Moncler, named after the Alpine town of Monestier-de-Clermont, was founded by René Ramillon in 1952 as a mountain climbing equipment and apparel company. It has famously outfitted some of the most publicized exploration expeditions in history, as well as the French national ski team during the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, which inspired the brand's luxury performance ski wear collection of the same name.