Max Mara

Max Mara is the name of a fashion company founded in 1951 by Dr. Achille Maramotti, a lawyer turned dressmaker. He was born in Reggio nell'Emilia in Italy, during the year of 1927. His mother operated a local pattern-making school and his great grandmother, Marina Rinaldi, ran a dress shop during the 1850s. He named one of his fashion labels after her in 1980. His early education was carried out in Rome, then he obtained a law degree from Parma University. Mara nevertheless decided that the garment industry was truly for him and began to invest time in making clothes. He consequently persuaded the local shops around him to give him some space in order to put his beautiful garments in their windows.

His first collection consisted of only two garments, a suit and an overcoat. Brevity of design has always been Max Mara's signature. The collections still focus on these key items of tailoring. Max Mara was originally one of the first ready-to-wear companies in the world, because at that time most people either made their own clothes or had them made up by some tailors.

His son, Ignazio Maramotti is Max Mara's Managing Director today. He often says: "for us to be considered fashionable would be quite dangerous, it is not chic for a woman to move violently from one way of dressing to another, just to keep up with the seasonal trends."

Max Mara is the epitome of Italian fashion, good quality and cut, in classical styles, whilst managing to interpret trends in a very wearable manner.

Several very well-known designers have worked beforehand at Max Mara. Jean-Charles de Castelbajac worked as a designer with Max Mara and created their Sportsmax line in 1975. Anne-Marie Beretta also chose to design for Max Mara, mainly ski-wear and their very stylishly tailored suits. Karl Lagerfeld and even Dolce and Gabbana, have all put their imprint on the various different lines.

Max Mara also has another line named 'Weekend' which is aimed at a younger clientele.

Max Mara's most important product, is the one that represents the essence of the company's philosophy, meaning the camel coat. Since its debut in 1982, it has been created in blue, black and also in grey. It is a double breasted coat with raglan sleeves and has changed a little since it was first designed and is the best selling coat in the world and also the most copied. Max Mara claims to have sold more than 100,000 of these coats worldwide.
 

In 2001, Max Mara's company celebrated its 50th Anniversary by opening a major new shop in the City of New York. It is a very sophisticated cube of rough wood and sleek glass that sits on an angle to the very trendy area of Soho. A fitting monument to a very original company which has always gone its own way. 

Find fashion by Max Mara @ the following eshop: