Pierpaolo Piccioli X Moncler Genius Fall 2019 Ready-to-Wear, photo courtesy of Moncler.
Following the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s decision to cancel a planned John Galliano retrospective, curator Andrew Bolton pivoted to an exhibition that explores how seemingly unremarkable, basic wardrobe staples can be transformed into high-fashion masterpieces. The puffer coat will be one of the exhibition’s focal everyday garments.
It makes perfect sense that Moncler is named as a major funder and designer sponsor of the 2027 exhibition, along with Instagram. Moncler’s entire brand history is built on taking the humble, utilitarian down jacket and transforming it into high-end luxury fashion. The Moncler Genius Project is the ultimate definition of making the ordinary extraordinary in the modern luxury landscape.
Pierpaolo Piccioli X Moncler Genius, Fall 2019 ready-to-wear, photo courtesy of Moncler
By launching in 2018 under the vision of CEO Remo Ruffini, Moncler took its core product and transformed it into an avant-garde design and cultural spectacle. Working with fashion designers Pierpaolo Piccioli, Simone Rocha, Craig Green, Noir Kei Ninomiya, Hiroshi Fujiwara and labels like Palm Angels, the 1950s-founded heritage outerwear brand carved itself a path in previously untraveled territory.
Pierpaolo Piccioli X Moncler Genius Fall 2019 ready-to-wear
Among the first visuals that came to mind when the new theme, “extraORDINARY: fashion and the poetics of the everyday”, was announced, were the brilliant puffer gowns with impossible trains, hooded jackets and sculptural capes created by Pierpaolo Piccioli for his focused, hauntingly beautiful Moncler Genius collaborations in 2018 and 2019.
Pierpaolo Piccioli X Moncler Genius Fall 2019 ready-to-wear
Described as a wonderful collision of language, color, and the grandiose proportion of couture, Pierpaolo’s focused collections were a hauntingly beautiful, deeply poetic expression of Moncler’s famed puffer. At the same time, I couldn’t help but think that it’s too bad the 2027 Met Gala won’t take place in the winter, or moved back to The First Monday in March rather than The First Monday in May.
Balenciaga spring 2027 Ready-to-Wear, photo by Giovanni Giannoni for WWD
A winter date would have made walking up the stairs of The Metropolitan Museum of Art in a couture puffer jacket far more practical. Facing a chilly NY winter evening would have added an extra layer of “survivalist” poetic realism spring can’t match. Of course, I’m well aware that cold-weather gear is hardly all we will see on the red carpet, but that doesn’t stop me from fantasizing.
Balenciaga Fall 2024 Couture Courtesy of Balenciaga
Following the November 5th announcement of the Costume Institute’s theme, numerous fashion fans and critics immediately labeled the concept “boring,” “lazy,” and “unimaginative.” For many, it felt like a stark, uninspired pivot after such a major controversy. In reality, exploring the extraordinary possibilities of mundane, everyday items and elevating them into high-concept couture is much harder-and riskier- than wearing a giant, predictable ball gown.
Maison Margiela Artisanal Couture Fall, 2025. Photo courtesy of the designer
Let’s face it; recent Met Galas have often suffered from unimaginative styling or celebrity guests missing the assignment completely. Stripping it back to the poetry of the everyday gives stylists a clean slate to design. It opens the door for ironic, high-fashion images and iconic pop culture moments executed with multi-million-dollar atelier craftsmanship.
Loewe Spring 2022 Ready-to-Wear, photo by Filippo Fior for gorunway.com
Transforming mundane objects into high-art couture gives stylists and attendees a massive playground for clever, witty, or hyper-conceptual Met Gala looks, provided they push the material transformation rather than wearing lazy designer labels. Quite frankly, I’m all in.
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