Max Mara Fall 2020 Ad Campaign

Review of Max Mara Fall 2020 Ad Campaign by Creative Director Jim Kaemmerling, Photographer Brigitte Niedermair & Stylist Carine Roitfeld with Anna Ewers

Max Mara has released a Fall 2020 ad campaign starring Anna Ewers, with Creative Direction by Jim Kaemmerling and photography by Brigitte Niedermair. The imagery is entirely composed of Ewers sitting or standing emotionless in front of a mushroom-colored background, so it must be said that the real stars of the campaign are Stylist Carine Roitfeld, Hair Stylist Olivier Schawalder, and Make-up Artist Silvia Dell’orto – who collectively manage to eke out considerable interest from ensembles that bring to mind Dynasty circa 1981 (…and that is a good thing! we promise).

Dynasty might be an obscure reference for Millenials and Generation Z, but by its peak in the mid-1980’s, the night-time soap opera reflected and helped to define the decade’s notion of “power dressing” for women. In this campaign, mile-high shoulder pads have been replaced by ruffled shoulders and puffy sleeves, and the glittery metallics have been toned down to luxe fabrics with subtle sheen and shine. Yet the styling has similar qualities that helped make Dynasty so successful; a beautiful star featured in straight-faced glamour shots as promotional materials, against a softly-gradated backdrop. Also similar to power-dressing of 80s ladies, the outfits and their silhouettes at first glance seem contemporary, yet upon further inspection have a vaguely Victorian air, with wide collars, capes, and volume around the shoulders and upper torso. The effect is further exaggerated by a cinched waist in many shots, to counterbalance the extra volume.

It is the hair and make-up that really makes the campaign feel of-the-moment; Ewers fly-away wisps provide the sole element of unpredictability, and this combined with a soft smoky eye (and otherwise nude) make-up is something we would have never seen in the 1980’s.

The barely-there make-up enhances Ewers natural beauty, and the hair is cohesively executed yet ever-changing. Subsequently, we give kudos to Roitfeld, Schawalder, and Dell’orto for their stellar work, and for reminding us that sometimes it’s the small things in life that bring the greatest joy.