BEHIND THE STITCH: ALANI
June 21, 2024
No Comments
Tobe Nwigwe is doing what he does best—taking something classic and flipping it on its head. This time, he’s brought his signature minty flavor to Moncler’s Genius program, dropping his own twist on the Trailgrip sneaker.
Imagine Moncler’s alpine cool meeting Houston swagger and a full dose of Nigerian soul. That’s what Nwigwe’s Trailgrip is: a cultural remix, hitting every mark from design to identity.
“I just wanted to add my touch to an already classic silhouette. My culture, my experiences, and my heritage is matriculated all throughout the shoe,” said Nwigwe. “We also had to go through a couple of rounds to get the mint color perfect.”
The sneaker’s all-mint colorway isn’t just eye-catching – it’s an extension of his roots. With textures like suede, nubuck, and that unmistakable hairy suede, the Trailgrip carries “Chukwu” stitched on the side—a nod to his middle name and a loud shout out to his Nigerian heritage.
Shanghai was the stage for Moncler’s Genius program this year, where the brand took over a 30,000-square-meter former shipyard and transformed it into a city of creative worlds, Complex reports.
Artists from ASAP Rocky to Donald Glover built spaces that felt like stepping into their minds, but Nwigwe’s sneaker had its own energy—a statement that stood out even among the massive scale of Moncler’s “City of Genius” activation. For the first time in Asia, Moncler went big, hosting 8,000 ticket-holders, then live-streaming to over 57 million fans worldwide.
Remo Ruffini, Moncler’s CEO and the mastermind behind the Genius program, knows the power of collaborations with a pulse.
His decision to host in Shanghai was personal—a thank you to the region where Moncler’s profits have been soaring, with a 12% revenue boost in Asia alone last year. Ruffini’s got a knack for making luxury connect with culture, and with Nwigwe, he’s found a collaborator who does the same.
