Issue link: https://www.balharbourdigital.com/i/1078587
120 BAL HARBOUR THE GENIUS OF CRAIG GREEN Continuing Moncler's collaboration with the most sought-after designers, Craig Green's Spring/ Summer 2019 collection for the brand takes the idea of weathering the elements to the next level. BY MARK BENJAMIN AS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING NEW designers out of London, Craig Green has quickly become a leading voice for menswear. His unmistakable signature of deconstructing traditional men's silhouettes by way of referencing functional garments and uniforms has earned him a distinctive role within the industry. He combines a colorful and worldly approach to each collection with a constant reimagination of sportswear and the injection of innovative materials into his creations. Green's combination of vision and skill made him a natural choice for the ongoing Moncler Genius «ÀiVÌ VÀi>Ìi` LÞ ViÀ "] ,i ,Õvw° Àii debuted the voluminous and beautifully ominous Moncler 5 Craig Green for Fall 2018 in Milan to great fanfare last February. For Spring 2019, he collaborated with the project again, this time presenting a kinetic collection inspired by kites and tents. We check in with Green about his designs, collaborations and the process of creating something new. *QYFKF[QWHGGNYJGP[QWYGTGƂTUVCUMGFVQDGRCTVQH VJG/QPENGT)GPKWURTQLGEV!I was working with Moncler for the capsule collection, Moncler C, when the Genius project was initially shared with me. It felt like an exciting opportunity to continue our collaboration and to keep building on the ideas and concepts that we had started developing together. *QYFQ[QWFGUETKDG/QPENGT! Moncler has always been a leader in developing product and understanding the end consumer. I think that owning a signature wardrobe item is the sign of true success for a brand, which is the case with Moncler and the feather down jacket. I think it is really impressive, how they are able to continue exploring and interpreting their traditional feather down while perfectly balancing traditional and modern ideas. %CP[QWVGNNWUCDQWV[QWTPGYEQNNGEVKQPHQT/QPENGT )GPKWUVJG0GZV%JCRVGT! For Moncler SS19, the initial idea was to develop structures to be used against the summer elements and explore ways to create protective structures and volumes without the use of padding. We looked at summer expeditions and things that are both protective and preventative: sun-shield, kites, tents, weathervanes. *QYFQ[QWUVC[KPURKTGF! I am constantly learning and ÃÌ w` Ìi `iÛi«iÌ >` iÝ«iÀiÌ>Ì «ÀViÃà exciting—something I don't think will or should ever change. To me as a designer, there is the responsibility to always try to move things forward and to create something new.