Max Mara’s creative director tells Aznim Ruhana Md Yusup about his favourite flower, why he cast hijabi models and how he’s influenced by David Bowie and Marlene Dietrich.
MAX Mara is an Italian fashion brand known for its luxurious coats and classic women’s wear designs.
Founded in 1951 as a family business, the brand has always kept its creative side anonymous. But with Ian Griffiths, the public can finally put a face to the brand.
The Guardian calls Griffiths – a one-company man who joined Max Mara right after graduating from fashion school – “the most influential British designer you have never heard of”.
We speak to the creative director in an exclusive email interview.
WHY DID MAX MARA CHOOSE BERLIN TO SHOW ITS RESORT 2020 COLLECTION? HOW DID BERLIN INFLUENCE THE COLLECTION?
Berlin has always been a beacon for the avant garde. Since I was an art student in the 1980s, I loved the Bauhaus and the cabaret culture of the Weimar Republic — the Berlin of Marlene Dietrich, one of my idols.
Another of my idols, David Bowie, lived there in the late 70s and was inspired to produce some of his most creative work.
It was a divided city then. In fact, after his death, the German government thanked Bowie for his contribution to bringing down the wall.
This year is the 30th anniversary of the reunification. I wanted to celebrate the healing of the city and its renaissance.
David and Marlene were both virtuousi in the manipulation of self-image. That’s something that we’re all concerned with today but they were the pioneers.
They were fascinated by each other. Stylistically, they had a lot in common. They both loved trench coats, sharply tailored suits, especially in white, and wide-legged pleated trousers.
All of these elements feature in the collection. But with raw edged fringes that are the perfect contrast to the impeccable tailoring — just as Chipperfield’s pristine staircase contrasts with the rawness of the previously derelict museum.
Max Mara has always taken a very architectural approach. I also wanted to celebrate the city’s spectacular architectural renaissance since reunification.
MAX MARA REMARKABLY HAD CAST HIJABI MODELS SUCH AS HALIMA ADEN FOR SOME OF ITS SHOWS. WHAT PROMPTED THIS DECISION?
Max Mara is available in over 100 countries around the globe. It’s a style that transcends borders, boundaries, cultures and ethnicities.
We think it’s right that women recognise themselves in the way we present our collections.
If you took a walk round any upmarket shopping area, you wouldn’t be surprised if you saw a woman wearing a Max Mara coat with a hijab. Why should the runway be any different?
DID YOU HAVE TO ACCOMMODATE THE HIJABI MODELS DIFFERENTLY, SUCH AS THE OUTFITS THEY WEAR ON THE RUNWAY?
Well, of course hijabi models require “covered up” looks, but that’s not problematic for us since every collection has options for women who prefer so-called “modest” dressing.
I say so-called, because the term “modest” implies a woman who wishes to hide herself away. But I believe that women who dress this way should be able to find exciting, innovative, creative fashion. They want to stand out from the crowd because they are smart and successful Max Mara women.
WHAT IS MAX MARA’S SIGNATURE STYLE?
The Max Mara look is a globally recognised lexicon of style; intelligent, pulled together, well-designed. The roots of Max Mara are always in the classics — reinterpreted with an eye to absolute modernity.
Of course, a lot of the classics come from the world of menswear but Max Mara develops them in a way which projects a powerful kind of femininity.
The embroidered flowers that we used to delineate the strong tailored shoulderlines of our Resort collection are an example of this.
WHAT MAKES MAX MARA APPEALING TO THE GLOBAL CLIENTELE?
I have done a great deal of research into the brand’s history and I spend a great deal of time in our extensive archive.
Max Mara’s founder Achille Maramotti launched it with the intention of providing women with clothes that they could trust absolutely.
In other words, there’s a tradition of respect for women going back almost 70 years.
I think that long-held position of respect resonates globally, and is the primary reason for the brand’s global appeal.
MAX MARA IS FAMOUS FOR ITS COATS BUT WHAT ICONIC PIECE WOULD YOU SUGGEST TO PEOPLE IN THE TROPICS?
The Max Mara woman is always perfectly prepared for any occasion and any climactic conditions.
She travels, so she has to be ready for anything.
Max Mara’s tailored (style) is impeccable and we are always careful to develop fabrics that will work on warmer climates — like tropical wools, silk and tricetates which do not have a specific season.
The Resort collection offers up suits with sharply tailored jackets and ultra feminine pleated skirts.
WHO IS YOUR STYLE ICON, PERSONALLY AND FOR MAX MARA?
The Max Mara woman is my muse. Over the 32 years that I’ve been with the company, I have pieced together a composite picture of her from all the strong women I have met — starting with my mother, Barbara.
I think of the Max Mara woman as a dear friend so of course I always want her to look her best.
WHAT IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY THAT YOU’VE WITNESSED SINCE YOU STARTED YOUR CAREER?
Everything has speeded up! It seems impossible but when I started here there was no Internet, no social media.
Communication has developed to the point where consumers can now access what’s happening in real time, which is amazingly democratic, but on the downside the industry is constantly churning out new ideas in order to maintain their interest.
With so much “stuff” being produced, everything can lose meaning, consumers become confused and disinterested.
In this kind of environment I think Max Mara stands out because it represents lasting values. I think this is one of the major factors in our appeal, especially to younger consumers.
WHAT’S THE SECRET FOR BEING AT THE SAME COMPANY FOR AS LONG AS YOU HAVE?
If you look at my Instagram account (www.instagram.com/ian_griffiths1), you will see that my favourite hashtag is #ilovemyjob. And I really do love my job; I can’t wait to get to work in the morning!
I think of the Max Mara story as a continuous narrative in which each season is a new chapter and I just can’t wait to find out what happens next.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR A YOUNG DESIGNER JUST STARTING OUT?
Keep it real. Design for a real woman (or a real man), not some fantasy figure that you have concocted in your head.
Apply your creativity to designing clothes that people can wear with ease and will make them feel good. Fashion can — and should — improve people’s lives.
SUSTAINABILITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE ARE BECOMING VERY IMPORTANT ISSUES. DOES MAX MARA HAVE A ROLE IN HELPING TO ADDRESS THIS?
Well, of course, Max Mara is the antithesis of “fast fashion”. Max Mara is about investment pieces that will last for many years, if not a lifetime.
We are also supporting projects to make our products more environmentally friendly — like our Camel Luxe initiative which uses recycled camel hair for padded coats, thus avoiding waste and the use of feather and down.
I HAVE READ ABOUT YOUR GARDEN. DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE PLANT OR FLOWER?
All flowers are magical to me, especially the exquisite peony. When it flowers every spring, I think of it as a miracle.