trail introduces a mirrored runway exploring the brand’s present and future.

Activating sight, sound, touch and scent, the trails invite visitors on a journey through contrasting atmospheres that weave together a story of the brand’s layers of heritage from mountaineering gear to urban elegance.

Visitors as Adventurers 

The landscape we designed is a nod to Moncler’s roots as a brand “born in the mountains and raised in the city” of Grenoble. Crossing a threshold from Milan’s urban centre into an enclosed green space, visitors are invited to embody the Moncler spirit of adventure themselves by becoming explorers of this nature experience and the three trails hidden within.

A narrow path lined with bushy fern trees leads towards a mirrored cube housing three distinct trails. The entrance evokes the beginning of a hike conjuring the feeling of starting a hike where we leave the familiar behind and encounter the unknown. Trail markers and signage echo the language of mountain wayfinding. A gentle soundscape of falling snow and distant wildlife slows the pace, preparing visitors for the journey to come.

Bringing Moncler’s Layers to Life

Experienced in its totality, the exhibition immerses visitors in a holistic story of the Moncler’s life cycle from its origins and evolution to its present and future, highlighting performance as the red thread throughout. A spatial audio composition across 128 speakers and recurring materials such as metal mesh unify the experience, ensuring that while each trail is distinct, the overall journey remains holistic.

Split into blue, white and red, the three trails reference the French flag while articulating different chapters of the brand’s narrative. Together they reinforce Remo Ruffini’s belief that there is “no future without a past.”

Blue Trail, Expedition & Genesis

The Blue Trail takes us back to the drama and endurance of the 1952 Italian K2 expedition and the euphoria of the final ascent. Visitors enter the world of the alpinists from inside their tent, with a sleeping bag as the centrepiece and classic archive garments on display. Fans recreate strong mountain winds, strobe lights flash like distant thunder, and silhouettes move through the space. Italian voices recount the challenges of the ascent. The following room captures the stillness and clarity of reaching the peak. A low fog drifts beneath a 360-degree LED panorama that cycles through different times of day and the air is accented by fresh resin notes with hints of suncream.

White Trail, Performance on the Slopes

The White Trail focuses on Moncler’s role in performance and its entry into fashion, beginning with the 1968 French Ski Team. A pure white backdrop hazed by misty fog and fake snow creates the infinite backdrop of the slopes, populated by mannequins in motion and a soundscape of buzzing activity.

Next door, visitors are beckoned into a warm and intimate chalet atmosphere that houses designs from the 1960s. Garments worn by cultural icons are displayed against black smokey Japanese wood walls. The lift shifts from sunrise to sunset, while ambient sounds of murmuring voices and kettle steam fill the room and a scent of firewood smoke and wood hangs in the air.

Red Trail, Now & Next

The Red Trail has a contemporary, urban edge complemented by a faintly metallic scent bringing us into the present by tracing Moncler’s evolution from 2003 to 2026. Lined by two-way mirror cabinets with automated lights above, the trail becomes a catwalk. Reflected endlessly, visitors have a moment to capture a memory of their expedition with a selfie. The journey ends with guests becoming part of the brand’s ongoing story.