Susan with Ulla Bartsich Parker and Cyril Karaoglan

Princess Patricia d’Arenberg

Oddly enough, I discovered Moncler Gamme Rouge in London, at Dover Street Market. I fell in love with the brand, and now– what can I say? –I’m a huge fan. In London, I bought a short grey coat that could mistaken for a ski jacket–but I don’t ski, I just wear the jacket all the time because it’s so darn chic! (Obviously, I’m hooked.) I discovered another coat while shopping at Luisa Via Roma, in Florence–and that, too, is a show stopper.

Obviously, I had to see the Gamme Rouge collection–and wow, the brand has really evolved. It now offers a wide range for men and women, mixing street wear with plenty of glam. And the runway show, held at the Couvent des Cordeliers, was beautifully-produced and absolutely mesmerizing: rain, snow and models moving so fast it was hard to take everything in.

But my favorite part was the falling snow, with one poetic love story after another seeming to play out as models passed through the drifting white flakes. It was total theatre, and the clothes–the jackets! (dressed up or dressed down)–were definitely out of this world.

Susan with the Gamme Rouge designer, Giambattista Valli

Giambattista Valli, the label’s designer, told me after the show that he used the runway to tell stories about women wearing men’s jackets–kind of sexy, non? Giambattista is an amazing designer in his own right (with a beautiful collection under his own name), but he’s also much more–he has the heart, soul and passion of an artist–and his Moncler Gamme Rouge presentation proved that fashion, art and theatre all go together. (Moncler also has a skiwear line, Grenoble, which was presented at Grand Central Station during New York Fashion Week in what can only be described as a true show, in every sense of the word!) Fashion shows are meant to create desire–aand Moncler’s Gamme Rouge was a beautiful dream!

Photographs by Stephane Israël