With Drake rocking a Moncler parka in his new music video for “Hotline Bling,” that can only mean one thing — you’re about to see the Maya coat everywhere.

There will, of course, continue to be a sea of commuters in line at coffee shops decked out in parkas with matte fabric, adorned with big buttons, utilitarian pockets and fur-trimmed hoods in the cold mornings ahead. But, there will also likely be more quilted parkas, ranging from inkwell black to ones as shiny and bright as Smarties sprinkled into those long lines for java.

Thanks to its music video cameo, the “Hotline Bling” parka is currently selling like hotcakes. Earlier this week, the only Moncler boutique in Canada, at Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto, was running low on inventory and the $1,235 Maya parka was either sold out or had dwindling stock on several high-end retailers’ websites. The brand, previously seen as mainly for Yorkville socialites and skiers who winter in Whistler, also offers a number of similar styles for women.

“Anytime a brand gets endorsed by a celebrity, they’re likely going to see a spike in sales,” said Toronto-based fashion stylist Amber Watkins.

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But we are a practical people, so function will always trump fashion, notes Lisa Tant, vice-president of exclusive services at Holt Renfrew. When it comes to function, Canadians focus on quality, warmth, comfort, fabrics and construction first, she said. And since many of us will likely wear the same parka for multiple winters in a row to get our money’s worth, we tend to play it safe on the fashion front.

“Colours are generally neutral, but we’re seeing more khaki greens and colours like red and pink,” Tant said.

While bomber-length parkas remain popular, many of us will opt for finger length, she said, as from a practical standpoint, a longer parka keeps you warmer when it gets really cold outside.

For those of us who can’t, or don’t want to, shell out north of $1,000 for a winter coat, Joe Fresh offers padded parkas for both men and women for well under $100. And many brands, from Montreal’s SOIA & KYO to California’s Patagonia, offer mid-range options. But, this is the Great White North, so there’s no shame in shelling out for a parka that firmly lands in the “investment piece” category, said Watkins. Like our new prime minister, she is partial to her Canada Goose parka she invested in a few years ago, which she plans on wearing again this winter.

“Just think about the price-per-wear,” advised Watkins. If you buy a $700 parka, but have it for seven winters, then that’s a mere $100 per season.

The upfront cost of a Moncler parka, if you don’t happen to be, say, Drake or a socialite, is still eye popping. But, the Moncler Maya is arguably a smart and stylish investment piece that’s perfect for our unforgiving climate and that most men can confidently rock. That ribbed turtleneck the rapper also wore in the “Hotline Bling” video, however, is a look only the Six God can pull off.

Drake’s Moncler Maya coat

1. The lacquered nylon exterior of the jacket is made with the “classic Moncler fabric” — 100-per-cent polyamide, which is known for its strength.

2. The jacket is filled with 90-per-cent goose down and 10-per-cent goose feathers and is meant to withstand extremely cold temperatures.

3. The Maya parka first debuted in 1954 and is Moncler’s most famous jacket. It’s now mainly made and designed in Europe by Moncler S.p.A., which has its headquarters in Milan, Italy.

4. The hood detaches for when you want a sleeker look for strutting around town. You know while people stop you and ask: “Is that the Drake parka?!” Yes, yes, it is.

5. There are lots of knockoffs, but the Moncler logo, which features a stylized M and a rooster, on the arm lets everyone know you’re wearing the real thing.

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