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The American writer Truman Capote is best known for his literary classics Breakfast at Tiffany’s and In Cold Blood—but amongst his less circulated offerings is Local Colour, a book of essays dedicated to the art of travel. Max Mara’s long-time creative director Ian Griffiths referenced Local Colour while designing the brand’s Resort ’22 collection, and was particularly moved by a chapter documenting one languorous summer Capote spent on the glamorous Italian island of Ischia, nestled just off the Amalfi Coast.
Capote was joined in Ischia by his bevy of ‘swans’—the loving moniker he gave to the group of high society women he socialised with, and wrote about four months spent aboard colossal yachts or within the walls of castle-like luxury hotels. Griffiths’ direction for Resort ’22 soon became clear: create clothes that ‘the swans’ would wear today—and stage the show at Ischia’s most glamorous hotel.
That vision was brought to life yesterday evening, with a runway presentation at the luxury Mezzatorre Hotel—overlooking the picturesque rocky promontory of the Bay of Naples. Presented to a curated selection of fashion insiders and A-listers—among them Nicky and Kathy Hilton, Tamu Macpherson, Gala Gonzalez, and Caroline Daur—the 45-look collection was a masterclass in nonchalant Italian glamour, in muted shades of beige, white, cream, and navy.
The collection opened with 15 beige looks, many featuring modernised updates on established Max Mara silhouettes. The classic Max Mara 101801 coat was reworked in a more casual jersey material, while sleek tailored caftan-style dresses were made in a trans-seasonal lightweight cashmere. Jersey leggings were layered under drop-waist dresses—and everything was worn espadrille-style lace-up sandals, perhaps the only shoe a person would reasonably reach for if they were given four months to pad about the castle-style surrounds of the Mezzatorre.
Griffiths later introduced a burst of pinks and reds, inspired by the geranium flowers that often fill the façade of the Plaza Athénée—one of the many five-star hang-outs frequented by Capote’s swans. Among their ranks was the Italian socialite Marella Agnelli, who’s granddaughter, the filmmaker Ginevra Elkann, directed a film of the Resort ’22 show. It’s through this kind of immaculate attention to detail—the kind that Capote himself would no doubt appreciate—that this bygone era of European glamour continues to live on.
Max Mara Resort 2022 Film directed by Ginevra Elkann
