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Thank God the puffer coat is back in fashion. The most sensible of all outerwear options, an oversized marshmallowy jacket is the ideal partner in crime for a long, cold winter. Which is probably why every brand, from Gucci to Balenciaga and Fendi, are having a love affair with them. One only need look as far as Kylie Jenner, who has spent the last 10 days frolicking around Lake Tahoe in a wide variety of glammed-up puffers (two by Dior, one by Richard Quinn and one by Bottega Veneta—pictured above—by our latest count) to see how tantalising the new-season options are.
The resurgence of puffer coats can arguably be traced back to Moncler, the Italian luxury powerhouse that has been outfitting the rich and famous for chic Aspen ski getaways for the better part of a century. In 2018, CEO Remo Ruffini made a pivot toward a more high fashion offering, launching ‘Moncler Genius’, an ongoing collaborative program in which the world’s top fashion designers create capsule collections using the brand’s signature padded fabrics.
Valentino’s Pierpaolo Piccioli, Loewe’s Jonathan Anderson, and the inimitable fashion icon Rick Owens were among the early collaborators, creating limited-edition capsules that garnered cult international followings. Piccioli created couture quilted gowns with bespoke prints by supermodel Liya Kebede’s brand Lemlem; Richard Quinn printed his iconic florals onto reversible coats; Simone Rocha turned her trademark appliqued flowers into bold vinyl jackets. Even with their hefty price tags (a Pierpaolo x Moncler dress will set you back a cool $26,000), fashion-savvy shoppers flocked, and a new obsession with all things ‘puffer’ was born.
Of course, not all of us are looking to wear Moncler couture, which is why we’ve curated the 7 best puffer jackets on the market. From statement-making bubblegum pink designs by Ganni, through to Balenciaga’s perennial classic in a fresh hue of white; these are outerwear investments that you’ll buy now, and wear forever.
