Ludovico Bruno is taking Canadian outerwear brand Moose Knuckles beyond the puffer jacket | Canada Voices

Since Italian designer Ludovico Bruno took on the role of global creative director at Canadian outerwear label Moose Knuckles last year, he’s pursued the brand’s evolution through a process of refinement and re-alignment.

Across the Montreal-based label’s latest collection, City Tundra, Bruno’s hand has guided subtle yet deliberate adjustments: some logos have been scaled back, silhouettes have been recalibrated and design details have been reassessed to serve a greater purpose. The result is a quieter, cooler and more convincing expression of Moose Knuckles’s identity, one that embraces focus over flashiness.

Bruno’s design philosophy has been shaped by stints at Thom Browne, Phillip Lim and Giambattista Valli, in addition to his work with Moncler and his own brand, Mordecai.

Inside the brand’s showroom in Milan’s Tortona design district, Bruno gave an intimate tour of the collection. He spoke about his approach to redesigning the brand’s top-selling outerwear pieces and the influences that shape his vision, and shared insights about Moose Knuckles’s next chapter.

What attracted you to the job at Moose Knuckles?

The brand has so much heritage from mountain climates and winter sports, but it is still about living in the city. You see our jackets on cool kids on the streets of Manhattan, Toronto, London, Milan, so I wanted to keep establishing that lifestyle vibe. We can be much more recognizable than a puffer jacket that keeps you warm, and have the potential to become a versatile brand that you can easily layer.

What inspired the City Tundra collection?

Places like New York, Milan but also Montreal and Toronto. Montreal is such a melting pot. The old port has its own landscape and tundra. In Canada, the vibe is, “Whatever, it’s snowing,” when you have a winter storm. You still go out, socialize and live your life. In Milan, the city and schools shut down.

What art and images live on your mood board?

A beautiful picture about a massive snowstorm that hit New York. You can see people skiing and snowboarding in Times Square. That’s the spirit that I want to embody. I keep coming back to [German painter] Anselm Kiefer as a master artist and how he plays with gold, copper and unrefined materials. The final result is extremely light.

What did you learn from working with designers Phillip Lim, Thom Browne and Giambattista Valli?

From Phillip, how to treat a trend and how to design practically. I was blown away by the fact that he got this all by really knowing his customer. Thom and Giambattista are obsessed with the silhouette. There’s almost this madness in the proportions with Thom, and Giambattista is a master of embellishment. They both taught me that you can be as creative as you want, but if you don’t have a real customer in mind who will wear your clothes, then you’re saying nothing.

Moose Knuckles prioritizes using recycled materials. How does that factor into the design process?

I started to use a lot of recycled materials when I worked at Moncler and at my own label, Mordecai. Moose Knuckles wants to make a change and doesn’t want to treat using recycled material as a trend. We take the challenge seriously: 50 per cent of our sourcing is from recycled fibres and fabrics.

What do you see as the most interesting design change made this season?

The Iceberg Quilt. The inspiration was a block of ice when it’s cut, blended with a sensibility inspired by [Japanese fashion designer] Issey Miyake. The idea was to create a garment that can be folded like an origami into your bag or luggage. It becomes super light. I was in a board room and tuned out when people started talking about the business and money side of the brand and saw an origami piece on the office table.

Who do you dream of dressing in the collection?

The new James Bond wearing one of our slim-fit parkas, black on black with different kinds of materials, going from shiny to matte. We did this puffer that, for me, is the tuxedo of puffers. For the Bond girls, I would go for the fur. It’s extravagant, with a generous back, has a little cropping and is finished with a beautiful hoodie.

Speaking of style icons, what do you make of Celine Dion’s recent comeback?

She was able to use fashion to help her and still make it feel real, even on stage. I loved her in Tom Ford by Haider Ackermann, and it’s so nice to see that after years of being in Las Vegas, she doesn’t look like she’s going to a prom. Her message is concentrated in her clothes, which are a lesson on how you can approach effortlessness by being chic and practical.

What do you think makes expensive clothing worth the cost?

When it has a function. We stopped treating details just as embellishment. My approach is very Helmut Lang, very [Maison] Margiela and very Prada. It’s utilitarian. The moment that I saw an extra pocket, I wondered what it was for, so we redesigned it to fit a phone. If design doesn’t have a use, it doesn’t have a reason. That is value.

This interview has been edited and condensed.