It’s a staple of the fashionable Swiss and French skiing set and now Australians heading to the slopes can stock up on the brand that puts style on the slopes, Moncler.

The French-founded, Italian-owned purveyor of the uber-luxury puffer jacket has landed at Melbourne’s Chadstone Shopping Centre in its first foray into single-brand retail in an Australian outerwear market dominated by outdoor brands such as Kathmandu, North Face and MacPac.

The president and CEO of Moncler, Remo Ruffini, has been credited with turning around an ailing brand and turning it into a global powerhouse, with 190 outlets around the world. “I am absolutely enthusiastic about this opening, and that Moncler is entering the Australian retail chain, too,” he says.

“It’s a country that I believe can become important for our brand. We have planned to further consolidate our presence on both sides of the distribution channels, both retail and wholesale, through opening this shop-in-shop.”

The 200-square-metre store in the luxury section of the giant shopping centre at Chadstone was designed by architectural studio Giles & Boissier. White guilloche marble, burnished brass and oak floors and ceilings feature in the design execution.

And while the brand’s signature padded jackets take pride of place featuring a startling array of designs and finishes, the Moncler store also stocks high-end sneakers, accessories and other apparel divided into women’s, men’s and children’s collections, and all bearing the distinctive Moncler branding.