Max Mara Looks To Truman Capote’s Swans To Inspire Resort ’22 In Ischia

by Freya Drohan
swans

All eyes on Ischia! As the sun set on the idyllic Italian island on Tuesday evening, Max Mara’s Ian Griffiths presented his Resort ’22 offering for the storied house—marking the first time a fashion event had been hosted at the lesser known destination too.

Like so many, Griffiths has been dreaming of travel—but beyond just the physical and mental elements of actually going somewhere, he was thinking of the well-heeled women for whom traveling in style is a whole lifestyle. Those who instantly came to mind were Truman Capote’s infamous and beautiful Swans, which was fitting because Capote’s novel, Local Color, and the significant time that he spent on Ischia in the 1950s and ’60s was a jumping off point for Griffiths on this occasion.

The spirit of one immaculate swan in particular, Fiat head Gianni Agenlli’s best dressed list fixture wife Marella, permeated the collection of reimagined elegant mid century-silhouettes. Think: new takes on Call The Midwife coats, sporty updates to the failsafe pairing of tunic tops and slim trousers,  plus easy going and relaxed drop waists, funnel necks, and weekender bags galore.

Fittingly, Agnelli’s granddaughter Ginerva Elkann, was enlisted by the house to create a video of the show and Max Mara’s modern day swans, who also took flight in languid kaftans, shorts suits, shearling bombers, and collarless coats. Feeding into our seemingly prevailing obsession with vintage-style tennis outfits, there were also flippy skirts and cowl-neck dresses in dazzling white that looked perfect for match time—or any occasion, really.

In terms of styling inspiration that any of us can translate in our own day to day lives, the woven hand-held baskets, wide sunglasses, and headscarves seemed destined to become a moment on Swans flying a little closer to home this season. “Career, family, friends, fun; she wants it all, she deserves it all, and right now she’s in the mood for a dose of sleek, jet set glamour,” the show notes said of this muse. You can say that again!

Film directed by Ginevra Elkann

See the full collection below:

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