Moncler is a famous name that is familiar to anyone who loves the mountains and easy wear.
The name comes from the abbreviation of Monestier de Clermont, a place near Grenobie where, in 1952 Rene Ramillion and Andre Vincent founded what would become one of the most famous outerwear companies.
Ramillion was the best known manufacturer of mountain articles in the city, but he was also a versatile mind whose talent was demonstrated by dozens of patents.
As early as 1933 he had started up a company by that name, specialising in metal mechanisms for sports: ski poles, bindings, and tent frames. He also provided ski bindings to the French Army, and the people he met and events he experienced through this connection proved to be life-altering. Due to “proven need” during World War II, his company was not seized, and through his contacts with the French Alpine troops, he met Lionel Terray, a decisive player in the history of Moncler.
The Origins
During its first few years, the company, headed by Andre Vincent, a Grenoble merchant and a friend of Ramillion, who dealt in sports articles, successfully sold solid, sturdy objects: tents, down sleeping bags, a unique model of lined cagoules, and good sewing machines, recovered from a former slipper factory.
The tents in particular met the favour of the market, becoming so famous that they were simply known as “les Ramy” , the symbol of a rapidly developing phenomenon – vacations. Vacations became popular throughout Europe in the 1930’s, but exploded in the post-war period with its new found freedom of movement. They transformed into a ritual that became increasingly popular due to motorcycles, Lambretta scooters (sometimes Vespa‘s), and small cylinder autos that were cheap and manageable. And also thanks to perfect tents, with telescopic poles and outer reinforcement to cover them.
The Down Jacket
It’s natural to wonder: when was the first down jacket made? Probably in 1952 for workers who wore them over their overalls inside the plant during the coldest months of the year.
“They looked more like blue boxes than clothes”, recalls someone who remembers those days. But to Lionel Terray, a skier and champion of alpine skiing, who had just returned from an expedition to Canada, these goose down-filled jackets must have seemed the solution to all his problems. Just touching them, as he noted their warmth and light weight, he explained (as Ramillion states in a handwritten document): “You could attempt the impossible in the high mountains and go beyond the human limits we know today”.
As early as 1950, Terray had already been driven to the limit in pursuit of extreme conquests, when he scaled Annapurna with Louis Lachenal and Murice Herzog and came back with frostbitten hands and feet.
The Experiments
He therefore asked Ramillion for overalls, gloves, and sleeping bags that were extremely durable, super protective and absolutely secure.
Thus, as he tried and tried again, critiquing and suggesting variations, Lionel Terray became a technical consultant and coordinator for a specialised line, the “Moncler pour Lional Terray”. Rhodiaceta, known today as Rhone Poulec, also joined this experiment, providing Ramillion a sample of Tergal, a newly developed fibre suitable for padding. It seems like a small detail, and yet it became fundamental, because it did not come out of fabric padding’s, which at that time were far from today’s performance.
The Expeditions
Moncler-Terray’s experiments were tested and perfected in the field: sleeping bags, mittens, foot protectors, wall tents and of course, down jackets.
In 1954 Moncler down jackets were chosen to equip the Italian Karakorum expedition, which culminated with the conquest of the second highest peak on the Earth by Achille Compagnoni and Lino Lacedelli. In 1955 they accompanied the French expedition that conquered Makalu (8470 metres). In 1964 the brand became the official supplier for the Alaska expedition organised by Terray. In 1968 it was the official supplier for the French national alpine skiing team, which participated in the winter Olympics right in Grenoble. It even changed it’s logo for this special occasion: instead of Mount Eguit, rising up over the town, the little rooster we all know appeared.
The Evolution
In 1972, the French team asked for a decisive change: the single garment, easier to wear then double down jackets, but suitable for the harsh temperatures of the high mountains. Up to that time, garments had been made for the high mountains, that is double, like the Karakorum, which is still part of the collection today. This lighter, more manageable garment helped warm up the muscles before races: in essence, it is the current Moncler down jacket, which was first called the Huanscaran, then the Nepal when leather shoulder pads were added so that skis could be carried without damaging the garment. Meanwhile, more and more aspiring skiers began to invade the mountains, becoming a mass phenomenon, as did caravanning, which replaced camping. In fact, production of “les Ramy” halted in 1970.
Fashion
Moncler’s history was shifting, and the definitive catalyst bore the name of a glorious weekly magazine, Elle. It’s attentive journalists sensed that this mountain garment could easily become a must for city life. And on that occasion, the down jacket also vaunted eccentric stitching, vertical in some places, horizontal in others and splendid colours, even through the laque nylon of the period came in only four shapes: yellow, blue, orange and green. “It’s a revolution”, enthusiastically exclaimed the editors who photographed it. They showed rare foresight, as the passion for sportswear was still at least ten years away.
In 1988 the entire editorial staff of Madame Figaro posed in Moncler down jackets for their Christmas greetings. As it became metropolitan, Moncler’s ascent was unstoppable, and in 1980 it met the designer Chantal Thomas, with whom it began a collaboration that lasted until 1989 and radically changed its appearance: buttons instead of zippers, fur trim, satin, reversible fabrics. Continuing the transformation, in 1999 the first Spring/ Summer collection was presented, and in 2002, for the brands fiftieth anniversary, a couture collection was presented, enriched with embroidery by the famous Lesage.
The Duvet
This is Moncler’s key word, the secret of its magic formula. Duvet means “down” in French and comes primarily from aquatic birds raised in the south of Brittany and in Perigord. Here the climate and land, with its wealth of rivers and lakes, stimulate the production of down by animals, allowing producers to certify the origin of the birds and follow the proper techniques for removing the down. Moncler uses many tons of down a year, namely some 300 grams per garment. Down thus becomes one of the main components of the garment, and its quality determines the quality of the brand itself. Before being utilised, the down goes through a rigorous processing that guarantees cleanliness and hygiene. This includes the phases of sorting, dusting, washing (one raw kilo requires 700 to 800 litres of water), disinfecting, rinsing, centrifuging and dying (in an oven heated to over 100degrees).
The Processing
Down is comprised of two elements. The first includes tufts and barbules: parts of the plumage taken from the stomach and below the wings of the birds. The second is plumules, similar to feathers but much smaller and softer. The composition percentage of the different elements is defined by regulation AFNOR G 32003, which classifies down as 4/3/2/1 tufts. Moncler uses duvet neuf, that is down with four tufts, which confirms with the Ministry of Health regulation 14/10-81. The best quality on the market: the composition percentage in fact determines its puffiness and thermal insulation, guaranteeing the garments 85 percent of their insulating power and a unique lightness.
Over fifty years of experience in handling down has allowed Moncler to establish specific filling coefficients for garments with a mathematically precise ratio between the square centimetres of surface area of the garment and the down contained in it, according to the characteristics of the fabrics and different stylistic needs. Also important is the choice of fabrics, which must be treated by hot calendaring to allow the aeration of the feathers with the least possible loss of down. After each washing, Moncler garments should be rinsed well and dried in the open air or a clothes drier, to restore the down to its original state.
The name comes from the abbreviation of Monestier de Clermont, a place near Grenobie where, in 1952 Rene Ramillion and Andre Vincent founded what would become one of the most famous outerwear companies.
Ramillion was the best known manufacturer of mountain articles in the city, but he was also a versatile mind whose talent was demonstrated by dozens of patents.
As early as 1933 he had started up a company by that name, specialising in metal mechanisms for sports: ski poles, bindings, and tent frames. He also provided ski bindings to the French Army, and the people he met and events he experienced through this connection proved to be life-altering. Due to “proven need” during World War II, his company was not seized, and through his contacts with the French Alpine troops, he met Lionel Terray, a decisive player in the history of Moncler.
The Origins
During its first few years, the company, headed by Andre Vincent, a Grenoble merchant and a friend of Ramillion, who dealt in sports articles, successfully sold solid, sturdy objects: tents, down sleeping bags, a unique model of lined cagoules, and good sewing machines, recovered from a former slipper factory.
The tents in particular met the favour of the market, becoming so famous that they were simply known as “les Ramy” , the symbol of a rapidly developing phenomenon – vacations. Vacations became popular throughout Europe in the 1930’s, but exploded in the post-war period with its new found freedom of movement. They transformed into a ritual that became increasingly popular due to motorcycles, Lambretta scooters (sometimes Vespa‘s), and small cylinder autos that were cheap and manageable. And also thanks to perfect tents, with telescopic poles and outer reinforcement to cover them.
The Down Jacket
It’s natural to wonder: when was the first down jacket made? Probably in 1952 for workers who wore them over their overalls inside the plant during the coldest months of the year.
“They looked more like blue boxes than clothes”, recalls someone who remembers those days. But to Lionel Terray, a skier and champion of alpine skiing, who had just returned from an expedition to Canada, these goose down-filled jackets must have seemed the solution to all his problems. Just touching them, as he noted their warmth and light weight, he explained (as Ramillion states in a handwritten document): “You could attempt the impossible in the high mountains and go beyond the human limits we know today”.
As early as 1950, Terray had already been driven to the limit in pursuit of extreme conquests, when he scaled Annapurna with Louis Lachenal and Murice Herzog and came back with frostbitten hands and feet.
The Experiments
He therefore asked Ramillion for overalls, gloves, and sleeping bags that were extremely durable, super protective and absolutely secure.
Thus, as he tried and tried again, critiquing and suggesting variations, Lionel Terray became a technical consultant and coordinator for a specialised line, the “Moncler pour Lional Terray”. Rhodiaceta, known today as Rhone Poulec, also joined this experiment, providing Ramillion a sample of Tergal, a newly developed fibre suitable for padding. It seems like a small detail, and yet it became fundamental, because it did not come out of fabric padding’s, which at that time were far from today’s performance.
The Expeditions
Moncler-Terray’s experiments were tested and perfected in the field: sleeping bags, mittens, foot protectors, wall tents and of course, down jackets.
In 1954 Moncler down jackets were chosen to equip the Italian Karakorum expedition, which culminated with the conquest of the second highest peak on the Earth by Achille Compagnoni and Lino Lacedelli. In 1955 they accompanied the French expedition that conquered Makalu (8470 metres). In 1964 the brand became the official supplier for the Alaska expedition organised by Terray. In 1968 it was the official supplier for the French national alpine skiing team, which participated in the winter Olympics right in Grenoble. It even changed it’s logo for this special occasion: instead of Mount Eguit, rising up over the town, the little rooster we all know appeared.
The Evolution
In 1972, the French team asked for a decisive change: the single garment, easier to wear then double down jackets, but suitable for the harsh temperatures of the high mountains. Up to that time, garments had been made for the high mountains, that is double, like the Karakorum, which is still part of the collection today. This lighter, more manageable garment helped warm up the muscles before races: in essence, it is the current Moncler down jacket, which was first called the Huanscaran, then the Nepal when leather shoulder pads were added so that skis could be carried without damaging the garment. Meanwhile, more and more aspiring skiers began to invade the mountains, becoming a mass phenomenon, as did caravanning, which replaced camping. In fact, production of “les Ramy” halted in 1970.
Fashion
Moncler’s history was shifting, and the definitive catalyst bore the name of a glorious weekly magazine, Elle. It’s attentive journalists sensed that this mountain garment could easily become a must for city life. And on that occasion, the down jacket also vaunted eccentric stitching, vertical in some places, horizontal in others and splendid colours, even through the laque nylon of the period came in only four shapes: yellow, blue, orange and green. “It’s a revolution”, enthusiastically exclaimed the editors who photographed it. They showed rare foresight, as the passion for sportswear was still at least ten years away.
In 1988 the entire editorial staff of Madame Figaro posed in Moncler down jackets for their Christmas greetings. As it became metropolitan, Moncler’s ascent was unstoppable, and in 1980 it met the designer Chantal Thomas, with whom it began a collaboration that lasted until 1989 and radically changed its appearance: buttons instead of zippers, fur trim, satin, reversible fabrics. Continuing the transformation, in 1999 the first Spring/ Summer collection was presented, and in 2002, for the brands fiftieth anniversary, a couture collection was presented, enriched with embroidery by the famous Lesage.
The Duvet
This is Moncler’s key word, the secret of its magic formula. Duvet means “down” in French and comes primarily from aquatic birds raised in the south of Brittany and in Perigord. Here the climate and land, with its wealth of rivers and lakes, stimulate the production of down by animals, allowing producers to certify the origin of the birds and follow the proper techniques for removing the down. Moncler uses many tons of down a year, namely some 300 grams per garment. Down thus becomes one of the main components of the garment, and its quality determines the quality of the brand itself. Before being utilised, the down goes through a rigorous processing that guarantees cleanliness and hygiene. This includes the phases of sorting, dusting, washing (one raw kilo requires 700 to 800 litres of water), disinfecting, rinsing, centrifuging and dying (in an oven heated to over 100degrees).
The Processing
Down is comprised of two elements. The first includes tufts and barbules: parts of the plumage taken from the stomach and below the wings of the birds. The second is plumules, similar to feathers but much smaller and softer. The composition percentage of the different elements is defined by regulation AFNOR G 32003, which classifies down as 4/3/2/1 tufts. Moncler uses duvet neuf, that is down with four tufts, which confirms with the Ministry of Health regulation 14/10-81. The best quality on the market: the composition percentage in fact determines its puffiness and thermal insulation, guaranteeing the garments 85 percent of their insulating power and a unique lightness.
Over fifty years of experience in handling down has allowed Moncler to establish specific filling coefficients for garments with a mathematically precise ratio between the square centimetres of surface area of the garment and the down contained in it, according to the characteristics of the fabrics and different stylistic needs. Also important is the choice of fabrics, which must be treated by hot calendaring to allow the aeration of the feathers with the least possible loss of down. After each washing, Moncler garments should be rinsed well and dried in the open air or a clothes drier, to restore the down to its original state.
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