It was in wake of World War II that Achille Maramotti founded Max Mara, building the Italian brand on well-crafted classics and pieces with intrinsic feel-good factor. How could a woman not feel primed to take on the world, despite the pervasive doom and gloom, in an exquisitely tailored trench?
Today, as the world prepares once more for a reset and rebuild, the heritage house is returning to that founding philosophy.
So what does a woman wear to rebuild the world? That was the question Max Mara asked at its spring/summer 2021 Milan Fashion Week show, held in the courtyard of an ancient art gallery for a select audience. The answer: a butter-soft cashmere duster, fluid two-piece suit or easy cotton maxidress.
Purposeful luxury owned the runway. Sweatpants, for example, may be the antithesis of Italian elegance, but wide-leg trousers (drawstrings, elasticised waists and all) seemed not only impossibly chic but fitting for 2020. The palette was soft and powdery, predominantly neutral with smudges of sky blue and blush.
As creative director Ian Griffiths noted before the presentation: “Italian fashion privileges things that make you look and feel your absolute best at all times. So the success of that [post-war] boom was a consequence of the idea that by investing in something that made you feel your best, you were equipped to do your best … And now I’m thinking about the women who are going to be striding out into this world to make it better than it was before.”
Wearing butter-soft cashmere, no less.
THE TRENDS
Necklace bags
Still working from home? A tiny hands-free pouch is the only accessory you need.
Slashed sleeves
Fresh and functional, with a cape-like sensibility.
Camel
The house’s signature shade is a perennial, but takes on new meaning spliced with brocade and mosaic detailing.
Street-smart parkas
The definition of utility chic, souped up with drawstrings, pockets and snap fasteners.
Below, runway moments from Max Mara’s Spring 2021 collection.
