Founded in 1952 by René Ramillon and André Vincent, the name is an abbreviation of Monestier-de-Clermont, a village in the mountains near Grenoble, France. The first quilted jackets were conceived for protecting workers from the cold. They used the jackets on top of their overalls in the small mountain establishment. The first to note them and realize their potential was French mountaineer Lionel Terray. The result saw the specialist range ”Moncler pour Lionel Terray”.
In 1954, Moncler quilted jackets were chosen to equip the Italian expedition to K2, which culminated with the conquest of the earth’s second-highest summit by Achille Compagnoni and Lino Lacedelli. Moncler also accompanied the French expedition which reached the summit of Makalu in 1955 and was the official supplier for expeditions in Alaska organised by Lionel Terray in 1964.On occasion of the Grenoble Winter Olympics in 1968, Moncler became the official supplier of the French national downhill skiing team.In 1968, a cartoon duck named MonDuck was introduced as a mascot for the fashion house.
In 2003, Moncler was bought out by Italian entrepreneur Remo Ruffini.
February 2018 Moncler launched the Moncler Genius project, a new creative and business model where well-known designers create distinct collections interpreting Moncler’s identity that are released on a monthly basis.
In December 2020, Moncler purchased Italian luxury sportswear brand Stone Island in a reported €1.15 billion acquisition. In 2020, Moncler launched the ”Born to Protect” sustainability plan which features renewable energy, animal welfare, recycling, and charitable giving standards.In December 2021 Moncler became the official formalwear partner of Italian football club Inter Milan.
