MaxMara | Moscow Debut! A Grand Retrospective Celebrating 60 Years of MaxMara

MaxMara

A Fashion History Through Coats

A Grand Retrospective Celebrating 60 Years of MaxMara

The final stop for the MaxMara "Coats! MaxMara, 60 Years of Italian Fashion" exhibition, which was a sensation when it was held in Japan five years ago, is Moscow, Russia. This grand retrospective, commemorating 60 years since MaxMara's founding, features a wealth of new artworks and special limited-edition items.

By Yumiko Takayama

New Creations and Items Inspired by Russia, the Host Country

The "Coats! MaxMara, 60 Years of Italian Fashion" exhibition traces the history of the MaxMara Group. This retrospective, which followed the history of Italian fashion with a focus on the evolution of coat shapes and silhouettes—MaxMara's signature—was previously held in Berlin at the "Kulturforum" in November 2006, at "Roppongi Hills Mori Arts Center Gallery" in Tokyo in 2007, and at the "National Art Museum" in China in 2008. Continuing this legacy, and in celebration of MaxMara's 60th anniversary, a special collection of new creations is now on display at the "State Historical Museum of Russia" in Moscow.

In addition to 70 rare coats produced since the 1950s, the MaxMara Archives present a vast collection of design sketches and photographs. Among the exhibits are the legendary "101801" camel coat, trench coats, a fur-trimmed half-coat said to have been favored by Empress Catherine, and coats designed by successive MaxMara designers including Emanuelle Khanh, Karl Lagerfeld, Dolce & Gabbana, and Narciso Rodriguez, all gathered in one place.

Highlighting the Brand's History by Sector

The exhibition is divided into thematic areas such as history and culture, with each section overlapping and laid out chronologically. These areas cover the brand's founding, the development of its publishing division, creativity, photography, and industrial production. The exhibition is designed to allow visitors to experience MaxMara's evolution through the ages with all their senses.

The photography section features advertising campaigns shot by world-renowned photographers such as Sarah Moon, Paolo Roversi, Arthur Elgort, Albert Watson, Peter Lindbergh, Steven Meisel, Richard Avedon, Craig McDean, and Inez van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin, as well as numerous design sketches signed by designers from the MaxMara Group's archives.

The art section showcases installations and artworks by contemporary artists, including William Wegman and Miwa Yanagi. A highlight is the new photo series "ALBATROSS (When memories are awoken by birds)" by Valery Katsuba, a native of St. Petersburg. Commissioned by MaxMara for this retrospective, Katsuba's new work expresses a dreamlike world created by Bolshoi Ballet dancers adorned in tutus and MaxMara coats. The dancers' perfect bodies, graceful movements and gazes, the contrast of light and shadow, complex emotions, and feelings of isolation and nostalgia evoke grand Russian imagery, reminiscent of heroines from Russian literature such as Natasha Rostova from Tolstoy's "War and Peace," Larisa Feodorovna from Boris Pasternak's "Doctor Zhivago," and Anna Karenina.

Maggie Rizer in the "101801" Double-Breasted Coat as a Matryoshka?

Also, fitting for the exhibition's Russian location, a special limited-edition "Matryoshka" doll has been created. This Matryoshka features Maggie Rizer, as photographed by Richard Avedon for the MaxMara Fall/Winter 1998 advertising campaign. The woman painted on the doll is wearing the "101801" double-breasted coat. First produced in 1981, this coat quickly became a bestseller and has been a staple in the winter collection ever since.

To coincide with the retrospective, the "Anna Anniversary Coat" has been released. This coat, a tribute to Anna Karenina, draws inspiration from the eternal femininity and elegance cherished in Russia, as well as the exquisite fine jewelry created by Fabergé for Russian emperors.

The line coat, crafted from bouclé fabric, is coordinated with a dress, embodying the sophisticated chic of elegant jewelry presented to Russian emperors and inheriting a unique, surprising style. It will be sold exclusively this autumn at MaxMara shops in Moscow, as well as at select MaxMara stores worldwide.

Anna Anniversary Coat

Matryoshka

Furthermore, as a token of gratitude to the State Historical Museum of Russia, MaxMara has decided to contribute to the restoration of the Cathedral of the Intercession on the Moat, located in Red Square, which is part of the museum complex.
The exhibition "Coats! MaxMara, 60 Years of Italian Fashion," offering a rare opportunity to explore the archives of a leading Italian fashion brand from various perspectives, is scheduled to run until January 10, 2012.

Coats! MaxMara, 60 Years of Italian Fashion
Exhibition Period: Until January 10, 2012
State Historical Museum, Moscow
http://www.shm.ru/

MaxMara Japan
Tel. 03-5467-3700