What You Need to Know Before Buying Fall’s Must-have Coat

Until recently, puffer jackets were considered more a key element of your ski trip packing list than a trendy fashion piece, but what a difference a few runway collections make. Back in February, the fall 2016 collections were filled with modern, stylized versions of the practical outerwear piece, from Balenciaga’s oversized off-the-shoulder number to Stella McCartney’s plush velvet styles and several more. For most, the jacket has always been more of a must than a lust — often calling to mind the bulky jackets our mothers forced us into that more closely resembled sleeping bags than stylish clothing. But now, its new status as a fall fashion must-have has us reconsidering.

When it comes to statement styles, there’s no shortage of options. But if  McQueen’s floral duvet-inspired coat doesn’t quite fit in your closet, or you’re missing the perfect pair of elbow-length leather gloves to pair with the cropped Rick Owens puffer, you can always find a classic standby in tried and true Moncler. For over 60 years, the heritage brand has been the go-to for mountaineering adventurists and freezing city dwellers alike, and for good reason.

The heritage brand is renowned for their responsibly sourced high-quality materials, matchless craftsmanship and classic look, which also means that fakes abound. Copies of the iconic puffer coats are so rampant, the brand has a customer assistance team dedicated to anti-counterfeit measures — an important service to provide when you consider that these pieces are made to withstand subzero temperatures — visit the Arctic in a fake and it could kill you! Before you splurge on your fall puffer, read on to find out how to spot a real Moncler jacket with tips from our Senior Director of Authentication, Graham Wetzbarger.

Moncler Materials

“Moncler puffers are made of very tightly woven ripstop nylon, often with a shiny finish. The weave is extremely tight to retain warmth, keep out water and to keep the down from escaping,” Wetzbarger explains. “The materials are tested for water resistance, pilling, color fastness, seam slippage, tearing and breathability before they’re used. On the inside, Moncler uses a very high-quality filler made from at least 90% down and only 10% small feathers. It should feel full but light to the touch like a high-quality pillow.”

Moncler Construction & Hardware

“Moncler is known for its channel quilting [horizontal ribs]. The quality of the down is so high that they don’t need super-tight stitching that you might see on a fake or lower quality piece. An inferior fill would sink to the bottom of the jacket, so you’d need more stitches to keep the down in place,” Wetzbarger says.

“The jacket is made for performance with industrial grade construction and materials. It’s double-stitched in stress areas, has an elasticized waist, and includes straps at the interior to put your arms through so if you go tumbling while skiing, your jacket won’t fly off. The hardware (all marked with the Moncler logo) is heavy and chunky so they’re still easy to use if you have gloves on. It’s evident that there’s a lot of consideration of performance in the design.”

Moncler Labels & Tags

“The Moncler label on the center back of jacket should be precisely stitched around the outside border. Labels on counterfeit items can be large with crooked stitches. The sleeve logo should be well embroidered and stitched around the very edge of the felt patch. On a counterfeit, the patch may have an overly large font or crude embroidery and thick stitching,” Wetzbarger points out.

“A packet of small tags show the fiber content, down fill, model name and care instructions in several different languages. The style name will be shown all-caps as well as the Certilogo (also used by Versace and Diesel among other brands), which they started using in 2008. You can also call or go online to register your product with the style ID and confirm it is genuine. For their spring 2016 collection, Moncler started using RFID (radio frequency ID) chips, giving each piece a unique ID that can be scanned with a smartphone to help customers authenticate their goods.”

Ready to try fall’s warmest trend? Shop our authentic selection of Moncler puffers here. 

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Please note: Brand standards, logos and other identifying features may have changed since the time of publication.