Max Mara's Ian Griffiths puts the brand's enduring success down to its classic coats. The British designer is the head designer of the Italian luxury fashion brand, which was founded in 1951 and is famed for its elegant womenswear.
Max Mara is particularly renowned for its 101801 wool and cashmere camel coat, a garment worn lovingly by celebrities and working women everywhere.
Max Mara is popular for its staple camel coat
"You can carry on reworking it forever," Griffiths told Britain's Harper's Bazaar magazine. "You never tire of it. At a time when there's so much stuff around, Max Mara - and our coats especially - have an advantage because customers are clinging on to things that have meaning. The camel coat really stands for something."
With the continued popularity of coats, Max Mara remains one of the biggest buyers of camel hair in the world. But the label also sells a range of chic separates and accessories, which Griffiths says continue to be coveted and collected by a diverse range of women.
"A lot of fashion designers want to express the loudness of clothes. I don't. Max Mara always the follows the same basic principle: real clothes for real people," he said.
In the past, Max Mara has employed names such as Karl Lagerfeld and Narciso Rodriguez to design pieces. But Griffiths admits that he would find it difficult to branch out on his own.
"I have the shortest CV in the business. Royal College of Art, Max Mara, the end. If I ever did my own collection, it would just come out looking like Max Mara so they'd have to sue me.
“I am part of a story, and the story is part of me," the designer added.
STORY: The luxury womenswear designer you need to know about