THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF FASHION
Sportmax fashion director GRAZIA MALAGOLI chats with ROBYN NGAN about the essence of the brand and the current fashion landscape
UPON ENTERING MAISON Assouline in St James’s in London, I was overwhelmed by the grandeur of the space, featuring floor-to- ceiling bookshelves, with the spines of the tomes each revealing only an eyelet into their secrets. It was a fitting space for the launch of Sportmax’s 50thanniversary book and a reminder that, just like books, fashion is something that remains and shapes eras.
Published by the esteemed publishing house Assouline as part of its Legends collection, the tome (edited by Olivier Saillard, with an essay by Luke Leitch) documents the history of the brand. Inspired by the rebellious youth in
Swinging London, Max Mara founder Achille Maramotti decided to launch Sportmax amidst amidst the generationdefining social revolution. The first Italian example of a coordinated wardrobe offering contemporary, trend-setting collections encapsulated the essence of the “Made in Italy” labels tucked into our favourite garments – a testament to the Italian art of savoir faire and quality.
In the red room of Maison Assouline, I got deep in conversation with Sportmax’s fashion director, Grazia Malagoli. Wearing a midaxi high-necked red dress with matching red lipstick, we were prompted that we were in the presence of a visionary. With a beaming smile, this lady in red shared her wisdom about her perception of the everchanging fashion landscape, the redefinition of femininity and her hopes for the future of mankind.
Musing over every word and demonstrating what true poise and elegance is, Malagoli’s presence alone was able to explain Sportmax’s success under her direction. The passion that poured from her lips was the true denotation of her power and understanding of a fickle industry, all underpinned by a transcendent aura of modesty. Her name may have been on the lips of every guest at the book launch, but just like a myth or a spirit, Malagoli remained shrouded in mystery.
You began working for Max Mara in 1979 and you’ve stated before that the Italian fashion landscape was “very charming” at that time. Since then, trends and brands have progressed and evolved a lot. What do you think sets Italian fashion houses apart from others? And how do you think the Italian fashion landscape has changed since you started?
We can say that when the Sportmax brand started, the Italian fashion landscape was very simple. There were mainly three big names on the market: Max Mara, the Girombelli Group [Genny] and Gruppo Finanziario Tessile. From the landscape that I just described, the only survivor today is Max Mara.
As a brand and a fashion house, it has managed to survive as it has always been consistent with a clear focus in mind; such type of work has been continual up to today. As far as
Sportmax is concerned, it was born to provide the right solutions and cater to the right needs, all done at the right moment – so it was born as a collection and as a brand to interpret the everchanging and ever- evolving landscape within fashion.
It still remains just as contemporary and relevant nowadays due to its consistency and regularity.
We only produce good work as we seek to represent such evolution, especially with the power of the “Made in Italy” hallmark.
“Sportmax was born with the aim of satisfying needs, especially those of the new generation: a generation that is in constant evolution. We want to make femininity more delicate, more simple and more cared for” GRAZIA MALAGOLI
Are there any particular events or trends that have moulded the brand into what it is today?
Sportmax was born with the aim of satisfying needs, especially those of the new generation – a generation that is in constant evolution.
Up to now, we, as a brand have been maintaining constant and consistent work with a team of designers that ensure only good choices are made. We aim to continue delivering the quality that is associated so heavily with “Made in Italy”.
Each year we see a revival or a reprise of a different decade and for this anniversary collection, Sportmax is evoking ’70s nostalgia. To you, what is it about ’70s fashion that is so iconic and special? Do you have any favourite pieces or fashion moments from the era that you would like to share?
Maybe it’s because I started to work in fashion during the ’70s, which happens to be of particular interest to you, but I have to say the ’70s and ’80s were a very fertile time for fashion. As I experienced it personally, there was a new explosion of creativity, which was very intense, very relevant and very significant – something which we haven’t really seen since. This has affected my work greatly. But we must also remember that the ’70s were a time of industrialisation, and there was a movement from couture to prêt-à-porter to serve a wider and more diverse demographic of women buying fashion. Moreover, it was a time of unique creativity that we haven’t seen replicated again. We still want to emulate and express that today.
The ’70s were a time when very new and important fashion designers were born – in Italy and France especially. For Italy, we saw the likes of Armani and Versace. They wanted to convey a new, unique and strong personal character in their creations. As for the French, brands like Gaultier wanted to change the entire landscape. For instance, Gaultier was very ironic with the clothes he wanted to offer women of the time. And on the other side of the world, in Japan, it was a land of complete change and evolution, where they sought to desecrate fashion completely and express the femininity of
women in a new form, a new light, with a focus on the traditionally non-feminine attributes of fashion.
Research in itself is a continuation of the evolution we do in our own work. Essentially, they all culminate in and contribute to the individual creativity we want to convey.
But going back to your original question, the ’70s were really formative years for me; I was developing my skills during that time.
I love that you talked about femininity, because Fashion Week seems to “redefine” this every season. What does femininity mean to you? Do you think the term has appropriately adapted to the modern world?
Yes, femininity has changed – just as women have changed, of course. In the past, femininity was very tangible and the way it was expressed was also very tangible, with a special focus on the shape of the woman herself, with the clothes highlighting and accentuating certain forms. Nowadays, femininity is expressed in a more sophisticated manner, emphasising a more inner and personal way that is no longer as tangible as the past.
Also, there is evolution in such femininity because there was a time that still persists today where femininity is linked to sport. Sometimes sport can forget about femininity or even appear detached, but we want to recuperate such femininity for the new generations and show the link as a reaction to sport. In the past – actually up until not that long ago – there were more sportif trends. For example, with sneakers, there was an expression of a more relaxed feeling. But now we want to redefine that. We want to make femininity more delicate, more simple and more cared for.