The program notes described this latest Moncler Gamme Rouge collection as “Versailles meets Abstraction,” which doesn’t immediately call to mind luxe sportswear but does suggest something rather rarefied. And perhaps this has been the modus operandi of the Gamme Rouge range all along—yet it was never more apparent than today, when a mass of maidens ambled up and down a garden path (more enchantingly English than formal French) in looks that married haute couture with high performance.
After a tender exchange with Lee Radziwill, creative director Giambattista Valli explained how a plumped-up slicker in technical lace, flounced dresses in embroidered PVC, a gray sweatsuit embellished with lilies of the valley, and a leotard in red jacquard all expressed varying degrees of the same elite inspirations: fencing and French châteaus. Indeed, when the bar is set this elegant, a parka is no longer a parka—it’s a rococo confection in guipure that happens to be rain resistant. “Moncler gives me the technical fabrications and the support, and I do it in an atelier way,” Valli noted as Bianca Brandolini d’Adda planted a kiss on his cheek.
The designer conceded that the Spring offering always poses a greater point-of-view challenge than Fall because outerwear isn’t the customer’s priority. With this one, he plucked more elements from historical dress than usual; yet the floral-embroidered sneakers (and sneaker boots) kept the feeling decidedly fresh. Though there were quite a few dashing black looks for evening in the mix, such a predominantly white collection might send another message to his gilded lilies. Said Valli, “I love the idea that Gamme Rouge is sporty but you can get married in it.”