Marie Claire UK - 09.2019

55

Fashion first

Part of the Milan ‘Made in Italy’ fashion boom, Max Mara’s sister brand turns 50 this year. Here, the

brand’s fashion director Grazia Malagoli shares her highlights from five decades of chic-issima

SPORTMAX TO THE MAX

‘[Sportmax’s]

incredible,

intenseidea

of femininity

wasquite new

forthat time,

thanks to the

eyeof Peter

Lindbergh,

whoshot a

young Yasmin

Le Bon for

thiscampaign

atthe very

start of

her career.’

‘[Thisyear], we

introduced sneakers

and eyewear to

highlight the idea

of dynamism and

sport-inspired

attitude.’

‘Thiscollection

wasabout fancy,

highly creative

knitwear.

ThePollock

inspiration

gave birth to

specialdresses

in colourful,

embroidered

textiles.’

1983

2014

2009

1970s

1986

2019

‘[Inthe 1970s], the

styling and attitude

were important to

Sportmax. It was

the first “total look”

wardrobe in which

each garment

was created to

match the others.’

‘Oneof the

mostbeautiful

and interesting

collections. From

a technical point

of view, it was

really innovative.

Raw cuts, bagged

constructions and

carpet fabric for

coats were born.’

‘DavidSims shot this

campaign with model Karlie

Kloss. The pieces focus on

different graphic effects and

mixedmaterials – leather,

knitwear,jersey. Another

Sportmax signature.’

‘Ialways lived and breathed tailoring.My

mother had a small atelier and I used to play

withthe fabrics. This job was my dream. When

I joined in 1979, the Italian fashion landscape was

very charming – it was the beginning of “Made

in Italy”. Max Mara specialised in timeless

coats,and the original Sportmax woman had a strong, more

extremeconcept. Laura Lusuardi, who hired me, said, “I’ll see

youMonday at 8am. Here, you know when you enter, but you

never know when you will leave!” and 37 years later, here I am.’

COMPILED BY JESS WOOD. PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAVID SIMS, HANS FEURER. ILLUSTRATIONS BY LAURA LUSUARDI, GUY PAULIN