Sergio Zambon
A longtime Moncler collaborator, Sergio Zambon, has been responsible for the 2 Moncler 1952 collection since its conception. He is lauded for his adaptability and fluid approach, something he attributes to growing up in a wandering, multicultural environment. Born in Egypt to an Italian father and Croatian mother, Zambon has worked for big fashion houses while nurturing his own eponymous label.
So tell me about this, what’s going on? How did it start, this particular collection and this show?
My collaboration with Moncler has started in 2015 when I was designing part of the Moncler main collection. Mr. Ruffini told me about the project he had in mind and said “I would like you to be part of Moncler Genius working on 2 Moncler 1952 collection.
What has been your approach?
I started reworking the iconic Moncler jacket related to the youth culture. Moncler’s first big success was actually with young people in the 1980s with a movement in Milan called Paninari. It is a rare thing for Italy to have a street culture!
And what did the Paninari represent?
It was just a group of bourgeois kids meeting in the center of Milan wearing colored Moncler jackets and Timberland shoes.
Very iconic.
The strength of Moncler is that it’s an icon. The jacket is like a Chanel jacket, that’s the real strength. I started from the trademark which is the jacket — the core — related to youth culture, to the pop world of colors. This is the third season and I’m continuing to work on that iconic trademark and the pop side of Moncler. The idea for this is a laidback guy who likes to go to the mountains but close to the big cities. It’s a mixture of pop, sheepskin hoods and metallic fabrics. I collaborated with a Japanese graphic artist so it’s kind of a very modern take on classic.
How does that translate across into the actual physical event?
The tunnel was like kind of camp-based, just a structure in a minimal way with lights and smoke. It was modern and vintage, it was like 1960s and 21st century music but very fluid. It was kind of a new approach to life we want to have like no one else.
What parts are you involved in?
I was involved in every aspect of the creativity, from the concept of the collection to the fabrics, the colors, the music for this presentation and everything else. And of course, it has been very important from the start, working and sharing everything with Mr. Ruffini because he is Moncler nowadays, he’s the mastermind. My evolution in the project has been very linked to the work I’m doing with him.
In terms of having so many other designers involved, how did you feel when you first found out? Did you feel pressure?
The claim of the project is “One House, Different Voices” so it’s really about multiplicity and collaboration. I just found it very exciting from the start, it’s just like being in Dover Street Market. It’s fun and even if it creates competition, it’s positive. It’s the world we live in. We are not in an ivory tower anymore and I think it’s cool because it gives us energy and fun.