It’s such a special moment to see fashion celebrate the women who wear it, and the SS24 Max Mara runway collection Land Girls does just that.
Last night, a host of Australian women gathered in Max Mara’s Sydney store to celebrate the Italian fashion house’s meaningful collection, and hear exclusive styling advice from the marie claire Australia fashion and editorial team.
This collection is an ode to the Women’s Land Army, colloquially known as the ‘land girls’, who nourished the British nation through wartime crisis during World War Two. They came from different backgrounds and social classes, but they banded together in a show of unity and feminine strength to achieve something great.
The Sydney store was transformed similarly to the original runway, using natural grasses and ferns to infuse the space with the flora the land girls became known for.
Guests were welcomed by Are Media’s General Manager for Fashion & Beauty, Nicky Bridger, who spoke about how dear this new line is to her. A fashion show followed, styled by marie claire’s fashion director Naomi Smith, featuring a series of looks that faithfully delivered the strength and femininity of the original runway, but interpreted for the Australian woman.
The looks embodied both utility and glamour, utilizing belts as a device to cinch the waist and enhance an hourglass silhouette. Smith chose to style the looks alongside heels, which she explained are a great stylistic tool to elongate the leg and add a little ‘strut’ and confidence to our body language.
The display echoed the original runway, with bright colours opening the show like a flower in bloom, filtering toward Max Mara’s signature neutral tones and camel.
The curated looks were followed by a panel discussion between marie claire editor Georgie Abay, fashion director Naomi Smith and model Victoria Lee, who shared their style advice.
“I make a very conscious decision to pick pieces that will last me season after season, year after year,” Lee explained when speaking about the SS24 line.
“I love the stories and the memories that you can create in these pieces. I think Max Mara is an amazing example of that because the pieces that were their first designs are still hanging on these racks.”
Guests then had the opportunity to wander around the store, interact with the Max Mara team and styling staff who could help them craft the perfect ‘land girl’ look to cherish for a lifetime.
Sipping on champagne and Aperol spritz, and snacking on caviar and macarons, the evening was filled with intriguing conversations, interesting people, and a whole lot of truly exquisite fashion.
As Lee says, “Confidence comes from within, and when you find pieces that you feel amazing in and you feel the best version of yourself…Fashion is a wonderful tool for self-expression, self-exploration, creativity and through that we discover ourselves.
“That’s why I love fashion so much, it’s a constant exploration and evolving of ‘you’.”
Here’s to all the powerful women who attended the event.
