Style Knows No Season: Moncler's Leap From Piste to Street

Ferraro, Fabrizio; Tozer, Alice; Baldo, Andrea; Ziegbe, Mawuse

Product #:SM-1621-E

Supplier:IESE Publishing

Discipline:Strategy

Setting:Asia; Estados Unidos; Italia, 2012-2014

Details:Case (PDF) • 12 pages • 2015-01-16

Subjects:

Geography:

Asia

Your Price:

$10.54

Purchase this material with a free Educator Account and enjoy more benefits:

Free Educator Copy
Free Teaching Notes
Build your coursepack
Discounted academic price

The case describes how Moncler, the 1950s and '60s leader in mountaineering jackets, transformed itself into a key player in the luxury goods market within the sub-sector of fashion apparel. It looks at the key decisions taken in the pre-IPO decade and at the dilemmas the company faces in 2014. How much should they extend their product lines? They had already ventured into accessories, footwear and eyewear, but there were fears that further diversification might dilute the brand. Furthermore, other luxury brands, attracted by Moncler's high growth rates and margins, also offered down jackets and skiwear. Finally, Moncler needed to consider how to best organize its international distribution.

Learning Objectives

This case can be used in MBA and executive education courses on strategic management and in marketing courses on the apparel, fashion, and luxury goods industry. The case helps students understand the opportunities and challenges of reviving dormant brands. It can also be used to discuss category repositioning, competing across categories, design collaborations (in which Moncler successfully engaged) and selective distribution. In sum, the case provides material for discussing the consistency of the various levers that Ruffini used to rejuvenate Moncler's brand and successfully reposition a product category. It also assesses the sustainability of these strategies.