When Eddie Bauer invented the goose down sweater, he imagined an innovative solution to a life-threatening problem: if bulky wool outerwear left him sweaty (and vulnerable to frost) in freezing cold, then a light insulator would reduce exertion and fight hypothermia in the process. The first “Skyliner” goose down sweater (unveiled in 1936) would keep outdoorsmen like Bauer from literally dying.

Fast forward 80 years, and the humble goose down sweater has taken on second life as a luxury fashion accessory, largely due to the success of one brand: Moncler.

While the Franco-Italian ski brand began life in 1952, it wasn’t until its 2003 relaunch that Moncler’s influence truly began to spread. That year, Italian entrepreneur Remo Ruffini set Moncler on a decade’s long collision course with the world of fashion and luxury – when the brand listed on the Italian stock market in 2013, it had debuted high fashion collections (Gamme Rouge and Gamme Bleu), opened stores worldwide, and for many, turned the utilitarian down sweater into a luxury must-have.