A$AP Rocky Couldn't Keep His Moncler Masterpiece to Himself (EXCLUSIVE)
A$AP Rocky isn't too concerned with world-building. World mixing, however? That's right up his alley.
Rocky's creative vision has always been fueled by a fusion of old and new, but for the debut collaboration between Moncler and his creative agency, AWGE, he specifically opted to lean into his own unique form of retro-futurism. "I wanted something that felt nostalgic, yet forward at the same time,” Rocky says. “Old-school but futuristic."
The AWGE Maya, a thematic reimagining of Moncler’s signature Maya coat, most fully embodies the classic-meets-cutting-edge spirit of Rocky's design ethos.
Of course, the collection's other pieces, Rocky says he reinterpreted from “vintage ski gear,” clearly sport A$AP’s signature steez but the furry AWGE Maya is most clearly wears the fingerprints of the man who earned his title of Fashion Killa over a decade ago.
"I wanted to do the classic puffer style in this material," he says in reference to the plush synthetic fur that shrouds his AWGE Maya.
The puffer's two plush exteriors, brown and cream, knowingly resemble a classic mink, a recurring style motif in Rocky's personal repertoire. Man likes a plush coat.
Unlike a traditional fur jacket, Rocky's hairy Moncler coat wears the Maya’s signature paneled indents that align it with the classic puffer coat, making it a combo of Swiss Alps fur and a classic New York puffer — clearly, a coat after A$AP's own heart.
Perhaps more than he let on: the AWGE Maya jacket, soon available on the Moncler website for $7,700, was initially intended to be a bespoke creation exclusive to Rocky. "I designed it as a one-of-none for myself and for AWGE," he says. But "when the teams saw it, we knew we had to run some for the public."
But, like most pieces in Rocky's rotation, the jacket was so grand that it deserved an existence beyond the confines of Rocky’s wardrobe. Unlike most of those pieces, though, the AWGE Maya is getting a new lease on life. Now, it’s up to everyone else to do it justice.
"It's about mixing worlds and styles and making it look fire," Rocky continues, explaining that he envisioned the furry puffer as something that could be easily tossed on “depending on the day.” That means Rocky considers the sumptuous AWGE Maya an organic partner to his otherwise classic blazer and dad-jean combo.
This is because ever-dapper Rocky staunchly rejects the notion of ever dressing down, even when it comes to the everyday outfit.
"Everything I do, whether it's music, clothes, design, etc., is about pushing boundaries. I don't ever want to play it safe," says Rocky. "With AWGE and with Moncler, it's about showing people something they didn't even know they wanted to see. If I'm making music or a jacket, I need it to be the best it can be. That's always the goal."
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