Moncler launches a collection with ingenious designer, DingYun Zhang

By

Dominique Muret

Translated by
Roberta HERRERA

Published
Feb 10, 2022

As part of its Genius project, Moncler has teamed up with promising Chinese designer, DingYun Zhang. The result of this collaboration is a capsule collection of a dozen voluminous down jackets resembling strange and fascinating sculptures, which will launch in stores this February 10. 
 

The Beijing-based designer set his sights on fashion early on in his life; he first started to design sneakers while still in high school. Inspired by the painters Robert Rauschenberg and David Hockney, Ding moved to England to study fine art. He eventually went on to attend Central Saint Martins in London, where he studied Fashion Design and graduated in 2020. 
 
During his studies, he was spotted by Kanye West’s brand, Yeezy, who recruited him to design for its shoe department. He contributed to the success of a series of the streetwear brand's cult models, including the Yeezy 700 Wave Runner. This exposure gave him the opportunity to extend his projects into other fields through clothing collaborations, such as with Moncler.

His collection for the Italian fashion house owned by Remo Ruffini consists mainly of down jackets in the form of coats, vests and micro jackets, accessorized by huge masks and balaclavas. The ensembles were made from ultra-lightweight, slightly crinkled shiny nylon and worn over colorful leggings paired with furry boots. Prices range from 230 euros for the cycling shorts to 2,900 euros for the more sophisticated pieces.

DingYun Zhang works primarily with big volumes and layers, and uses hidden zippers and knotted button to create smooth silhouettes. He playfully manipulates fabrics and shapes, such as incorporating holes into large vests, making them resemble Swiss cheese and creating origami-like cut outs on a camouflage printed top. The silhouettes of the pieces were inspired by the ocean floor and the invertebrate organisms and creatures that inhabit it, resulting in a lineup of futuristic misshapen garments with large, rounded sleeves. 
 
"I am all for big volumes that sculpt the body into new forms. I took inspiration from underwater creatures to devise pieces that float lightly, in a color palette that resembles the coral and fungi that naturally grow on top of sculptures submerged in the deep sea," commented the designer on the luxury brand’s website.