From camel coats to guochao: Max Mara woos China’s luxury brand consumers

Max Mara marked its 75th anniversary with a show in Shanghai, a city Ian Griffiths invoked with a borrowed New Yorker line to capture its relentless energy. He said Max Mara is a product for metropolitan women and argued it would be patronising to assume a metropolitan wardrobe should be western-centric.

On the Long Museum catwalk, knotted silk pankou buttons, cheongsam dresses and side‑fastening jackets with standing collars translated Chinese aesthetic codes into the brand’s language. Griffiths acknowledged the risks of homage turning to cliché or appropriation and said the house held many conversations and consultations in advance.

As one of the first western brands to take China seriously, Max Mara has had stores in the country for 33 years and 27 boutiques in Shanghai, where it has come to symbolise social status and professional success.

China, Shanghai

max mara, shanghai, china, luxury brands, guochao, cheongsam, pankou buttons, long museum, ian griffiths, social status