Best known as a purveyor of top-notch ski-slope chic – particularly their exquisite down jackets – Moncler isn’t necessarily a brand you intrinsically associate with summer. And yet, as the season starts to dawn on us, that’s just what the Italian luxury house is celebrating, with its radiant new campaign: Moncler Voices. Inviting three exciting young photographers – Gray Sorrenti, Gabriel Moses and Min Hyunwoo – to share their personal summer stories, the resulting image series offers poignant perspectives on the time of year we all look forward to most.
Using summer-friendly pieces from Moncler’s latest collection – lighter summer jackets and gilets, hats, accessories and sunglasses – as storytelling tools, each photographer’s visual narrative delves deep into the emotions that colour hazy fantasies of an ideal summer’s day (and night, for that matter!). Gray Sorrenti explores themes of platonic love among best friends in her native New York, while Min Hyunwoo transports to the sandy coastline of eastern South Korea for a tender reminiscence of childhood joy. And for his series, Gabriel Moses engages with the theme of hope, turning his lens towards Nigeria’s resilient youth.
Here, the three photographers unpack the stories behind their pictures and what lies in store for the summer ahead.
Gray Sorrenti
What does your summer ahead look like?
Travelling, shooting, spending time with my friends and family in Naples, working on my documentary with my friend Free.
How would you encapsulate the energy of the images you shot in three words?
Sweat, connect and rhythm
How did love guide the narrative you developed?
Everything was very impromptu, it wasn’t set up and it all happened naturally. My friends and I got together, listened to music and danced all night.
Who are the protagonists of your story?
There was no main character. We all danced together, eyes open, eyes closed barely able to tell the difference.
Tell us about the clothes that you chose to include. How did they contribute to the story you wanted to tell?
Everyone grabbed what they felt comfortable in. Colours, no colours, we threw it all in.
What do you hope people take away from your story?
Of course, it’s open to interpretation, but definitely for us, it was an explosion of clean, positive energy. Together dancing with my closest friends, feeling good and loving each other…it’s a dream. Everyone deserves a good dance and an amazing group of friends.
Min Hyunwoo
What does your summer ahead look like?
I have a feeling everything will get back on track this coming summer. I tried not to go out and meet people for the last 2 years – and I’m pretty sure most people living in this world did so too. After becoming an adult, I spent my days filling every moment with what had to be done, but since COVID, I realised that certain moments will never come back and how precious it is. I took a walk outside today, pulled my mask down a bit, took a deep breath and smelled the strong smell of grass. Summer is coming.
Tell us about the summer story that your images tell. How did it first come about?
When I thought of joy, it made me think of moments spent in my hometown when I was growing up. I grew up in a small village on the East Sea of South Korea. So it all started from the ocean. I had a small, unfinished boat at home that my dad once tried to make, and I thought it would be fun to ride on it. And the motorcycle was what I used to ride when I was younger, so I thought I could use that, too. I don’t always succeed but I believe ‘newness’ comes from personal experiences.
How would you encapsulate the energy of the images you shot in three words?
Time, relationships, directions.
How did joy guide the narrative you developed?
I wanted to focus on places I’m familiar with, good friends, and capturing the moments of spending time together there. I was sure that whatever happened there was going to be full of joy.
Who are the protagonists of your story?
You can’t see him in the photos, but it was a friend of mine, Jung Seug Young. He was in charge of the casting and styling for this project. I often chat with him when I come up with a good idea. We did a lot of brainstorming and prepared for this project together, and I look forward to more images and projects that we will make together in the future.
Tell us about the clothes that you chose to include. How did they contribute to the story you wanted to tell?
Although it was different from what was originally planned, my favourite cuts from this project were two friends looking in the same direction with their windbreakers puffed up by the wind like balloons And also the image where the pieces were wet and stuck to their bodies. I don’t think that life is always hopeful – where there is hope, there’s also frustration – but I just wanted to show that it’s the attitude that we have towards life that makes it joyful.
What do you hope people take away from your story?
I want people to think, “I want to take off with my friends this summer and take pictures and have a good time.” To really have a joyful time.
Gabriel Moses
What does your summer ahead look like?
Blessed vibes with my people.
Tell us about the summer story that your images tell. How did it first come about?
I wanted to give a strong representation of my culture, and the place that’s the home of generations before me. There’s a beauty in Nigeria that I see, and I always want to bring it to the world.
How would you encapsulate the energy of the images you shot in three words?
Bold, authentic, timeless.
How did hope guide the narrative you developed?
Hope was an interesting theme, because it’s all we have as human beings. There’s so much nonsense happening in the world, and one thing we have is the hope that we can create a better space for those that come after us.
Who are the protagonists of your story?
The elderly man and the youngest boy, Michael. They both represent two opposite ends of the generational spectrum, but both connect in a funny way.
Tell us about the clothes that you chose to include. How did they contribute to the story you wanted to tell?
The Maya was the jacket to have where I grew up. If there was a Moncler jacket you were going to get, or that you would even want, it was clearly that – no competition!
What do you hope people take away from your story?
I wanted to provide universal memories or moments that we could all relate to. Hopefully everyone can connect to something in the story. It’s truly human.