Moncler is celebrating its 70th anniversary with the launch of Maya 70 – an updated take on the cult jacket adored by many for over a decade. While most of us know the Italian brand’s iconic quilted down jacket as a luxury fashion statement today, its early beginnings were rooted in functionality.
Roots in the French alpine
Founded in France by René Ramillon and André Vincent in 1952, Moncler takes after the name of the mountain village Monestier-de-Clermont. Ramillon and Vincent began by making equipment for outdoor adventures, including capes, quilted sleeping bags, and tents. It wasn’t until jackets designed to keep their factory workers warm caught the eyes of famous French mountaineer Lionel Terray that the jackets were introduced to the slopes. The Extraordinary Forever campaign immortalizes this turning point with an image of Italian skiers on top of K2, the world’s second highest mountain after Mount Everest, followed by many more expeditions, including the French ski team at the Grenoble Winter Olympics in 1968.
A hit amongst Paninaro
In the early 1980s, the silhouette became popularized by youths in Milan who rebelled against classical austerity with an affinity for luxury fashion, especially American and British brands -- a phenomenon known as Paninaro. With this shift, Moncler sought to modernize its classic down jacket with the aid of Parisian designer Chantal Thomass, beginning the lineage of down jackets that combines functionality with contemporary fashion we’re familiar with.
The OG Maya
Over the years, the Maya jacket has become a quintessential piece with the attention it garnered, most notably when Drake wore the cherry red colorway in the "Hotline Bling" music video released in summer 2015. “ When I think about the Maya jacket, a lot of emotions come together all at once,” Moncler’s CEO Remo Ruffini told Financial Times in 2020, “It speaks to me about Moncler’s history and continues to be a signature jacket – the one that most closely reflects the image and spirit of the brand.”
Launched in 2009, the Maya jacket is based on the Bazille zip-up design that originated in 1998, retaining its detachable hood with an elasticated hem, snap-stud chin guard, and zipper front. The logo adorning the left sleeve pocket is a twist to the logo centered on the front of the original Karakorum jacket. What differentiated the silhouette was its slimmer form made from boudin quilting filled with a precise ratio per centimeter of goose down stitched horizontally – the Maya has a 5:5 ratio of boudin compared to previous 4:4 styles, allowing more flexibility in the manipulation of its fit. In addition to warmth and flexibility, the jacket dressed in the signature nylon lacquer material had a stylish glossy exterior.
Introducing the Maya 70
In celebration of seven decades of pioneering mountain wares, Moncler introduces the Maya 70, which reimagines the original jacket with elements that celebrate the brand’s 70th anniversary while retaining the signature features of the classic boudin quilted original.
Crafted in Moncler’s new washed nylon lux laqué material, the lightweight style with a smooth and lustrous finish comes in thirteen unique hues inspired by nature’s vivid colors and deep earth tones. Adding to its technicality is an updated silhouette with a practical enlarged hood that allows more room for movement. Ultramodern details include a boxier fit and poppers that replace the front zip for a sleek, streamlined form. Rounding out the design is the exclusive Extraordinary Forever anniversary logo on the left sleeve pocket and an infinity loop combining the original “Feltrino” logo with the 70th-anniversary mountain motif.
The limited-edition Moncler Maya 70 down jacket is now available on HBX in “Sky Blue,” “Berry Red,” “Snowflake White,” and “Diamond Black.”