If you’re going to invest in a major coat, why should it be boring? That was the question that MaxMara, the Italian powerhouse that founded its fortune on making outerwear for generations of women, answered for fall. The collection offered lots of tempting topcoat propositions, featuring modern cuts that looked current without trying too hard to be trendy.
MaxMara’s strategies for a new but wearable fall look were in step with ideas instigated in New York at Narciso Rodriguez and Proenza Schouler: either base everything on skinny leggings worn mid-heel with slingbacks, or pull on the season’s crucial over-the-knee boots. Shapes that go over that slim line can then assume new volumes and textures without overwhelming the body.
The newest concept on display was a caped jacket or coat, sometimes done in leather, chicly fused with a speckled tweed lining. In a canny nod toward menswear-for-women (another key notion emerging for fall), the classic double-breasted coat was eased up and oversized, while more sporty looks came courtesy of cashmere bombers with ribbed welts, leather gilets and big, orange down-filled parkas. Low-slung, egg-shaped hipster skirts and a hugely oversize gray knit sweater worn as a dress, meanwhile, offered around-town options that—just for a change—made absolutely no reference to the ’60s. And for that, working women of the world give thanks.
