- This season, Max Mara addresses the question, what do you dress when you rebuild the world?
- Max Mara had lofty plans for Spring Summer ’21: how to rebuild the world, and what to wear while doing it? The conclusion: slashed cape-sleeves, utilitarian jumpsuits, and languid, unhurried trousers; an offering perfect for this new Renaissance we’re facing. Corin Sworn was the winner of the 2013-2015 Max Mara Art Prize for Women. Her multimedia installation ‘Silent Sticks’ was inspired by Italian Renaissance theatre, the seminal commedia dell’arte, with its recurrent themes of identity, gender ambivalence and intrigue, tragedy, comedy, desire and magic. Max Mara channels the graphic, elemental aesthetic of Sworn’s costumes for a thoroughly modern take on the “paggetto”. The tabard meets the streetsmart parka with its utilitarian pockets, snap fasteners and drawstrings. Contrast bindings and placed patchwork feature intricately figured damasks that echo the gilded strapwork of a Mantuan ducal chamber. The painterly palette blends ochre, umbra, sienna, lamp black, white with smudges of subtle color, like the powdery pastels of an Umbrian affresco. – from Max Mara.
- Re-envisioning the future is undoubtedly something that a lot of designers had on their mind during fashion month. But as a house, Max Mara is no rookie when it comes to meandering a rocky landscape. After all, the Italian luxury label was founded in another time of rebirth—post World War II—and has always set forward solid staples that are made to last, no matter what change is around the corner.reinforced that, while still staying true to the ethos. Creative director Ian Griffiths, who has been at the house since 1987, so he is certainly primed to ensure his woman remains ‘labella figura‘—quite literally, her best self—as always. He presented classic yet updated suiting, trenches, and dresses in a quintessentially Italian palette of calming ochre, umbra, sienna, lamp black, and powdery pastels. And also pinstripes, as if to confirm “we’re here and we mean business.” Griffith was equally inspired by Corin Sworn, the recipient of the 2013-2015 Max Mara Art Prize for Women, and her multimedia artwork which references Italian Renaissance theater. Her influence is particularly evident in this season’s modern take on the ‘paggetto’, a classical tabard-meets-street ready parka, and anoraks with the surprise addition of brocade detailing.