MaxMara keeps abreast of market desires

By Agni Amorita

JAKARTA (JP): Italian branded boutique MaxMara takes an accommodative approach toward international tastes, making its collection a global item abroad.

For working attire, the firm has been implementing an American standard -- one of its best selling collections called "west coast" was inspired by a photomontage of Venice Beach in Los Angeles. Its evening gowns are heavily influenced by their European "glamorous" textures.

The company, established in 1951, was the first Italian boutique to produce ready-to-wear. Founder Achille Moramotti believes the firm should concentrate on how to balance haute couture fabric usage for the mass market. The result was once again proved last week in an afternoon fashion show presenting the latest collection for spring/summer 2000, held at Grand Hyatt Jakarta.

The accommodative approach for mostly conservative Jakarta buyers was clearly underlined with the collection's gentle fabrics, colors and fashion details. Even the boutique's merchandiser picked a very light material and color -- an overcoat as a "matching long jacket" for a three-piece working suit. The decision was considered as a solution to those Western- minded Jakartan working women who are inspired by New Yorker always-in-coats businesswomen. Although Jakarta is so Hot (with a capital H), the office, vehicle, including airplane, and the places where they meet their colleagues -- could be a favorite cafe -- always include a very cold air conditioner.

The director of show organizer Look Modeling Agency, Lulu Dewayanti, said the fashion collection was selected in the absence of a similar event, formerly shown at the Grand Hyatt's Fountain Lounge, for about two years.

"We offer 32 pieces of their newest collections," she said. The collection consists of two or three-piece working suits and long evening dresses. Prices start from Rp 1.2 million per piece for the working attire and about Rp 4.5 million for a evening gown.

Unlike some other branded boutiques which are usually considered "too complex" for local markets, the collection was soft and very feminine -- thanks to its light materials that gave the tailored suits the feeling of confidence and were far from being provocative. They are also genuinely simple. These mixed implementations are the keywords to their Indonesian buyers, who are mostly conservative.

To match its local market, items in the collection are cleverly decorated with Asian traditional details, such as embroidery and sequins. In this case the sequins are made up to date in its new look, namely with new tartan sequins.

The collection is also brilliant in its color combinations. It sticks to safe colors such as natural hues, especially the combination of the shades of pink pastel, green and purple. The pale color dominations are important to give a "feminine" impression -- still considered a crucial matter here because Indonesia is dominated by old-fashioned working women who are against a very masculine approach in their working attire -- and expressed in a pastel color combination, like pale pink tank tops with both white long skirts and boleros.

MaxMara only turns to black in the evening gowns. Black, the most classic color and never wrong for formal occasions, was shown in simple elegance of velvet material and a sexy appearance from its spaghetti straps or curvy low necklines.

The silhouette is slim this spring-summer collection because MaxMara's newest collection is dominated by subtle jackets, knee- length straight skirts, tank tops, chemise dresses and semi- pallazo trousers. The accessories for the collection are high and narrow heels, large handbags and big sunglasses.