When looking to the captivating world of streetwear, one of the names that have prevailed in dominating the industry is Moncler. Known for its all-black offerings, bubbled puffer jackets and unmissable logo, the brand has become a favourite for hypebeasts and streetwear shoppers alike. So when it comes to collaboration, who better for the Italian house to turn to than the multifaceted creative and one of the “godfathers of streetwear”, ? Well, this is exactly what the ski brand-turned-streetwear name has done as it unveils its collaborative 7 MONCLER FRGMT HIROSHI FUJIWARA with Fujiwara.

Filled with juxtaposing nods to vintage and military aesthetics, Fujiwara delved into his own archives and Moncler’s previous collections to ensure the extensive array of outerwear, quilted shirts and streetwear essentials, including jersey tops and bermuda shorts, that lace their 2021 collaboration captured the intertwined visions of both parties. All emblazoned with bold logging and the inky colour palette synonymous with the brand, Moncler’s uniform-like style reigns supreme as the collection’s electric campaign celebrates the joys of nightlife and invites shoppers into the “WORLD OF MONCLER”. And, with the capsule standing as the first to feature womenswear and a dedication to incorporating sustainable fabrics and design techniques at its helm, it is evident that 7 MONCLER FRGMT HIROSHI FUJIWARA has planted itself in the future of fashion, all the while staying true to the beginnings of both the brand and designer.

“I found a synergy with Moncler,” explains Fujiwara. “A root of the brand is the snow mountains and I have loved snowboarding for more than 30 years. Also, I love to research and try new technology and Moncler is always keen on developing and implementing new tech and fabrics, so I thought something new would happen by collaborating with Moncler. It has been good to open up my mindset widely, more than before.”

Sitting down with Wonderland upon the release of the collection, Hiroshi Fujiwara talked inspiration behind the collection, his journey through the world of streetwear, and the Moncler ethos. Head below to check out the interview and moncler.com to discover more…

How has the last year been for you creatively? What effect do you think the pandemic has had on your design process?
Unfortunately, the pandemic has made it impossible for me to go to Milan even now, so lots of zoom meetings are going on instead of physical meetings. Of course, online meetings are convenient and it is easy to catch up but deciding on small yet important designs and the sizing of each item is hard as zoom cannot cover it all, so I encountered some difficulties. I need to go back to Milan when everything settles.

Can you talk us through your beginnings in fashion? When did you first realise you wanted to design?
I have adored the fashion world since I was a kid and used to help the stylists of my friends but the big things that made me motivated to make my own collection were Jimmy’s, established by Jim Ganzer, and Stüssy which was started by Shawn Stussy. Then, I started by creating t-shirts collections cooperating with Skatething, a designer of C.E now.

Congratulations on the release of the 7 MONCLER FRGMT HIROSHI FUJIWARA collection! Can you tell us a bit about the collection?
Same as in past years, the concept of my latest collection is vintage and military and I have added music cultural elements and mixed-up with mine and Moncler’s archives. The highlight of this collection is the debut of a women’s collection. My male perspective and FRGMT’s basic concept such as vintage and military have been added to the women’s collection as well, so it would be great if female audiences can feel it from my collection.

How did you ensure that you incorporated the Moncler aesthetic into each piece?
I found a synergy with Moncler. A root of the brand is the snow mountains and I have loved snowboarding for more than 30 years. Also, I love to research and try new technology and Moncler is always keen on developing and implementing new tech and fabrics, so I thought something new would happen by collaborating with Moncler. It has been good to open up my mindset widely, more than before.

You have also ensured sustainability features in the collection through the presence of sustainable fabrics and recycled nylons. What prompted you to feature these elements in the collection?
I am not a specialist in the sustainability category, but Moncler has been keen on this topic so we decided to create pieces that were made of sustainable fabrics. One of them is DOMBAY, a bomber jacket with organic cotton.

Culture and embedded referencing also play a part in your work. Can you tell us who and where you drew inspiration from for this particular collection?
There has been no inspiration taken from specific things and I have created what I wanted to wear. But, I decided to use black as a key colour palette at the very beginning of this collection process.

You hold the title of ‘a godfather of streetwear’, what do you think we can expect from the word of streetwear this year?
Until the 80s, street culture stood as iconic and as one of the top cultures that could represent the time. But after 90s, it began to get destroyed and now it’s lost. It’s only one of the trends now. So, no expectations for streetwear but I look forward to seeing a new genre that will be born, other than streetwear.

Do you have any other projects that you are currently working on or any that you would like to start on soon?
Stay tuned!