Milan Fashion Week 2018: Max Mara tells a literary tale of power and protection

Max Mara has a sixth sense for what a woman wants from her working wardrobe.

But for the brand best known for dressing Milan’s executive classes it seems an impeccably cut suit is no longer enough: next season, the clothes must tell a story too.

In a collection which sought to permeate the mind of its wearer - not just her wardrobe - the label namechecked a series of classic works of literature, recast by female authors to tell the story from a woman’s perspective.

From Emily Wilson’s thought-provoking translation of The Odyssey to Margaret Atwood’s The Penelopiad, which chronicles the untold tale of ancient mythology’s Penelope, this was an offering which sought to dispel myth and put pragmatism at its core.

As a result, practicality was a chief concern, with overcoats worn oversized, bucket bags cut to generous proportions and skirts cut below the knee. The palette too favoured the house’s signature muted shades of camel, khaki and navy, save for a confident injection of colour in the form of zesty lemon yellow.

At odds with much of Milan Fashion Week, which largely counts skin and sex appeal as currency, this was all about power and protection with knotted headscarves and popper leg shields layered under city shorts providing an armour against the world.

Max Mara’s own fabled history also contributed to the story which played out on next season’s catwalk.

Citing Anne-Marie Beretta - the brand’s creative driving force during the 1980s - among its heroines, the strong-shouldered silhouettes and utilitarian detailing for which she was renowned was reworked for the modern day power dresser, while the humble raincoat - in the hands of Max Mara and inspired by Amphitrite, goddess of the sea - was built for city slickers who refuse to have their sense of style damped by a bit of bad weather.