Max Mara‘s Fall/Winter 2025 collection blends the untamed spirit of the Yorkshire moors with the quiet elegance of Georgian tailoring, offering women a wardrobe that bridges wild passion and refined restraint. Creative director Ian Griffiths drew direct inspiration from the Brontë sisters, reimagining their literary heroines through robust textures, cinematic silhouettes and a moody palette that reflects the stormy English sky.
Backstage, Griffiths described how the works of Emily and Charlotte Brontë – along with the compositions of Felix Mendelssohn – shaped his vision. “When the world feels dark, literature becomes escapism,” he said, pointing to mood boards filled with windswept landscapes and heroines draped in rich fabrics. The result is a lineup steeped in romance, where practicality meets drama.
The collection opens with outerwear that commands attention: double-layered coats in maroon, military-style overcoats with sweeping hems, and hooded capes knit from marled yarns. Griffiths emphasized volume, particularly in skirts that billow with movement and wide-legged trousers tailored with articulated knee seams for ease. These pieces evoke the rugged beauty of Haworth’s moors, yet their clean lines and structured waists ensure modernity.
Color plays a key role. Rich madder reds give way to mossy greens and “cacha,” a flinty gray named for its resemblance to raw cashmere. Griffiths noted how Yorkshire’s overcast skies influenced this spectrum, grounding the collection in its literary roots. Fabrics such as tweed, shearling and herringbone add tactile depth, while ribbed knits and velvet eveningwear introduce softness.
Details elevate the utilitarian foundation. Ribbed bomber jackets trim wool skirts, leather belts cinch voluminous silhouettes, and leather-strapped backpacks nod to outdoor adventures. Standout pieces include a mottled tweed poacher’s jacket paired with knit bloomers and a black velvet gown evocative of midnight walks – a nod to Catherine Earnshaw’s restless spirit.
Griffiths’ own three-piece pinstripe suit, made by Welsh tailor Timothy Everest, underscored his commitment to precision. This ethos permeates the collection, where every seam and drape feels intentional. While the palette tends toward the dark, flashes of red and textured layers provide visual intrigue.
Max Mara loyalists will find familiarity in the brand’s signature cashmere coats, reworked here with floor-sweeping proportions and slit sleeves. The finale is an off-the-shoulder gown in black velvet that captures the essence of the collection: romanticism underpinned by strength.
©Photo: Max Mara