Shanghai Noon

A formation of architectural sculptures and mirrors has risen from the grounds of the Shanghai Exhibition Centre.

Portrait of Tammy Strobel
My Reading Room

A formation of architectural sculptures and mirrors has risen from the grounds of the Shanghai Exhibition Centre; each magnificent object standing tall inside the cavernous hall like fragments from a dystopian metropolis. Conceptualised by Chinese artist Liu Wei, it is the futuristic-looking backdrop around which Max Mara presented a pre-fall 2017 collection that conjured the dangerous elegance of film noir heroines. Ian Griffiths, the brand’s Creative Director, decoded the seductive allure of screen sirens such as Veronica Lake, Joan Crawford and Lauren Bacall through impeccable tailoring and a colour palette of monochromes and sweet hues that reflected the many moods of today’s independent women. Feminine blouses, strong jackets and sweeping coats with ’40s darted shoulders powered down the runway alongside ruched tulle skirts, sexy pencil skirts and tailored pants; at the same time, cinched waists and laced-up knee-high boots supercharged the collection with an irresistible sense of drama.