There are few handbags that can be traced so precisely to a moment in time, to a single, sculptural silhouette that captures the sensibilities of both fashion and architecture. The Whitney Bag by Max Mara is one of them.
Launched in 2015 to celebrate the opening of the new Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, the Whitney Bag emerged from a dialogue between Max Mara’s creative team and the Renzo Piano Building Workshop.
It was an unusual yet quietly thrilling pairing: a heritage Italian fashion house known for its rigorous tailoring and devotion to craft, and one of the most revered architectural firms in the world. Now, a decade on, the Whitney Bag has become a mainstay; no longer just a limited-edition design object, but a symbol of enduring elegance.
To mark the bag’s 10th anniversary, Max Mara is releasing a commemorative collection in fresh colours and sizes, alongside a series of immersive installations in global flagship stores. At the centre of it all is Maria Giulia Prezioso Maramotti, Max Mara board member and scion of the founding family.
“The beauty of this long-lasting partnership lies in our shared values,” she tells marie claire, referring to the Whitney Museum’s founder, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, a patron of contemporary art and a visionary woman. “Her support of young New York artists mirrors Max Mara’s philosophy.
We have always championed women: creative women, working women, thinking women.” The bag itself is an ode to the museum’s striking façade: modular and ribbed, angular yet soft. “Architectural elements expressed in rigorous lines – this is what connects the Whitney Bag to the Max Mara DNA,” explains Maramotti. “The same precision you find in our coats, you find in this bag. It is an exercise in harmony.”
Craftsmanship remains key to the Max Mara ethos, and nowhere is that more evident than in the meticulous construction of the Whitney Bag. Each one is produced in Italy, using the highest quality leather, hand-selected and finished with precision.
“It represents everything we believe in as a brand,” says Maramotti. “Design, discipline, and beauty that stands the test of time. Our founder, Achille Maramotti, always believed that clothes should be beautifully made but also beautifully functional.
The Whitney Bag carries that message forward. It is elegant, yes, but it is also made to be worn, to be lived with.” When the bag was first introduced, its status as a limited edition – a collector’s piece – lent it a certain allure. But its lasting appeal was never guaranteed. “We did not expect it to become this enduring symbol,” admits Maramotti.
“But perhaps that’s the beauty of great design. It does not shout. It ages with grace.” Among the anniversary edition’s new hues is a deep burgundy that Maramotti recently wore in Munich, prompting a stranger to stop her and say, “Max Mara is always a good idea.” It’s a telling moment and speaks to the enduring love women have for the brand. “The bag has always allowed us to explore materials and colour in a way that feels experimental, yet true,” she explains.
“Its form is so strong, it holds its own even in the most vibrant shade.” It’s this mix – discipline and joy – that makes the Whitney Bag so successful. “You have to stay true to your style,” says Maramotti. “It’s easy to be tempted by trends. But relevance comes from consistency, from knowing who you are.
Max Mara is about values. We talk a lot about elegance, but elegance is not just aesthetic. It’s how you move through the world. The Whitney Bag embodies that quiet confidence.” Today, the Whitney Bag resides in permanent collections at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris and the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York.
“It fills us with pride,” says Maramotti, “to see the bag recognised not just as a fashion object, but as a piece of design history.” That duality – fashion and function, art and utility – is what continues to make the bag resonate.
The new in-store installations – appearing in Milan and beyond – speak to the brand’s evolving visual language. “They’re immersive,” says Maramotti. “A multi-sensory engagement, where elements of the bag come apart and reassemble, mirroring the journey of creation.”
And what of the next 10 years? “The future of the Whitney Bag lies in its ability to continue telling stories,” she says. “To stay relevant without losing its soul. That’s the challenge for any brand with heritage: to listen to the world, to evolve, but never forget who you are.
Fashion is an ongoing conversation, and the Whitney Bag is one of our most articulate expressions … We live in a constantly changing world, but I think that the importance of a brand and its relevance relies on consistency.
We succeed in doing so and in being very loyal to our DNA and to the goals that represent who we are. “What I hope for the future is the ability to remain relevant – as we have been for more than 70 years – to transfer our values to the next generation while maintaining that relevance and being true to who we are,” she continues.
“That means staying open to the changes in the world, being aware of the fact that there’s another side of the world that might have different needs, and having the ability to interpret our DNA and values in a way that responds to what those markets are asking of us.” Here’s to another decade of fashion and function.
