Max Mara: North meets south in cruise 2026 show
served up what designer Ian Griffiths termed "pragmatic feminism" in a splendidly elegant show Tuesday night inside the Versailles of Italy, bringing to a close this year's season of major cruise collections.
Juxtapositions ran throughout the collection and clothes. Inspired by the impoverished heroines fighting for a more beautiful life in post-war Italian Neo -Realist cinema, that led to a superbly chic collection of haute-functional elegance.
Three quarters-of-a-century ago, when Max Mara was founded in 1951, it would have been possible to imagine the characters played by Sophia Loren or Silvana Mangano in movies like "L'Oro di Napoli" or "Riso Amaro" even dreaming of entering the Royal Palace of Caserta; a ginormous structure built by Bourbon kings that is sometimes termed the Swansong of the spectacular era of Baroque.
Yet, the opening look featured a model in a pair of shorts just like those worn by the steamy and sultry Mangano, playing an impoverished peasant working the fields of the Po Valley in Riso Amaro. Instead at Max Mara, the same short pants came in a new outfit that combined them with matching bra, flowing blazer and dragoon thigh boots.
In this look and many others, Griffiths linked north and south in the tailoring, working with Sartoria Cuomo, a Neapolitan tailor to reimagine the local deconstructed men's blazer for women. Featuring broad lapels combined with soft silhouettes, where the seams pucker where the sleeve meets the shoulder.
The UK designer also played skilfully with another Naples resource – Marinella, which provided some charming geometric silks - playing on paisley or church motifs – and cut into poolside chemises, floaty jackets, asymmetrical sarong skirts and foulards that several gents in the audiences sported.
Pre-show, the 300 guests sipped prosecco, as stars like Sharon Stone, Gwyneth Paltrow, Joey King and Alexa Chung admired the truly magnificent one kilometer-long series of cascades, interspersed with five monumental fountains, designed by architect, Luigi Vanvitelli.
Entitled "Venus Vesuviana", overall the collection riffed on the power of dressing, and how great fashion can empower self-confident women.
'I loved the contrast of a woman descending the palace's incredibly grand staircase not in a ball gown but a modern Max Mara look. And making you feel like she owns it,' beamed Griffiths, at a pre-show preview.
As ever at Max Mara, there were highly authoritative coats – creamy cashmere dressing gown cuts with deep patch pockets; lapel-free and cinch-waist cocoons; or impeccable double-breasted. Looking hyper refined in the remarkable location.
Reggia di Caserta as it is known locally, is a giant Baroque city within a palace, built to contain king, court, courtiers and government within 1,200 rooms and 130,000 square-meters of floor space.
Work first began in 1752 under Charles VII, the King of Naples, who ironically never spent a night in the palace, after he abdicated seven years later to become King of Spain. Designed to rival Versailles, the palace contains possibly the grandest staircase on the planet. Doubly ironically, it was only completed in 1845, just 15 years before the kingdom was overthrown by Garibaldi in 1860, completing the first stage of Italian unity with the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy.
The palace has gone through multiple eras, from an aeronautical academy, to being bombed by the Allies during WW2 and looted subsequently. Albeit, then very carefully late restored by the Italian state.
Which brings it to the beginning of Neo Realist cinema and the heroines that inspired this show – a meeting of North Italian uprightness and stylistic gravitas and Southern sensuality. Though containing that essential unity – the Italian love of a Bella Figura or always showing the best of oneself.
Riso Amaro was released in 1951, exactly the same year that Achille Maramotti founded Max Mara to create coats and eventually a whole wardrobe for modern women. Three quarters-of-a-century later, the Max Mara Group boasts annual sales in excess of €1.9 billion.
'Max Mara is about serving the woman that Achille identified – a pragmatic feminist. At Max Mara we would never discuss the word feminist for years. But then we realized the Max Mara woman is not a bra burner but the woman who wanted to achieve something with her own means,' concluded Griffiths, who was applauded to his seat for a celebratory dinner on perfectly decorated tables of flowers and crystal glass, for a dinner of octopus, fine vegetables and local Falanghina wine.
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The idea is a mix of what our creative director, Ian Griffiths, wants to say and whether we want to do that in Italy or not. There's an element of celebrating lifestyle, which is very particular – not just in Italy but especially in Neapolitan culture, where roughness and reality contrast with great beauty in a fashion moment that is rather unique. When fashion is going back to tailoring, which is the basis of our brand. Plus, we wanted to show a city that is becoming more and more a destination for tourism and culture. It has become much safer than it used to be. Lots of people visit – with daily flights from New York and places like Canada or Philadelphia. The city has never been busier. FN: Why is cruise so important to Max Mara? MGPM: For many reasons. The phenomenon was born out of the idea of creating an experience of full immersion in the brand. It's one thing to do a show back-to-back with other brands in Milan, when editors are overloaded. 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2 hours ago
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Staged before an audience that included Sharon Stone, Gwyneth Paltrow and Alexa Chung, the actual collection was a sublime meeting of refined North Italian tailoring and Southern sensuality – inspired by sultry cinematic icons like Sophia Loren and Silvana Mangano. By staging annual cruise shows, Max Mara has smartly positioned itself alongside the ultimate luxury marques like Dior or Louis Vuitton—whose show this year was in Avignon—even though its annual turnover is between one-fifth and one-tenth of those two French labels. That said, the Max Mara Group amassed annual sales in excess of €1.9 billion last year, so it is still a significant player. While in Naples, the house organized private viewings in the city's famed Archaeological Museum; tours of remarkable churches; and a cruise to Lo Scoglio, the must-see restaurant near Positano — famed for a clientele that ranges from the Arnault family and Tommy Hilfiger to Remo Ruffini and endless movie stars. There was also a dinner in Bersagliera restaurant in the beautiful port of Santa Lucia, where Neapolitan musicians had Paltrow, assorted influencers and the occasional dashing editor on their feet in a conga line, banging tambourines to tunes like 'Volare' or 'Bella Ciao.' This is why Fashion Network sat down with Maria Giulia Prezioso Maramotti, the third generation of the Maramotti family and granddaughter of founder Achille Maramotti. Today, Maria Giulia is the omnichannel retail director of Max Mara Fashion Group and global brand ambassador of the brand – demanding positions she holds down with aplomb, while still bringing up a three-year-old daughter. So, here is her take on cruise, Naples, transitioning control from one generation to another, and what's next for Max Mara. Fashion Network: Why are we in Naples? Maria Giulia Prezioso Maramotti: As you know, we began this tradition of resort collections seven years ago. The idea is a mix of what our creative director, Ian Griffiths, wants to say and whether we want to do that in Italy or not. There's an element of celebrating lifestyle, which is very particular – not just in Italy but especially in Neapolitan culture, where roughness and reality contrast with great beauty in a fashion moment that is rather unique. When fashion is going back to tailoring, which is the basis of our brand. Plus, we wanted to show a city that is becoming more and more a destination for tourism and culture. It has become much safer than it used to be. Lots of people visit – with daily flights from New York and places like Canada or Philadelphia. The city has never been busier. FN: Why is cruise so important to Max Mara? MGPM: For many reasons. The phenomenon was born out of the idea of creating an experience of full immersion in the brand. It's one thing to do a show back-to-back with other brands in Milan, when editors are overloaded. So, instead of just 20 minutes to consider a show, you have about 48 hours to understand the brand. And you have more time to talk about product — a main driver for a brand like Max Mara. FN: I was struck when you explained that, in Naples alone, your group has nine stores. What's the secret behind this great love affair between a northern Italian brand and the great capital of southern Italy? MGPM: Naples is a city that serves as a reference point for the whole of southern Italy. People from the provinces use Naples, as it's a bigger market than you think. So, we have many labels – like Max Mara Weekend and Max & Co. – serving different market segments, either in city-center freestanding stores or in Pompei Mall. FN: You also displayed the Atelier collection in Naples in a beach club. It has remarkable couture-level coats – the leitmotif of your brand. Why is it here, and what is the thinking behind this special project? MGPM: Our Atelier collection is like a development lab when it comes to recruiting new fabrics. Laura Lusuardi, who oversees it, has worked with many different designers at Max Mara, like Karl Lagerfeld or Giambattista Valli. Plus, Atelier allows her to recruit talent internally. It's a collection focused on creating the next shapes and offering the freedom to explore different materials and fabrics. It's a smaller collection, with less commercial pressure, and that is important. We sell it in our main flagships, and we practice stock rotation — bringing it to a store for two weeks and then moving it to another. It's our couture meets ready-to-wear. Laura has been the rainmaker of another key project – our archive. It started as her passion for vintage. But then we built our new HQ in our hometown of Reggio Emilia, and we realized how many pieces we had. And the archive became a great guide to research and cultural relevance. After that, people began donating stuff – me, Laura, Franca Sozzani or Carine Roitfeld, who donated great looks. It's a blend of this and purchases made at markets or auctions, along with the Max Mara archive of all our collections. FN: Three years ago, you became a mum with Mariasole, and last year, you launched the Max & Co. kids line. I've seen you describe Max & Co. as the enfant terrible of your group. So, tell us more about that project? MGPM: If you look at our kids collection, it's an enfant terrible — with a little rebellion, but not too much. And my daughter is the muse. It's a license with Brave Kids, part of Only the Brave, and we are very happy with it. FN: Apparently, your daughter is obsessed with fashion. Were you like that as a child? Do you see your daughter taking over one day? MGPM: I was definitely obsessed with clothes as a kid, and I am still as a woman. Honestly, I don't know what Mariasole will want to do. The key thing is I'd like for her to find her own way. FN: Last October, you received the Design Heritage Award from Fashion Group International in New York. How important is it that Max Mara gets these sorts of recognitions? MGPM: It was a great acknowledgment, which we really appreciated. In an industry where longevity is a little undervalued and there is so much change, we represent the ability to maintain a certain continuity. FN: If your grandfather, Achille Maramotti – who founded Max Mara in 1951 – were around today, what would he think of the group's growth and story? MGPM: My grandfather passed when I was 21. I think he would have been very proud of what his children have achieved, primarily and proud that his grandkids are now part of that. He believed in maintaining things of a certain quality, making garments with carefully chosen, great fabrics. He was not someone who was nostalgic at all — he was happiest when looking at contemporary fashion. So, I think he would be very happy. FN: Often, handing over a family business to the next generation can be tricky. Why do you think that Italians seem to handle that better? MGPM: Two reasons – Italians don't look at fashion as primarily part of the financial world. Italian entrepreneurs are all about obsession with products. That comes from close proximity to their companies, which means they can choose good partners to make very good products. They know their company extremely well, as they are very present. Of course, when you get to a certain dimension, you need to add outside management, but as you know your company inside out, you can usually choose pretty well. Secondly, as a lot of Italian companies are family-run, your parents teach you a lot. You live and breathe the company, and that is something you cannot teach. Of course, there have been a lot of great Italian brands bought by French giants, but quite a lot of us are still independent! MGPM: The answer is that it's very difficult to create really great women's fashion, so we are going to stick to what we know. As for hotels, let's say we are a little more conservative than our colleagues and won't go there. But we did sign a license with Shiseido last year and will have a great new scent next year. So, stay tuned.
