“Septem Flores”—referring to the Midsummer tradition of collecting seven types of wildflowers in order to dream of your future spouse—was the theme of the Max Mara Resort 2024 collection which showed on 11 June. And with each romantic, boho-chic look paraded down the runway at the City Hall in Stockholm, creative director Ian Griffiths had only cemented the vision further.
Many designs were a sartorial throwback to the past. Think: gigot sleeves, embroidered skirts and dresses of ankle-grazing length, billowing tunics and paper flower crowns. Pom poms, tassels and studs attached to the designs echoed motifs from Scandinavian folk culture.
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Yet, Max Mara’s signature codes of modernity and quiet opulence were not lost in this process. The collection saw tailored silhouettes quintessential of the brand in the structured coats, foulard blouses with exaggerated shoulders and matching trousers. This contemporary approach was also seen in the accessories on the runway. Bags had straps that were shortened and were slung over models’ shoulders or carried as a clutch. Bowties were worn undone under the collar of button-ups for an androgynous touch and lace-up boots were the footwear du jour.
From this womenswear collection, a narrative carefully crafted by Griffiths unfolds. In the press notes, the brand explained that the designer took cues from Scandinavia’s history, from Queen Christina of Sweden as a feminist icon to Swedish writer and Nobel Prize winner Selma Lagerlöf who argued for social change and progress, fuelled by views on roles of women that were ahead for her time. By paying tribute to tradition and the past, Griffiths spearheads a new era for the Max Mara woman that dares to dream of a better future for herself.
Below, the best looks from the Max Mara Resort 2024 collection.
Watch the Max Mara Resort 2024 show here.
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