Max Mara Atelier Fall 2026
For Fall 2026, Max Mara Atelier brought its couture-level collection to Paris for the first time, presenting inside its newly renovated Avenue Montaigne flagship and placing the brand’s most recognisable garment at the centre of the conversation: the coat.
Titled “The Architecture of a Coat,” the collection looked to the Brutalist, Bauhaus-influenced factory Max Mara built in Reggio Emilia in 1959 as its starting point. For fashion director Laura Lusuardi, the building represented more than a visual reference — it was a place deeply connected to the history of the house, where she spent decades working.
“A coat is architecture,” Lusuardi explained. “It has to be functional, but at the same time beautiful.”
That philosophy shaped the collection’s silhouettes, which focused on proportion, construction and fabric rather than overt decoration. Sharply tailored overcoats, redingotes, cape coats and kimono-inspired styles explored the possibilities of outerwear through volume and structure.
The colour palette reflected the industrial inspiration behind the collection, beginning with concrete greys before moving into softer shades of rosewood, burgundy, navy and deep chocolate brown. These tones reinforced the idea of clothing as both structure and expression.
The presentation also offered insight into the Atelier process, displaying sketches, patterns, toiles and fitting samples alongside finished garments. A vintage Japanese kimono from the Max Mara archive provided one of the collection’s key references, influencing details such as an obi-style belt that gathered fabric into soft pleats.
The collection also celebrated the influence of female architects including Gae Aulenti, Cini Boeri, Florence Knoll and Sophie Hicks, whose work reflects the same balance of functionality, precision and elegance that defines Max Mara’s approach.
A red basting thread stitched through the pieces referenced the sewing school founded by Achille Maramotti’s mother, connecting the collection back to the origins of the house.
With Atelier Fall 2026, Max Mara made a case for the coat as more than a seasonal essential. Through careful construction, material choices and architectural thinking, the collection positioned outerwear as a form of craftsmanship in its own right.
