Ex-Apple Design Chief Jony Ive Just Reinvented the Button

Jony Ive, the famed former Apple designer who came up with the original iPod and iPhone design, has teamed up with Moncler to create a new jacket system called “LoveFrom, Moncler,” set to launch on September 24. LoveFrom is his design company he started with Marc Newson after he left Apple.

The collaboration, developed over four years, is a three-in-one shell jacket with a unique magnetic “duo button” that simplifies swapping layers, marking a subtle reinvention of the traditional button, according to Fast Company.

The jacket system includes the Moncore, a down-filled vest that serves as the core layer. Additional outer layers, including a field jacket, parka, or hooded poncho, can be easily attached. The bulk of each layer is crafted from a single, uncut piece of recycled nylon, folded to create shapes without seams, similar to a kimono. This required the use of a specialized 7-foot loom usually reserved for bed linens. All of this is just for a bloody jacket.

But the new “duo button,” which uses magnets to connect layers, is the star of the show. The button’s base, found on the Moncore vest, feels solid like a coin, while the outer shells feature a donut-shaped buttonhole. When the two parts align, magnets pull a piston from the button base into the donut hole, creating a secure connection with a satisfying click. This is the MagSafe of buttons and we love it.

“There wasn’t some arrogant ambition around disruption [of buttons],” Ive said. “It was a very gentle, humble exploration.”

Ive, who described the design challenge as akin to improving zippers and velcro, focused on creating a connection that didn’t require attention yet felt satisfying to use. “How could you connect something where you didn’t have to pay attention? Velcro’s sort of ingenious in that way. But I don’t think it’s satisfying,” Ive noted. Where is the promo video for this button with Ive speaking about the design?

The underside of the button features LoveFrom’s new logo, a bear mascot named Montgomery (LoveFrom is located on Montgomery Street in San Francisco), while the top displays Moncler’s logo, a French cockerel. Ive said, “I love seeing the world through the lens of a relationship, not a project.”

“Your practice and your process leads to what you make,” said Ive. “And you know, I’ve become more and more focused on who I do things with, rather than the what. Because that defines your process and what you’re going to learn or not learn.”

Apple should have kept Jony Ive around. Instead, we have Apple designs that are just pretty boring compared to the past (the iPhone has remained stagnant).