Wynn Las Vegas Magazine by MODERN LUXURY

Wynn Las Vegas - 2016 - Issue 3 - Winter

Wynn Magazine - Las Vegas

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PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF MONCLER ( VINTAGE IMAGES, JACKET ); BY MARK LEARY/GET T Y IMAGES (BACKGROUND) 50 EAR LY IN HIS CAR EER, FR ANK LLOYD WR IGHT challenged the axiom that form follows function. The idea, he said, had been misunderstood: "Form and function should be one, joined in spiritual union." Perhaps no wearable design better exemplifies the renowned architect's philosophy than the eye-catching— and surprisingly high-tech—puffy parkas by Moncler. While the brand is recognizably high fashion, its roots are in utilitarian gear for working in high altitudes, and that's where the marriage between function and form was born. Moncler parkas begin with the finest feathers. Ninety percent of their filling is a wispy type of goose down (rather than duck) called duvet neuf (or "new down"), used for its fuller tufts. (The remaining 10 percent is small feathers.) This creates a denser fill, meaning the jackets hold a higher volume of down, which keeps them light and fashionable while still insulating the body and retaining its heat. Warmer than wool coats, the parkas vary in weight, depend- ing on their intended season. (The down in a winter parka weighs just 180 grams, or a little over 6 ounces, while in the spring and summer jackets it's only 31 grams, or a single ounce.) The down is encased in high-performance nylon and canvas to protect the wearer from the elements. Now produced in style-conscious Italy, Moncler's slim quilted jackets don't skimp on performance, having been worn by ski teams, mountaineers, and other extreme-weather athletes. They're sleek and aerodynamic enough for downhill racers yet stunning enough for après-ski. The story behind these fashion paragons begins in the French mountain town of Monestier-de-Clermont, near Grenoble, in 1952, where founder René Ramillon started manufacturing quilted sleeping bags, cold-weather tents and raincoats, and other equipment for outdoor laborers and adventurers. The products were well-known for their fine craftsmanship and durability, and by 1954, Ramillon was making his first down jackets, mostly to protect his own workers at his growing slopeside company (whose name is a truncation of the town's name). Seeing the coats worn by Moncler's laborers, French mountaineer Lionel Terray, famous for his many daring expeditions, not only ordered an entire line of clothing and equipment, but also lent his name to the collection. Photographs showing him wearing his namesake helped make Moncler synonymous with staying warm in the mountains as winter tourism in Europe became more and more glamorous. "My most memorable experience of Moncler was attending the show in Milan and discovering the uniqueness of their stores," says Hedy Woodrow, Senior Vice President of Retail at Wynn, who worked with the brand to open their store in Wynn. "Their designs are an incredible combination of fashion and functionality along with the most advanced technolog y in materials." clockwise from top: Lionel Terray, Alaska, 1964; Moncler sponsors the 1954 Italian expedition to K2; a poster for the launch of Moncler's "Special Bivouac" material, 1958; a scene from the first successful ascent to the summit of K2, July 1954, with equipment provided by Moncler. below: Nylon and leather aviator- style Laredo jacket with sheepskin inserts ($4,550) by Moncler. Moncler, Wynn, 702-323-7262.

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