When Flamboyance Meets Function
Review of Max Mara Spring 2026 Fashion Show
By Angela Baidoo
THE COLLECTION
THE VIBE
Rococo Revival, Soft Power, Unfussy Fantasy
A new exhibition on the influence of teen queen Marie Antoinette at London’s V&A Museum may reignite the worlds love for her well-documented eccentricities and frothy feminine style but it was another influential historical figure who once again made the moodboard of Max Mara’s creative director Ian Griffiths. Madame de Pompadour made her name on “her own merit”, as he told The Impression backstage. Earning her place in the Max Mara ‘pantheon’ todays show revisited her influence during the Rococo era.
“The most powerful political and cultural figure of her day, [Mme de Pompadour] founded the Sèvres porcelain factory and performed in operas by Molière and Racine. Everyone’s talking about Marie Antoinette at the moment. But we’re talking about Mme de Pompadour, she made it to the top by her own skills and merits, and that’s what makes her so special for Max Mara.” Ian Griffiths, Creative Director, Max Mara
As the story goes Mme de Pompadour was the mistress of Louis XV, so her position in the palace of Versailles was never assured, constantly walking a tightrope of sweetness and light, but also cunning and strategic thinking. A balance women today can empathise with, as the designer reiterated “The theme for this season is lightness and strength, capriciousness and playfulness, but playfulness with power.”
Griffiths is a designer who works to brand codes yet still manages to inject a definitive theme into his narratives – for fall 2025 it was the Brontë sisters. For spring 2026 that narrative centred around the escapism that everyone is craving in every aspect of their lives, and in choosing the Rococo era – its lavish ornamentation and celebration of the aristocratic – the collection could have become overly complex with decorative elements, but in combining the disparate influences of Mme de Pompadour, David Bowie, Cecil Beatons portraits of the Queen and Princess Margaret in the 1950s, and an undertone of fetishism the designer conveyed both lightness and strength in the latest version of the Max Mara woman.
“This season everything has to be light, light, light, but strong, strong, strong” Griffiths explained, so strict pencil skirts were softened with ruffles across the hips, draped halter necks and exposed midriffs were secured harness style (there was that nod to fetishism which was pulled from Griffiths reflecting on British style, noting that “even when its elegant and formal, British style at its best should have an element of fetishism”) with elastic back straps, and tailoring in spongey technical mesh appeared structured, yet was advanced enough – breathable, wrinkle resistant – the wearer could push the limits of what constitutes being active all day, as the designer noted “We used it all the way through the collection as a foil for any elements that might have felt more decorative”.
Referencing an era as highly decorative as the Rococo required restraint in applying its most prominent design elements (from the pastel palette to highly stylised patterns) to a collection for spring. Taking a broader approach, subtler design details were reused including the ruffles at the hem of Mme de Pompadour’s dresses, and taking the origins of the word i.e. Rocaille in French which means rock work and refers to the scroll patterns of seashells, delicate coral in an almost faded print uplifted formal skirt suits, “I looked at the taste of the 18th century and the cabinet of curiosities, which brought together these wonders of land, sea, and air – the birds and aquatic creatures” said Griffths.
Many designers have also featured historical details such as bustles and bloomers in their collections, and while a fun throwback, Griffiths is thinking in practical terms. A bit of feminine flounce built on a foundation of function, because if there is one thing the Max Mara woman is not, it is frivolous in her approach to life. Yes, she can appreciate a ruffled sleeve and a dash of delicacy, but she still needs a well-tailored suit and separates to navigate life.
THE DIRECTION
THE QUOTE
Power comes from attitude and fussy clothes don’t give you a sense of power. I always think that we talk about empowering clothing, but it’s hard to define what actually empowers, but you soon know it if something’s too fussy and you can’t wear it easily, you don’t feel powerful. So our job is to create clothes in which you feel powerful, as you know power is something you notice by its absence.
Ian Griffiths, Creative Director, Max Mara
THE WRAP UP
The third day of Milan fashion week was a questioning of freedom and power. How can modern fashion design give women their power back, make them feel powerful, and how do we define it for ourselves?
In todays Max Mara show strength and lightness (as a metaphor for freedom) combined with the fantasy of the Rococo era and technical fabrications spoke to the ‘world of contrasts’ we inhabit everyday, and as the structure that remains the foundation of the brand had its boundaries tested, what came to the forefront was an inviting iteration of soft power.
