MILAN — Futuristic fashion of the ‘60s, a touch of ‘70s psychedelia and a spritz of AI: the new installment of Max&Co.’s project &Co.llaboration comes with a trippy feel and plenty of charm, thanks to a tie-up with Richard Quinn.
The British designer brought his flair for glamour and pattern sensibility to the Italian contemporary label in a new capsule collection to be unveiled on Wednesday at the Terrazza Martini rooftop bar here.
Quinn enthused about the tie-up as “our creative processes are well aligned — a fusion of heritage and modernity is central to both brands,” further praising the label’s archives, which he explored when visiting Italy.
In sync with the initiative’s spirit of linking with creative friends of Max&Co. tasked with reinterpreting the house codes, the designer said he wanted to add “a Richard Quinn twist — printed, futuristic, British” to the label’s heritage.
A preview of the “MAi.” collaboration between Max&Co. and Richard Quinn.
Courtesy of Max&Co.
Titled “MAi.” in reference to the collection’s images generated with the help of AI, the collection aims to filter the futuristic aesthetic of the ’60 and ‘70s “through the lens of modern technology,” Quinn told WWD.
“I believe the idea of AI is quite enigmatic. It blurs the boundary between what is real and what is not. This kind of disembodied, intangible idea is something we wanted to convey in the collection so the wearer can be whoever they want to be,” he continued.
This was translated into a combination of graphic prints and heritage shapes with modern fabrications “to create something that exists in its own time zone.”
“I think it’s interesting to compare past projections with the reality that we live in now, as nobody can really imagine what the future will look like,” said Quinn.
The designer relied on his signature floral patterns to channel the otherworldly, Space Age feel, mixing them with geometric motifs in bold colors. The graphics were splashed on a series of streamlined silhouettes, ranging from cropped jackets to miniskirts, while crepe de chine dresses winked to his passion for old-school French couture. Maxi suits with sequined embroideries and unfussy pieces like logoed T-shirts rounded off the offering.
A preview of the “MAi.” collaboration between Max&Co. and Richard Quinn.
Courtesy of Max&Co.
Maria Giulia Prezioso Maramotti, omnichannel retail director at the contemporary label of the Max Mara Fashion Group, praised Quinn as “an incredible talent: young, fresh, creative and daring, with an absolute personal style and a beautiful way of seeing fashion.”
“His way of intercepting fashion, playing with it, yet careful on the craftsmanship and cut of the fabrics…it felt like a real journey into fashion, which was very exciting. The collection is a peculiar mix of Italian and British, very different from the others we presented in the past,” she said.
Max&Co.’s tie-up with Quinn marks the sixth installment of the &Co.llaboration project. In September the brand teamed with travel and style influencer Sofía Sanchez de Betak, who followed stylist and fashion editor Anna Dello Russo; designer and curator Duro Olowu, and Efisio Rocco Marras, the creative director of I’m Isola Marras and son of designer Antonio Marras. The &Co.llaborations initiative kicked off with a co-branded capsule for spring 2022 created with Margherita Maccapani Missoni.
