Moose Knuckles is delving deeper into the luxury market with the debut of a new sub-brand.
The Canadian luxury outerwear brand on Tuesday launched a new sub-brand, Moose Lab, which it describes as a “platform for creative collaboration.” Moose Lab’s debut collection is a 12-piece capsule of utilitarian-style outerwear designed by Carlos Nazario, the brand’s global artistic director, who took over in March 2023.
“Moose Knuckles has built a very strong foundation and design aesthetic,” Nazario said. “When I took over as artistic director, I thought there was a space to do something that felt a little more noble in terms of its execution, but I thought it needed to be done on its own.The price point was I think the execution feels a little slicker because it’s obviously a little more expensive. For us, we thought it was important to have a very strong fashion point of view and the space to explore that.”
Moose Lab’s debut collection marries Moose Knuckles’ practical, functional heritage with ’90s fashion trends. With an emphasis on materials such as leather, Mongolian wool, down and shearling, Nazario said the collection is meant to reflect the fusion of functionality and modern fashion.
Styles from Moose Lab’s debut collection.
Vito Fernicola
Nazario highlighted her key styles as a white shearling coat and a light pink aviator style jacket. The collection features outerwear and accessories ranging in price from $345 to $3,990.
“I really thought about how I wanted to express myself in winter and how that aligned with Moose Knuckles’ values and design aesthetic,” Nazario said of the design process. “I’m from New York, which is similar to Montreal, but I tend to wear coats and spend a lot of time outdoors during the winter. That’s what people see most of the time. What’s underneath? The coat has to say a lot because you can’t really see what’s going on. For me, it’s all about statement pieces that feel sophisticated yet have a bit of toughness. Something really beautiful that has a touch of glamor and can withstand the elements. I feel glamorous and I think everyone is after many seasons of quiet luxury.”
Moose Lab releases one fall collection every year. Every year, Moose Knuckles welcomes new creatives to lead the collection. The company explained that it wanted to launch Moose Lab to bring a high fashion angle to the brand’s utilitarian heritage.
Styles from Moose Lab’s debut collection.
Vito Fernicola
The new sub-brand is in line with Moose Knuckles’ strategy to branch out further into luxury fashion, following recent collaborations with designer brands such as Luar and Telfar.
“Together with Moose Knuckles, we wanted to create a platform where designers and creators can explore their unique visions while integrating Moose Knuckles’ rich heritage of craftsmanship and functionality,” Moose Knuckles said in a statement. . “This is a space for collaboration and experimentation, where innovation and tradition meet. By working with creators like Carlos, we push the boundaries of what is possible in outerwear and embrace their vision. Combining our heritage of high-performance luxury outerwear, Moose Lab represents the intersection of creativity and craftsmanship, and we look forward to seeing where this journey takes us. Masu.”
Moose Knuckles is celebrating its first Moose Lab collection with a campaign featuring model Paloma Elsesser and photographed by Vito Fernicola.
