Highsnobiety
SSENSE

Max Mara makes "real clothes for real women," according to creative director Ian Griffiths. Simple enough, but why stop there? SSENSE has long stocked the brand on its womenswear site but for Fall/Winter 2021, the retailer is also offering its Max Mara coat selection to men, demonstrating the inherent versatility of Mara's enormous outerwear.

Though it garnered big headlines after US Speaker Nancy Pelosi wore an archival design, Max Mara has never really not been relevant for a certain type of shopper. Specifically, the Italian label's garments are is prized by its well-heeled customers for their exquisite materials, finishing, and drape, with price tags to match.

Cut from superior cashmere, camel wool, and silk, the louche layering pieces available on SSENSE are inherently lavish but as smugly cozy as a bathrobe, like wearing a warm hug that shields from the elements and prying eyes. Especially the plush Teddy Bear coat, which is almost always street-styled or modeled on women.

Typically gendered garment selections ought to be undermined, no argument there. Just a word of caution: though this particular example is pretty amiable, I'm personally wary to see womenswear brands reshaped for male consumers. Again, this particular instance is pretty hard to disagree with, but it's an angle worth considering in light of the boy's club mentality that often crops up in the industry.

It's also odd to see garments that are likely cut to a woman-sized fit model being cast as genderless. To be fair, this was probably already considered as the Max Mara pieces on the mens' site eschew shoulder seams for unrestrictive allowances and plenty more Mara is exclusively available on the womens' side of the website.

A loosening of rigid gender boundaries is not only refreshing, it's downright welcome. Normalizing previously gender-specific cues — like soft coats, pleated skirts, and grooming products — is a small but welcome step in the slow promenade towards widespread inclusivity and acceptance, if you can afford the garments in question.

We Recommend
  • chore coats workwear jackets
    The Chore Coat is Where Workwear Peaks
    • Style
  • Image on Highsnobiety
    A-COLD-WALL*'s Air Max Plus Three-Pack Is Maximum Minimalism
    • Sneakers
  • mary janes shoes image
    Hail Mary: The Enigma Shoe of the Summer
    • Style
  • loewe drain
    Loewe Made the Best Coat of the Season, Let That Sink in
    • Style
  • mm6 castlerock
    Is That a Pair of Cooked Air Max 95s, Margiela?
    • Sneakers
  • Image on Highsnobiety
What To Read Next
  • A model wears a yellow coat and unbuttoned cardigan from Gucci's Spring/Summer 2024 collection
    Sexed-up Office-Wear Is the Vibe For SS24
    • Style
  • Image on Highsnobiety
    Don't Walk, Run in NOCTA's Running Gear
    • Style
  • Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift's rumored boyfriend, wears a black hat and patterned shirt
    Taylor Swift's New BF Is Everything She Ain't (Style-Wise)
    • Style
  • Joopiter nike supreme sbs
    EXCLUSIVE: Super-Rare Supreme Dunks Crash Land at JOOPITER
    • Sneakers
  • a look at the NEEDLES x ASICS sneaker collab
    NEEDLES’ ASICS Are Too Cool for School
    • Sneakers
  • G-SHOCK & League of Legends collaborative watches, including a Jinx-themed timepiece
    League of Legends Finally Got the $1,100 Watch It Deserves
    • Watches
*If you submitted your e-mail address and placed an order, we may use your e-mail address to inform you regularly about similar products without prior explicit consent. You can object to the use of your e-mail address for this purpose at any time without incurring any costs other than the transmission costs according to the basic tariffs. Each newsletter contains an unsubscribe link. Alternatively, you can object to receiving the newsletter at any time by sending an e-mail to info@highsnobiety.com

Web Accessibility Statement

Titelmedia (Highsnobiety), is committed to facilitating and improving the accessibility and usability of its Website, www.highsnobiety.com. Titelmedia strives to ensure that its Website services and content are accessible to persons with disabilities including users of screen reader technology. To accomplish this, Titelmedia has engaged UsableNet Inc, a leading web accessibility consultant to help test, remediate and maintain our Website in-line with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), which also bring the Website into conformance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Disclaimer

Please be aware that our efforts to maintain accessibility and usability are ongoing. While we strive to make the Website as accessible as possible some issues can be encountered by different assistive technology as the range of assistive technology is wide and varied.

Contact Us

If, at any time, you have specific questions or concerns about the accessibility of any particular webpage on this Website, please contact us at accessibility@highsnobiety.com, +49 (0)30 235 908 500. If you do encounter an accessibility issue, please be sure to specify the web page and nature of the issue in your email and/or phone call, and we will make all reasonable efforts to make that page or the information contained therein accessible for you.