Rihanna, A$AP Rocky, Manu Ríos Get Stylish in Shanghai for ‘Moncler Genius’ Event
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The fashion and entertainment worlds collided in China over the weekend as Moncler hosted its “City of Genius” show in Shanghai. Billed as a celebration of “creativity and innovation” the event featured Moncler installations and collaborations from the likes of A$AP Rocky, Willow Smith, Edward Enninful and Donald Glover, among others.
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Rocky set flashbulbs ablaze when he entered the venue with partner Rihanna, as the “Diamonds” singer joined the rapper for an intimate viewing of his Moncler collection. Set amongst a futuristic living room space, with 40 or so guests sprawled out on bean bag chairs and ottomans, Rocky showed off a hip hop-inspired take on Moncler’s classic outerwear. Models circled the space in colorful parkas inspired by “ancient Chinese warriors,” while Rihanna and Rocky gleefully snapped photos on their phones, in between sips of champagne. The rapper leapt up to take a bow at the end, as a traditional Chinese opera song played over the speakers.
Rihanna and Rocky weren’t the only stars on hand for the Moncler Genius event. Jada Pinkett Smith cheered on daughter Willow Smith at her Moncler installation, and Anne Hathaway was spotted checking out the Rick Owens collaboration, later blowing a kiss to the frenzied Chinese fans who had begun chanting her name when they spotted her.
The highlight of the event was a custom Mercedes-Benz x Moncler G-Class designed by artist and producer Nigo, which brought out Rocky, Manu Rios, and XO Kitty’s Sang Heon Lee for a viewing. Dubbed the “Project G-Class Past II Future,” the vehicle helped to kick off Mercedes’ new campaign, “Past Forward. Where the Future is Driven by the Past.”
The one-off art piece was suspended high above the thousands of guests who had assembled at the converted shipyard space in downtown Shanghai for Moncler Genius. Based off a restored G-Wagon from the Nineties, the piece reimagined the iconic vehicle in a stark and minimalist two-tone color palette, with the exterior hood reworked with the instantly recognizable quilted aesthetic of the Moncler puffer jacket. Gold and black accents lined the car, including a spare wheel on the rear tailgate (covered by a Mercedes and Moncler logo), black steel wheels, and a gold-colored fuel can. Audio installation artist and “sound sculptor” Devon Turnbull also created a custom sound system, with music “boom boxes” mounted on the convertible top.
For Nigo, best known for his work with Pharrell and as the creator of the Japanese clothing brand, A Bathing Ape, the Mercedes and Moncler project was a chance to flex his creative muscles in an entirely new medium. As part of the collaboration, Mercedes-Benz will be releasing 20 G-Wagon vehicles inspired by the G-Class Past II Future art piece. Nigo will also partner with the automative brand on a limited-edition fashion collection, inspired by music and nostalgia. Both the cars and apparel capsule are due out in April.
“For me, the Nineties were among the most influential decades from a cultural and creative standpoint,” Nigo says. “Electronic music and the hip-hop scene arose as a new expression of urban character. I wanted to integrate that vibe and energy into the design of the Project G-Class Past II Future by interpreting that legacy for a new contemporary era.”
For the Mercedes-Benz team, the Moncler collaboration was a chance to “stretch the brand,” as the company’s Communications & Marketing VP Bettina Fetzer, told the crowd at a private yacht pre-party on the Huangpu River before the event. “To reach new audiences, we needed to create something unexpected and something unseen.”
That “something unexpected” led Fetzer and her team to start talks with Moncler in 2020, and Nigo’s creation is the second art piece to emerge from the collaboration.
“Nigo’s immense creative talent and our co-creation with Moncler are taking us into an exciting urban setting,” Fetzer says in a release. “The Mercedes-Benz G-Class Past II Future is a very special new ‘twist’ on our icon. This limited edition is a fresh take on Nineties style and the character that’s made the G-Class a timeless favourite. Going from inspiring art to engaging products marks an important step in our creative cooperation and offers a new brand experience captured by the zeitgeist.”
While the Nigo art piece was a special creation for the Moncler Genius event, Mercedes unveiled their all-new 2025 G-Class G580 vehicle to a group of local journalists and influencers the night before at a party held outside the Pudong Art Museum. The evening culminated in a surprise performance from Chinese pop star (and K-pop star) Lay Zhang, who closed the unveiling event with a medley of his biggest hits.
This year’s Moncler Genius event helped to close out Shanghai Fashion Week, with the brand saying that it will “outline the framework” for future Moncler Genius collections in the months to come.
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