Modernist Magic: Max Mara pays tribute to Sophie Taeuber-Arp

Max Mara honors a multitalented artist whose work was forgotten for decades before being rediscovered. Sophie Taeuber-Arp was a multi-talented modernist who gave ordinary things an air of magic and mystery through her architecture, dance, textile design, painting, and sculpture.

Avant-garde artists such as Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Giorgio de Chirico, Max Ernst, and Guillaume Apollinaire regularly convened with Taeuber-Arp at the Cabaret Voltaire in Zurich. They gave life to a startling new aesthetic, Dada, through their shows, books, recitals, and readings.

The impromptu costumes and marionettes that Taeuber-Arp created for her most well-known work, “King Stag,” exude a jubilant energy, a kinetic spirit, and a theatrical panache. They have an alluring personality that falls between that of a robot and an animal, making them perfect candidates for a fairy tale.

The sharp lines and unexpected shapes that characterize Max Mara’s designs are all expertly articulated. Mini and maxi, micro and macro, skinny and outsize are just some of the playful contrasts that are explored in this collection, which is rendered in all the colors of a Taeuber-Arp tapestry.

Max Mara collection

Featuring anatomically placed quilting, the knitted cuissards by Max Mara are half boot, half legging. The sleeves of a mohair sweater are also usually very flexible. Those boots take on a whole new vibe when paired with a quilted nylon micro-skirt. The skirts are either thigh-high or, if they’re not, they’re royal, bell-shaped, and floor-length, and they go wonderfully with a skintight turtleneck and a balaclava.

White trousers with the widest legs ever are seen in tailored cavalry twill and jersey-backed techno-nylon this winter. Sophie Taeuber-Arp gives the most poetic treatment to the most mundane hardware, as is evident in this closer examination of her marionettes.

Max Mara’s signature is a pale matte gold zipper. When a tailored jacket or a macho ‘cappottino’ is given a double zip fastening, they take on a distinctly Dada dimension, as do zippered pockets and side splits that appear in unexpected places.

Max Mara collection

Unsurprisingly, Max Mara’s coats steal the show; they’re fit for a princess (or a king) from a fairy tale. They highlight the new slouch and swagger of the collection, regardless of length. Teddy bear fabric, the stuff of dreams, also gets a redesign. We all know how well it works in a coat, but who knew it would also look great in a tunic, a skirt that sweeps the floor, or even a daring pair of shorts?

The alpine region of which Taeuber-Arp is a native experiences severe cold during the winter. Oversized puffas are in, and Max Mara has them; throw one on over your Teddy Bear for maximum effect. Wadding is upcycled as well, since it is made from remnants of Teddy Bear Coat manufacturing.

Max Mara knits up a batch of chunky sweaters with enlarged, abstracted versions of the brand’s signature motifs. With a touch of Cabaret Voltaire’s frenetic creativity and a dash of magic dust, Max Mara has delivered a collection that lives up to its promise of sleek modern dressing.