MaxMara show at Milan Fashion Week brings a fresh approach to power dressing... complete with a double-handbag look

From round-shouldered coats to 1940s-style pencil skirts, the MaxMara show brought the theme of office wear to Milan Fashion Week
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19 September 2013

For Milanese women, shopping for a suit means shopping in MaxMara. There is nothing the fashion powerhouse doesn't know about dressing for the boardroom.

This morning the brand unveiled its latest collection with the needs of metropolitan women high on the agenda.

Models, many of whom carried two handbags, looked more like they were arriving at lunch with their CEO than walking in a Milan Fashion Week show.

EPA
EPA

A fresh approach to power dressing is a key occupation next summer as loose, round-shouldered coats and woollen slip dresses cut to sit two inches below the knee become MaxMara staples. Tampering with traditional office attire, the brand showcased a calf-length pencil skirt that injected an air of 1940s elegance into the collection. A series of boxy jackets served as a welcome alternative to the tried-and-tested trench coat.

Textures including linen, flannel wool and light cashmere ensured that a sense of luxury was apparent throughout. Even lightweight sportswear fabrics were given an executive twist.

EPA
EPA

Pearl, grey and beige were among the key tones on offer, although a demand for more a upbeat palette was acknowledged with a striking purple slip dress and a tailored jump suit in apple green. Of the collection's few more difficult-to-wear pieces was a pair of widely cut calf-length trousers with suspender braces that echoed a masculine workwear aesthetic.

When creative director Frida Giannini unveiled her latest collection for Gucci yesterday, the question of what to wear to the office couldn't have been further from her mind. Instead, she focused on the gym.

Raising the curtains on Milan's week-long fashion event with a show which took its inspiration from sportswear, the designer attempted to forge new ground for the fashion house that is best known for high-octane glamour.

Getty
Getty

The result was evening wear with athletic roots. Tabard dresses split past the thigh came layered over black mesh bras, while oversized t-shirts with elasticated trims edged embroidered silk harem trousers. Bomber jackets in both suede and sheer chiffon seemed like an unlikely inclusion in a collection from a house famed for its beautiful gowns, as did knee-length slouch shorts. A hint of the Far East was noticeable, too: kimonos in embroidered silk were worn with light-weight pyjama pants while bell-sleeve blouses came cinched in at the waist with karate belts.

Art Nouveau: embroidered silk gave a sense of luxury (Picture: Getty)
Getty
Getty

Gucci's signature show-stopping gowns remained in the mix. A tunic style gown, open at the sides and cut high to the thigh, was layered with Gucci's signature sheer chiffon, while Art Nouveau embroidery in plum, claret and gold lent an injection of colour.

A crew-neck jump suit in sumptuous midnight blue was among the show's highlights, while a series of jewel-coloured fringed messenger bags are certain to delight the most ostentatious Gucci customers when they arrive in stores next year.

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