Review of Maximilian Fall 2022 Fashion Show
The Making of a Maverick
By Angela Baidoo
It stands to reason that this should be wonder boy Maximilian’s final bow at Fashion East, as his collection which debuted last in the running order, stole the show at last night’s presentation, which showcased three of the best from London’s young creative class.
This collection proved to any doubters that Maximilian Davis is more than ready to take centre stage”
An accomplished showing that belies his status as a relative newcomer, came a considered edit of mens and womens ready-to-wear that was comparable to that of a seasoned runway veteran. Inclusive of a broad range of categories including tailoring, knitwear, evening, as well as a nod to active, Davis effortlessly covered all bases with designs that focused on long-term wear over of-the-moment fashion fads. Even his palette of black, white, and chocolate brown that could have been plucked from the early noughties’ minimalist movement, was refreshingly punctuated with a shot of cobalt and lilac – two colours that you wouldn’t expect to work in this line-up, but when rendered in draped jersey and chiffon served to lift the collection.
The tailoring had been touched by the knowing hand of a skilled pattern cutter, with the curved seams of an A-line skirt suit a throwback to Balenciaga’s Spring Summer 2014 show, although this version was updated with biker-style quilted panels. It was back-to-business for his mens suits that leaned on classic British sartorialism, Black elegance, and equestrian country pursuits, which were given a tongue-in-cheek twist in the form of an hourglass blazer that could do double-duty as a gender-neutral mini dress.
Early aughts minimalism was merged with biker fetishes and Catholic schoolgirl tropes, it shouldn’t work, but in the deft hands of Davis, translated into Falls new dress code”
Taking a cue from his catholic schooling, his eveningwear pieces took on an ethereal quality that were described in his show notes as “transparencies draped upon heavenly bodies”, epitomising this sentiment was the finale sheer gown that will likely be a contender come awards season.
The model selection by 11 Casting was representative of the multi-cultural make-up of the designers’ original home city, but what was lacking was the omission of any true body inclusivity from both the male and female models’ perspective. An issue that was raised toward the end of Men’s fashion week in Paris, because as much as new designers are making strides to force change through upcycling materials and representations of race, they are also missing a trick and leaving money on the table by not showing how their designs can work across all body types.
Benefitting from the creative direction of Dazed’s Ibrahim Kamara, the shows slick styling was testament to Davis’ readiness to step out on his own, understanding what the Maximilian woman (and man) wants and building on that with every season, he was able to put a commercial spin on directional concepts, such as splicing “different fetishes” and drilling them down to suede over leather, wipe clean vinyl, and industrial hardware.
Proof, if ever it were needed, that the incubator that is Fashion East – which provides a slot on the official fashion week schedule, mentoring by industry insiders, and the amplification of new voices – should be used as the blueprint by the other big three cities as a way to inject new blood into a runway system, which has returned to its old ways despite the promise of a shake-up less than two short years ago. The collective approach to showcasing and nurturing new talent should be championed as the way forward for fashion cities globally, if the format is ever going to hope to evolve.