From the Mountain to the City: Exploration Meets Inspiration in a Campaign that Pushes the Boundaries of Co-Creation
Designed for exploration, Moncler and adidas Originals’ new collection pushes the boundaries of co-creation as the two iconic brands find inspiration in the journey from mountainous peaks to the city below. Moncler’s mountain birthplace meets the metropolitan base of adidas Originals as a selection of forward-thinking designs advance the notion that function creates unlimited potential for discovery. On both sides of the collaboration , function has form: adidas Originals has been changing the shape of city sportswear since 2001, and Moncler has continuously redefined innovation for exploring the great outdoors since its first mountain expedition in 1952.
The campaign, titled The Art of Explorers, turns its attention to explorers themselves. With human endeavor a core ideal of both brands, the explorer steps into the spotlight as a shared figurehead, represented first through a series of AI-generated adventurers, then through a collection of unique mixed-media sculptures. Offering nods to both brands, the campaign tagline Where Originality Meets Extraordinary speaks to Moncler’s positioning as a longstanding performance and utility innovator and adidas Originals’ enduring legacy as a champion of culture and creativity, spreading influence from an epicenter peak, to cities around the world.
Building on The Art of Genius show that first unveiled the collaboration at London Fashion Week in February, artists from diverse fields – from sculpture to costume, set design to make-up – were challenged to create human-esque explorers inspired by looks from the collection. Sculptures by Gary Card, Ibby Njoya, and Kate Tabor, alongside real-life explorers in looks styled by Ai Kamoshita, with make-up and accessories by Isamaya Ffrench, were brought to life by photographer Hanna Moon.
Gary Card, Sculptor and Set Designer – ‘Original is foundation, Extraordinary is aspiration. Often these two concepts don’t meet but it’s a goal I strive for.’
British artist Gary Card uses color and humor to build psychedelic dreamworlds for the fashion industry. The multi-disciplinarian created an exaggerated human form for Moncler x adidas Originals, using their iconic codes – mountain puffer shapes, three stripes – to build a new explorer.
‘I designed the figure to be lumbering and imposing, yet with a soft and friendly feel, a faithful puffer warrior companion maybe. So, when they stood side by side it would feel like a distorted mirror version of the Moncler look. Like these two characters belonged to each other, I imagined them going on adventures, wading through snow in the Italian alps together.’
Ibby Njoya, Artist and Set Designer – ‘Art is a living organism that relies on the environment, culture and the dreams of the community to survive, and so as the occupants of this environment we are forced to explore its limitations.’
British-Cameroonian artist Ibby Njoya is a creative polymath who uses his experience as a painter and illustrator to bend reality into exuberant new settings for fashion’s most luminous editorials, shows and installations.
‘I was inspired by the collection itself, but I wanted to bring myself into the sculpture. I really loved the way the neck of the puffer was very prominent and almost looked to me like rings. I have always been fascinated by the copper neck rings from the Ndebele tribe and the Kayan tribe, how by extending the neck can place such importance to the head itself.’
Kate Tabor, Costume Designer – ‘I think a lot of the core design traits of Moncler and adidas Originals and my own work are actually quite similar. There is a boldness and a desire to push boundaries that we share.’
British designer and maker Kate Tabor has brought her singular vision to the worlds of music, fashion and art. Kate leverages her curiosity and understanding of materials – foam, mirror, silk, hair – into one-of-a-kind statements of human kinetics and form.
‘I think I’ve created a sculpture that itself looks like an explorer with mirrored armor, ready to face the elements, or maybe ready to face the art world, expanding what can be considered art by bringing together the commercial and the avant garde.’
Isamaya Ffrench, Make-up Artist – ‘Exploration is vital for me. I never see the point of doing something that doesn’t feel new, or that doesn’t have a fresh perspective on a subject.’
Envisioning make-up as a form of wearable art, British beauty pioneer Isamaya Ffrench has redrawn the rules one stroke at a time to become a globally renowned name in cosmetic artistry, working across the world’s most high-profile brands and faces, and launching her eponymous cult brand.
‘The whole concept of the campaign was to create avatars inspired by the clothes from the collection. The shapes, colors and textures were created by using transparent plastic vacuum formed masks, airbrushed colors and reflective materials.’
Ai Kamoshita, Stylist – London-based stylist Ai Kamoshita approaches her work by looking at form, shape and careful layering. Treating garments as though they were sculptures, her work is heavily referenced by her research into different artistic worlds of expression.
Hanna Moon, Photographer – South Korean-born, London-based photographer Hanna Moon brings a unique and distinctive eye to image making, a curated approach that draws just as much from the traditional as from the contemporary.
‘The concept was very philosophical to me, finding beauty in real things like sculptures, model’s movements or in-between moments. It made me think about where we are now and what’s happening to our creativity with the new technology. The shoot was beyond just photographing the collection, it made me think of the present/future of our industry and cherish the human endeavor more.’
Shiori Takahashi, Hair Stylist – Born and raised in Hokkaido, Japan, trailblazing hairstylist Shiori Takahashi relocated to London before working alongside some of the most globally recognized publications, brands and talents.
‘I was excited by the concept of creating avatars inspired by the clothes from the collection. I approached each hair look individually, focusing on shapes, texture and colors to bring out the uniqueness of each avatar. By doing so, we created a look which connected the real world and the AI world.’
The groundbreaking creative exploration extends beyond a physical experience to a digital one with the introduction of a new immersive platform on moncler.com. Drawing inspiration from the collection’s summit-to-city design themes, this unique destination unlocks exclusive products and presents collection details through a digital gallery recalling the vibrant metropolitan streetscape that played host to The Art of Genius show earlier this year. This digital experience combines sound, video and 3D animation, immersing visitors in a city street where exclusive products and 3D artworks are gradually revealed, and users can purchase the collection via digital billboards. A limited-edition artistic exploration of the Moncler x adidas Originals NMD boot that evolves the silhouette for the digital context has been brought to life as an NFT that can be accessed through the platform and the adidas Confirmed app.
