The Italian outwear brand Moncler is most famous for its quilted down jackets that are intended for use in town as well as on the ski slopes. Less known is Moncler Gamme Rouge, its high fashion label that mixes the finest materials with unusual design in a collection that is ultimately an elaborate reinterpretation of its signature utilitarian pieces. Founded in 2006 under the direction of Alessandra Facchinetti, since 2008 the creative director has been the celebrated designer Giambattista Valli. As with Valli’s own collection, the Moncler Gamme Rouge line has steadily achieved cult-like status for consistently wowing with an unusual level of creativity. For Spring Summer 2011, Gamme Rouge is more avant garde than ever: multicolor lamé fabrics in neon colours, concocted by Valli into unexpected forms that sometimes recall the cocooning, sixties-inspired shapes for which he is known. Most striking were the oversized turbans that might have bordered on the outrageous were it not for their carefully constructed proportions, flawless execution and immaculate finish. In a show that saw models accessorize with glow-in-the-dark lipstick, the result was pure theatre.