Donald Glover’s Collab With Moncler Is an Offbeat Riff on Functionality

Donald Glover still remembers his first experience with Moncler, the Italian luxury label known the world over for its iconic outerwear. “I wanted a big puffy jacket while I was living in New York,” he explains in an exclusive statement to Esquire. “I went to a store, and they had one with a bunch of people drawn on it and a yellow liner. It ended up being a Moncler ski coat. I still have it.”

Despite discovering the label on the East Coast, his new collaboration—a part of the Moncler Genius program—takes things west, to Ojai, California. That’s the location of Gilga Farm, which is part operational farm, part creative retreat, and exactly the sort of thing you’d expect from a guy like Glover, whose pursuits span everything from acting to writing to music (and more). “I’d describe it as a ‘story farm,’” Glover says. “We’re a working farm, but also a micro-town and ecosystem where people can make things—emphasis on the ‘people.’”

A heavyweight suede jacket features Moncler mascot Monduck holding an orange, an emblem of Gilga Farm.

The symbol of Gilga Farm is an orange, and you’ll find that throughout the new collection, whether in cartoon form on a heavyweight suede jacket or mashed up with the classic Moncler logo on a lightweight puffer, loose trousers, and all-terrain sandals. You’ll also find it on a high-concept coat based on Moncler’s first ever product, a sleeping bag. It’s not just about looks; the thing actually transforms into a sleeping bag that you could snooze in after a long day on the farm. (Unfortunately, the piece is only available to admire, not purchase.)

“The Gilga Farm is a place based in functionality,” Glover says. “I want to make things, but they need to have actual value. I’m proud of the sleeping bag coat because of that.”

From outerwear to shorts, the collection is designed to work in summer and transition to other seasons.

Though it might seem heavy on the outerwear for a summer collection, the idea behind the collaboration is to give people pieces that can jump from season to season. That lightweight puffer? Wear it with a pair of dusty pink shorts around the campfire before switching over to gabardine trousers with cinchable ankles come fall. Or just opt for a T-shirt featuring Moncler’s mascot Monduck holding an orange. It’s your call. Glover simply hopes you wear it—and get some genuine use out it.

“I hope people are just excited and find real value in wearing the pieces,” he says. “But I’d be happy if it makes its way into a summer fit that someone tells them they like.”