Moncler, Explained: The Down Jackets to Buy, How Moncler Sizes and What Grenoble Adds

Moncler has made down jackets for mountaineers and skiers since the 1950s, and the one to buy first is one of its signature short hooded styles. Choose the Bady if you want the trim, glossy classic and wear thin layers under it; choose the Maire if you live in chunky sweaters, because Moncler cuts it loose. Black is the color for a jacket that will see daily wear. Size by your bust measurement against Moncler's own chart, where a 1 is a small and a 2 a medium. Buy a long coat such as the Cavettaz only if you stand outside in real cold, and leave Moncler Grenoble, the ski line, mostly to the mountain. Below: history, lines, icons, fabrics, sizing, care, a men's section and 72 pieces to shop.

Where Moncler comes from

Moncler began by equipping people who worked at altitude, with quilted sleeping bags, a lined hooded cape and tents. In 1954 the French mountaineer Lionel Terray noted how well its first coats performed, and the house created "Moncler pour Lionel Terray". That year its coats also equipped the Italian expedition on which Achille Compagnoni and Lino Lacedelli made the first ascent of K2, and in 1955 they went up Makalu, first climbed by Terray and Jean Couzy. In 1964, when Moncler outfitted Terray's Alaska expeditions, the double duvet jacket became lighter and more aerodynamic, a version the Moncler Group's history calls the precursor of today's Moncler jacket. At the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, Moncler supplied the French downhill ski team, and the cockerel replaced its old logo, an outline of Mont Aiguille, the peak behind the village.

In the 1980s the brightly colored puffer became a city cult item for the Paninari, the Italian youth subculture. Remo Ruffini took over in 2003 and repositioned the house as a luxury label. Two runway lines ran until 2017: Gamme Rouge for women, designed by Alessandra Facchinetti and then Giambattista Valli, and Gamme Bleu for men with Thom Browne. Moncler Grenoble made its debut in New York in 2010, the company listed in Milan in December 2013, and Moncler Genius began in 2018. In January 2026 Moncler announced that Ruffini would become executive chairman, keeping creative direction, and that Bartolomeo "Leo" Rongone, then chief executive of Bottega Veneta, would take over as Moncler's chief executive on April 1.

Moncler's lines: the main collection, Moncler Grenoble and the collaborations

The main collection is the city wardrobe, from the down icons to padded cardigans, knitwear, shoes and bags, and most of this guide.

Moncler Grenoble is the ski and mountain line, and it now shows on snow: on the Courchevel Altiport runway, 2,008 meters up, in March 2025, and in Aspen in January 2026, the show Moncler's listings for this season's fringed and leaf-embroidered pieces refer back to. Our ski outfits guide builds full Grenoble looks; here we cover what the line adds to a winter wardrobe.

The collaborations. Moncler Genius began as a program of guest designers and, by the Moncler Group's account, became a platform for co-creation, staged as live shows in London in 2023 and Shanghai in 2024. This season's partners include LoveFrom, MONCLER, created with Jony Ive, a modular system built around a down jacket called the Moncore that its listing says works with three shell layers; Moncler x Fragment by Hiroshi Fujiwara, mostly menswear plus a snow boot; and Moncler x Gilga Farm, whose short down jacket, designed with Donald Glover, Moncler calls a Moncler Genius puffer.

Moncler down jackets for women: the icons, and which to buy first

Moncler's short jackets look alike in photographs but differ in cut and length, and Moncler states both on its product pages; the figures below come from those pages, for some styles from the previous season's version. On the Bady and Lans pages the model wears a 0 and stands 179 to 180 cm (about 5 ft 10 in), so a jacket that stops at the hip in the picture will sit lower on a petite frame.

• Bady: nylon laqué, a slim fit and 56 cm (22 inches) from collar to hem, with a detachable hood, an adjustable hem, elastic cuffs and the patch pocket on the sleeve. The neatest icon, best over a fine knit or a shirt.
• Maire: nylon laqué, a loose fit and 64 cm (25 inches) long, with a detachable hood; Moncler calls it a womenswear icon. This is the one that takes a cable sweater.
• Maya 70: the Maya is the men's jacket Moncler calls emblematic of its DNA, and the house made it for women for its 70th anniversary in 2022. This version is matte polyester rather than lacquered nylon, with a detachable hood, an adjustable hem and a logo patch on the sleeve pocket. Choose it over the Bady if shine is not for you.
• Abbadia: no hood, a regular fit and 60 cm (23.6 inches) long, in nylon laqué. Moncler's listing says it layers over workwear; it is the least sporty of the four.
• Karakorum and Himalaya: Moncler ties both to its expedition years, and both carry a metal logo modeled on vintage pins. The Karakorum is water-repellent micro ripstop with internal suspenders, so it can hang from your shoulders indoors; the Himalaya is a cotton and nylon blend with a drawstring waist.

Which to buy first. The Bady in black if you wear thin layers: Moncler describes it in almost the same words as the men's Maya, and it is the closest glossy equivalent cut for women. The Maire if your winter runs on chunky knits, or if you sit between two sizes. Ivory, blush and ice blue are beautiful but show makeup, bag straps and subway grime at the collar and cuffs first, so make a pale one your second jacket. The short jackets below cost about $1,750 to $3,250 on Vêtir. To compare houses, browse all designer quilted jackets.

Long Moncler coats: when the extra length pays off

A long down coat earns its place where you stand still outdoors: a train platform, a sideline, a city where January means wind off a river. Otherwise a short jacket is easier, because it folds onto a chair back, sits under a seat belt and goes over more of your wardrobe. Moncler cuts the Cavettaz loose and 108 cm (42.5 inches) long, with an elastic waistband and hem; it is meant to be roomy, so do not size up.

The Litte is square-quilted nylon technique, which Moncler describes as water-repellent with a silky feel; the Ornement's scarf collar ties into a bow; the Marusse is champagne laqué at mid-length; and the belted, shawl-collared Tieche, in matte polyester, is the most tailored shape here. The belted Boedic's long-haired shearling hood trim detaches, and the coat reads plainer for daytime without it. The Contemplatif is a parka in technical duchesse, drawn in at hood and waist, and the Barbel a light fit-and-flare in nylon léger. The coats below run from about $2,000 to $3,750 on Vêtir; for other houses' long down, see our best winter coats guide.

How Moncler down and fabrics work

Every down-filled piece we picked lists the same fill: 90 percent down, 10 percent feather. Moncler's listings give no fill-power figure, but the Moncler Group's down standard does: at least 90 percent white goose down cluster and a minimum fill power of 710, measured in cubic inches per 30 grams rather than per ounce, the unit many US brands quote. With one minimum standard across the line, warmth comes down to how much down a jacket holds and how much of you it covers. The down is also certified under the DIST protocol (Down Integrity System and Traceability), which Moncler has applied since 2015: it must come from farmed geese as a by-product of the food chain, with no live-plucking or force-feeding, and independent auditors check the supply chain, their results verified by a second accredited body. Read the padding line too: two pieces here, the Bwindis ski jacket and the taffeta cape, are padded with polyester.

The shell is where the jackets differ, and the names on the label are Moncler's own:

The practical point: where the main line's listings mention weather at all, they say water-repellent, not waterproof. They shed snow and a passing shower, but do not count on one in a downpour; if your winters are wet, choose a hooded style and carry an umbrella, or buy a GORE-TEX Grenoble jacket.

Tweed, bouclé, wool and corduroy: Moncler's dressier down

Moncler now puts down under textured cloth, and the result looks closer to tailoring than to skiwear. Read the label before you pay for the texture. The Trascendance and the Remarquable are sold as tweed, and both are 55 percent acrylic, 17 percent mohair, 17 percent wool and 11 percent nylon. The knit-effect Nitidule is mostly acrylic and polyester, the Lumineux corduroy is viscose, and the Sittelles jacquard and the sequinned Perroquet are polyester. These are pieces to love for a season or two, not wool heirlooms.

Two are different. The Cristallin's bouclé shell is 90 percent virgin wool. The Hemiptere is a coat in 90 percent virgin wool and 10 percent cashmere with a down vest inside, which Moncler says can be worn as the coat, as the vest, or zipped together as a mid-length down jacket: an office coat and a weekend vest for one price. Moncler's care notes warn that heavily textured surfaces can pull threads, so carry a smooth leather bag with the textured jackets and keep chain straps off the shoulder.

Packable down for travel, and the LoveFrom pieces

The Lans is Moncler's packable jacket: longue saison inside and out, a slim fit and 53 cm (21 inches) long, by Moncler's product page. It goes into a carry-on for October and April, and in January it slips under a roomy wool coat. The Florlans is the same idea in a floral print; the Mirage has detachable sleeves, so it becomes a vest; the Arum is diamond-quilted longue saison with a cinched waist and a hood; and Grenoble's Walibi, in down-proof ripstop, is light enough to take a mid-layer underneath when the temperature drops.

LoveFrom, MONCLER is a different proposition: both pieces here are cut from a single piece of compact nylon developed for the collaboration and shaped into three dimensions by their fastenings. The Moncore is the down base of the system, and the long parka attaches over it with magnets. Buy them as design pieces, oversized and modular; for warmth per dollar, the Lans or the Bady does more.

Padded cardigans, vests and a cape

The padded cardigan is the hardest-working Moncler piece: knitwear with a down-filled front, or front and back, that works as a sweater under a coat and, as Moncler's listings put it, doubles as outerwear in milder weather. The wool zip-up is the plain classic, the bouclé version pairs its knit with a longue saison front, and the diamond-quilted crewneck in extra-fine wool looks the least sporty. These come in letter sizes, XS to XL, and cost about $1,300 to $1,650 on Vêtir.

A down vest stretches a coat's season at both ends. The Badia is the classic in nylon laqué; the Niverolle is glossy, with a detachable hood; the Cygnette is long, square-quilted and belted, a vest for over a turtleneck dress. The taffeta cape, padded with polyester and tied with grosgrain ribbons, has internal shoulder straps so it stays put, in one size. See more designer vests and gilets.

Moncler Grenoble: what the ski line adds

Grenoble jackets carry what a ski jacket needs: a powder skirt, wrist gaiters, a ski-pass pocket, water-repellent zips, and on some a RECCO reflector that makes you searchable to rescue teams. The Caurel's listing describes its GORE-TEX laminate as waterproof, windproof and breathable, with ventilation zips and heat-sealed seams, over down and under a long-haired shearling collar. The Bwindis pairs the laminate with synthetic padding, which copes better than down when damp. The Bessin is two-layer stretch poplin, and Moncler ties its fringed yoke to the Aspen show.

Some Grenoble pieces cross into town: the Rochelairs, a long coat in ultra-light nylon laqué; the Etaules, embroidered with the Aspen leaf for après-ski; and the Monteain, in lightweight loden of 100 percent virgin wool with a knit ruffle trim. The belted Bouquetin and the Blainville stay on the mountain. Mind the sizes: most Grenoble ski jackets on Vêtir come in 0 to 3 only, so if you wear a Moncler 4 or 5, look at the long coats. The Grenoble jackets here cost about $2,600 to $3,800. For full outfits, see our après-ski guide and what to wear in Aspen, or browse designer ski wear.

Moncler knitwear, skirts and a dress

The blush alpaca-blend turtleneck is 47 percent wool, 32 percent alpaca, 16 percent nylon and 5 percent cashmere, cut short to sit at the waistband of a skirt; the crystal-embroidered turtleneck, 90 percent virgin wool and 10 percent cashmere, is a holiday-dinner sweater under a black Bady. The down midi skirt is the piece people do not expect: an A-line in shiny longue saison for cold days with a fine knit and flat boots. Skirts come in Italian sizes, where a 40 matches a Moncler 0, an XS; knits run XS to XL, and the pieces here cost about $950 to $1,600 on Vêtir.

Moncler boots, sneakers and bags

The Kickstream High is a knee-high rain boot in PVC on a lug sole. The Vera High is suede with a leather lining, and a loop at the back holds the laces so you can wear the shaft structured or slouched; the nubuck version is taupe. The Moon Boot x Moncler Grenoble Icon Low, a limited-edition snow boot in nylon with nappa accents, is sold in two size bands, 36 to 38 and 39 to 41, rather than in single sizes; the Trailgrip sneakers add a waterproof GORE-TEX membrane to a Vibram tread. Shoes come in European sizes, many in half sizes; the pairs here cost about $700 to $1,050. The Caradoc bags carry the boudin quilting into accessories: down-padded metallic tweed for the shoulder bag, quilted nylon for the trapezoid mini tote. More pairs are in designer winter boots.

Moncler sizing: how the numbers convert

Moncler sizes outerwear by number, and its chart lists body measurements, not garment measurements. These are the women's outerwear figures from Moncler's size guide:

• Measure your bust with the tape level and under the arms, as Moncler instructs, and start from the size it points to.
• Slim fits (the Bady, the Lans): if you sit between sizes, or plan a sweater underneath, go one up. This is our stylists' advice, not Moncler's.
• Loose fits (the Maire, the Cavettaz): your measured size, even over a thick knit.
• Long and belted styles: check the hip measurement as well, since a long coat has to close over the hips.
• Men's numbers follow a different scale: a men's 1 is also a small, but for a 92 cm (36.2 inch) chest, so compare before borrowing a men's Maya.

How to care for a Moncler down jacket

Moncler's own care advice starts with the care label and recommends dry cleaning for most of its jackets. Where the label allows washing at home, Moncler says not to overload the machine, not to soak the jacket, and to dry it flat, moving it now and then and pressing the boudin, the quilted channels, to spread the down back out. Brush fabrics other than nylon, such as flannel or velvet, after cleaning; take fur and leather to a specialist; store the jacket hanging, never compressed. Our stylists add three habits: remove a detachable shearling trim before any cleaning; cover the zip pulls, as Moncler also suggests; and keep perfume, hand sanitizer and makeup off the collar, since Moncler warns that oil- and alcohol-based products can leave permanent stains. For a torn shell or a broken zip, Moncler takes repair and restoration requests through its aftercare service.

Moncler for men: the Maya and the rest of the men's line

The men's Maya, the jacket Moncler calls emblematic of its DNA, is glossy nylon laqué with boudin quilting, a detachable hood, an adjustable hem and the patch pocket on the sleeve; Moncler sizes it from 0 to 7. The Maya 70 is the anniversary version in light longue saison; the Montgenevre puts the Maya's sleeve pocket on virgin wool flannel, the one to wear with tailoring; the Hanoverian is a long coat with a storm flap over the zip. The red Karakorum and black Himalaya are the expedition styles, and the Tibb vest, which Moncler says revisits its 1980s archive, and the padded wool zip cardigan are the mid-season layers. See also our men's ski outfits, the best men's puffer jackets and Moncler for men.

Is Moncler worth it?

Yes, for the icons, if you will wear one most days from November to March. You pay for DIST-certified down with a published fill-power floor, the house's lacquered nylon, a fit and length Moncler states on its product pages, and styles it carries over from season to season. You do not get waterproofing outside the GORE-TEX Grenoble pieces, or wool in every jacket that looks woolly. On Vêtir in October 2026 the median short Moncler down jacket for women costs about $2,300, a long one about $3,000. Against the alternatives:

What lasts: a black Bady, Maire or Abbadia, the Cavettaz if you need length, a padded wool cardigan, the Hemiptere and the Lans. One-season pleasures: the fringed Bessin, the sequinned Perroquet, the tweed puffers, the LoveFrom pieces. What to skip: a long down coat if you drive everywhere, a GORE-TEX ski shell as a city coat, and a pale jacket as your only jacket. For wool coats, read our Max Mara coats guide; for down from other houses, our guide to designer puffer coats.

How to wear Moncler this winter

1. Weekday city: the black Bady, a gray cashmere crewneck, black wool trousers, the black suede Vera High boots and the black Caradoc shoulder bag; shine against suede and tweed keeps all-black from looking flat.
2. Winter whites: the ivory Maya 70, an ecru cable knit, white jeans, the taupe Vera High nubuck boots and an ivory beanie.
3. Real cold: the olive Cavettaz over a cream turtleneck, charcoal flannel trousers and the black Moon Boot Icon Low.
4. Holiday dinner: the burgundy Maire, the crystal-embroidered black turtleneck, the black down midi skirt and the black suede Vera High boots, laced loose so the shaft slouches.
5. Office: the ivory Hemiptere worn as a wool coat, its vest left at home, over the blush alpaca turtleneck, ivory trousers and white Trailgrip sneakers.
6. For him: the navy Maya, a gray hoodie, gray flannel trousers and white sneakers.

Own a Moncler already? Our AI stylist can build this winter's outfits around it.

How we chose

Every piece is new, at full price and from Moncler's own catalogue on Vêtir. We read each listing's shell and padding composition, which is how we caught the polyester-padded pieces and the acrylic in the tweeds. We looked at every photograph, which ruled out a long coat labeled black that photographs navy and a "charcoal" ski jacket that reads navy too. We favored long-running icons in at least four sizes; the loden Monteain and the belted Bouquetin are exceptions, because Moncler Grenoble cuts its ski jackets in few sizes. None of these pieces appears in our ski or winter coat guides.

Frequently asked questions

What fill power is Moncler down?

At least 710, by the Moncler Group's own standard, measured in cubic inches per 30 grams, with at least 90 percent white goose down cluster. The figure is not printed on individual listings, which give the fill as 90 percent down and 10 percent feather.

How does Moncler sizing work?

Women's outerwear is sized by number on a body-measurement chart: 00 is XXS, 0 XS, 1 S, 2 M, 3 L, 4 XL and 5 XXL, matched to Italian 38 through 50. Size by bust. Knits use letters, skirts Italian sizes, shoes European sizes.

Does Moncler run small?

Not across the board. Moncler labels each style's fit: the Bady and the Lans are slim, so go up a size if you are between two or layer a sweater; the Maire and the Cavettaz are loose, so keep your measured size.

Moncler or Moncler Grenoble: which should I buy?

For the city, the main collection. Grenoble is built for skiing, with powder skirts, wrist gaiters and, on some jackets, GORE-TEX and a RECCO reflector, and most of its ski jackets come only in 0 to 3. Its long laqué coats and après jackets work in town.

Can you wash a Moncler jacket?

Only if the care label allows it; Moncler recommends dry cleaning for most jackets. For a washable one, do not overload the machine or soak it, dry it flat, and press the quilted channels as it dries to spread the down.

Who owns Moncler, and who designs it?

Moncler is a public company, Moncler S.p.A., listed in Milan since December 2013; the group also owns Stone Island. Remo Ruffini, who took over in 2003, is executive chairman and keeps creative direction; Bartolomeo "Leo" Rongone became chief executive on April 1, 2026.

Keep reading

• The best winter coats for women, from city wool to polar down
• The best ski outfits for women, head to toe
• Your guide to designer puffer coats
• What to wear après-ski
• Max Mara coats, explained